NOAA
NOAA Educational Partnership Program
UNIVERSITIES
University of Maryland Eastern Shore: UMES is the lead institution of the LMRCSC consortium. It grants M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the Marine, Estuarine and Environmental Sciences (MEES) with areas of specialization in Fisheries Science, Oceanography, Ecology, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, and Environmental Molecular Biology/Biotechnology. It also awards Ph.D. degrees in Toxicology, and Food Science and Technology, and an M.S. degree in Food and Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Agricultural Economics. UMES has also established a Professional Science Masters degree program in Quantitative Fisheries and Resource Economics. The institution occupies a unique geographical location (10 miles from the Chesapeake Bay and 20 miles from the Atlantic Ocean) that has enabled it to develop research and educational programs concentrating in the marine and estuarine-related disciplines, particularly fisheries science.
The Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center (PSSCEC) located 30 minutes from UMES near Assateague Island, Maryland features histology and fish life history labs, microbiology and teaching labs as well as an auditorium and offices for students and faculty. Along with the fish health and physiology lab, fish and zooplankton ecology labs, wet labs and water quality lab located on the main campus in Princess Anne, these facilities make UMES capable of developing a broader curriculum in Marine Sciences and related disciplines and administering the LMRCSC.
Using funds provided to the LMRCSC, UMES has leveraged funds in the form of grants from various agencies particularly, NSF to establish three programs and conduct research in NOAA science related areas: Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in Marine and Estuarine Sciences, Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree in Quantitative Fisheries and Resource Economics, and Center for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) that focuses on an integrated study of coastal ecosystem processes and dynamics in the mid-Atlantic region. These programs have enabled UMES to build capacity in marine and fisheries science, and to recruit more graduate students into its Marine and Fisheries sciences programs.
Delaware State University: The DSU aquatic sciences program boasts eight faculty and staff members who specialize in diverse, scientifically relevant and important areas of fisheries science. Current research projects range from the investigation of the ecology of regionally important fishes, such as diadromous species, to crucial estuarine habitat restoration via oyster revitalization and restoration in critical estuaries such as the Delaware Bay. Other projects probe cutting-edge aquaculture-related research questions, seafood safety issues, estuarine biogeochemistry and aquatic toxicology. Through frequent research trips into Delaware Bay and coastal regions, students obtain valuable field training and sampling skills, thereby earning a competitive edge in preparation for future employment in fisheries sciences. In addition, students gain hands-on experience at the DSU Aquaculture Research and Demonstration Facility, which has 34 freshwater ponds and over 4,000 square feet of temperature- and humidity-controlled wet lab space, where both freshwater and marine species of fish are reared. In addition to the existing culture facilities, the aquatic science research group also maintains necessary support facilities, including algae production and water quality analysis labs, which also house numerous state-of-the-art instruments for biogeochemical and toxicological analyses.
Savannah State University: Since the B. S. program was founded in 1979, SSU has established a formidable record of success of its B.S. degree program in marine sciences, which focuses on marine ecology, water quality, and fisheries. The University implemented the first M.S. degree program in Marine Sciences located on the Georgia coast in the fall of 2002 and has graduated 22 M.S. students since then. SSU’s first research vessel, trawls, and grabs were supplied through NOAA efforts. Current marine science facilities include a 6,000 square-foot marine biology facility with a saltwater dock (includes a 60-foot floating section and pump for the wet-laboratory sea water supply), and three vessels (a 35-foot twin-diesel work boat, a Boston whaler, and a pontoon boat). Since the LMRCSC was created, SSU has added an additional faculty position, bringing it to a total of six, and a two-year aquarium certification program. The university’s value to marine science education in the state was bolstered by a 2010 congressional appropriation that funded a new 36’ diesel vessel and an on-campus boat launch.
Hampton University: Hampton University, founded in 1868 and located near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, has a strong tradition of educating African American students and was one of the first Historically Black Universities to develop a degree program in marine science. The undergraduate B.S. degree builds on knowledge gained in traditional areas with the intent to integrate that information into applied areas of marine and environmental science. A M.S. degree program in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Studies is available through the Department of Biological Sciences. The HU marine science program conducts research on fisheries, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and hypoxia in the Chesapeake Bay. Long-term shoreline adjustment, water quality monitoring and essential fish habitat studies are on-going since the severe impact of Hurricane Isabel.
HU is home to the DREAMS, COSEE-Coastal Trends, COSIA, COSIEN, Hall Bonner, ASLO Multicultural Program, and the Multicultural-students At Sea Together (MAST) programs. All of these leveraged programs promote the participation of minority students in the marine sciences and have allowed HU students to be well prepared for graduate school and the workplace. Hampton University has been the most substantial contributor to encouraging diversity in the Ocean Sciences through its novel mentoring program with the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Started in 1990 by HU professor Dr. Ben Cuker, the ASLO Multicultural Program, has mentored over 704 students from underrepresented groups, many of whom are now scientists, managers, and policy makers in NOAA and academia.
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology: IMET is a unit of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), a campus of the University System of Maryland. It is the pre-eminent center in the U.S. for aquaculture/fisheries biotechnology and marine microbial biotechnology and has on-going collaborative programs with NOAA and LMRCSC partners. IMET facilities include research laboratories for marine biotechnology along with a state-of-the-art re-circulating aquaculture research facility located on the Inner Harbor in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. IMET’s mission is to apply the tools of modern biology and biotechnology to study, protect and enhance marine and estuarine resources. Integral to IMET’s research focus is education, training and economic development. IMET faculty provide expertise in fisheries biology to include reproduction, nutrition, development, disease and life history research, as well as in habitat assessment using molecular tools.
UMCES strengthens collaborative teaching, mentoring of students, and research in the LMRCSC, particularly in the areas of quantitative fisheries, aquaculture and marine/fisheries biotechnology. IMET provides graduate training at masters and doctoral levels, inquiry-based undergraduate research experiences through a 10-week summer internship program, research and enrichment opportunities for LMRCSC partner faculty through faculty exchanges and co-mentoring of partner graduate students in the use of molecular tools. In addition, IMET supports an active outreach program to area high school students and teachers. IMET scientists have access to the UMCES research fleet of 16 vessels. As part of UMCES, IMET scientists are also partners in the Cooperative Institute for the North Atlantic Region (CINAR) which links NOAA managers and faculty members with scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Gulf of Maine Research Institution, University of Maine, and Rutgers University.
University of Miami RSMAS : RSMAS is one of the world’s leading Marine Science research and teaching institutions. A close collaborative relationship between NOAA and RSMAS is fostered by the proximity of RSMAS, the AOML and the SEFSC of NOAA, all located at Virginia Key, Florida. RSMAS hosts the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (CIMAS), a joint institute between NOAA, the University of Miami and most of the Florida and US Caribbean Marine Research Institutions. The new collaborative arrangements between these research institutions will enhance the reach of the LMRCSC to other partners interested in NOAA research. The RSMAS fisheries program has been offering M.S. and Ph.D. degrees for more than 25 years and, partially thanks to the presence of CIMAS, one quarter of the graduates of the RSMAS fisheries program are currently NOAA employees. RSMAS fisheries research covers many topics of interest to NMFS including fisheries biology, fisheries ecology, essential fish habitat, stock assessment and management strategy evaluation, aquaculture and fishery socio-economics.
Oregon State University : Founded in 1868, OSU is a Land Grant university and is one of only two universities in the US to also have Sea Grant, Space Grant and Sun Grant designations. With nearly 24,000 students and $275 million in research funding in 2009-10, OSU earned the Carnegie Foundation’s top designation, awarded to institutions with “very high research activity” and is currently being reviewed for Community Engagement classification. Approximately 40% of OSU’s extramural funding is related to marine science. Undergraduate and graduate students from several Colleges, including Agricultural Sciences, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, and College of Science, participate in marine science curricula and research activities. Graduate degrees are offered in fisheries science, applied economics, oceanography, and marine resource management. OSU’s graduate programs have been recently ranked as #1 in the field of conservation biology and #2 in fisheries science behind University of Washington. The OSU doctoral program in Applied Economics (formerly Agricultural and Resource Economics) was ranked in the top 10% in the recently released National Research Council report on graduate education. Diverse resources are available for minority students including four minority education offices, six cultural centers, and a local chapter of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS), which provides a framework for academic, professional and social development of under-represented students in fields of agriculture, natural resources and related social and biophysical sciences through leadership, community service and professional development activities.
The Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) is OSU’s campus for research, education, and outreach in marine and coastal sciences. HMSC, which is located approximately 50 miles from OSU’s main campus in Corvallis, houses a collaborative scientific community with approximately 120 personnel representing OSU, another 180 employed by federal and state agencies on-site and a combined annual budget of over $40 million. OSU’s Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES) is located at the HMSC and is the largest Agricultural Branch Experiment Station in the US dedicated solely to coastal and marine issues. COMES is actively involved in research to improve the use of marine resources, increase production of commercially harvested and cultured seafood, develop value-added seafood products, and improve policies for resource management. Primary areas of research include aquaculture, fish disease, fisheries science, management and policy, marine mammals, marine economics and marketing, salmon and marine fisheries ecology and genetics, and seafood science and technology. The Cooperative Institute of Marine Resources Studies (CIMRS) has been located at HMSC since 1982 and fosters research cooperation between OSU and NOAA. There are also two newer institutes, the Marine Mammal Institute (MMI) and the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center (NNMREC), established in 2007 and 2008, respectively. HMSC partners with several other universities in Oregon, Washington, Northern California and Hawaii, with community colleges, and with the Oregon Coast Aquarium to provide educational opportunities for undergraduate students. These include a National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) Pacific Partnerships program and a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site.
HMSC’s facilities for research and teaching are located on a 49-acre campus, which includes modern research and teaching laboratories and a seawater system. A high-speed fiber optic IT connection provides support for researchers using informatics and accessing satellite and other global data sources. The HMSC also has on-site housing and a ship support building and docking facilities for oceanographic research vessels. HMSC is homeport to the 185-foot University-National Oceanography Laboratory System (UNOLS) vessel Wecoma, the 85’ MMI vessel Pacific Storm, the 54’ coastal vessel Elakha, and numerous small boats. Adjacent to the HMSC is the new home of NOAA’s Marine Operations Center – Pacific, which will house support staff and dock facilities for six NOAA research vessels. OSU strengthens educational and research activities of the LMRCSC institutions, particularly in the Resource Economics and Quantitative Fisheries areas through collaborations in research, mentoring of graduate students, summer internships, and delivery of courses to students using the Center’s Virtual Campus technology.
