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This project will position marine laboratories and field stations to meet emerging scientific trends. As the human population grows and natural resource consumption increases, understanding and managing the environment for sustainability has never been more important. As institutions that foster place-based research, field stations and marine laboratories (FSMLs) are a critical part of the nation’s infrastructure needed to address a wide range of environmental issues. With over 350 field stations and marine laboratories distributed among all 50 states managing a large amount of scientific equipment, research vessels, laboratories, living accommodations, and land, there is a huge existing investment in the FSML network. Because of the diversity, complexity, and enduring nature of field stations and marine laboratories, strategic planning is critical for ensuring that such institutions are well positioned to meet the dynamic and changing needs of scientists, students, and public they serve.
Strategic planning will help ensure that field stations and marine laboratories are well positioned to integrate modern science into formal and informal educational activities, as well as to facilitate resource management. To accomplish this strategic planning we will foster a dialog among the stakeholders of field stations and marine laboratories about the future of these institutions. This dialog will result in a series of reports to assist funders, managers, and users, in making decisions concerning investment in, and management of field stations and marine laboratories. Specifically, we will host a workshop that brings together a diverse set of scientists, directors of FSMLs, educators, and conservation stewards to identify the role FSMLs play in addressing critical emerging issues. As part of the workshop we will explore the various components of FSMLs to determine which components of FSMLs will be most critical in the future. The deadline for applying to participate in the workshop was August 1, 2011. Second, we will conduct a survey of FSMLs that host significant amounts of research conducted by US scientists. This exercise will allow us to define the current status and capabilities of FSMLs, and provide the information needed to make recommendations about future investments. Third, we will develop a Final Report that identifies the future investments in FSMLs that will produce the greatest scientific impacts. Click here to download a copy of the full proposal. |
FSML Survey - updateThe survey was closed on April 9, 2012. Thank you for your participation.
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