GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

1 GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION Research Education Outreach THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

INTRODUCTION

For five decades, studies of the ocean and marine environments have been a central focus of research and teaching at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO). Located on the water’s edge at the University’s Narragansett Bay Campus, GSO is an internationally respected oceanographic institution with a longstanding seagoing tradition. Founded in 1936 as the URI Narragansett Marine Laboratory, and reorganized as the Graduate School of Oceanography in 1961, GSO is the state’s center for marine studies and cuttingedge research and outreach. GSO was founded as an institution without rigid boundaries between oceanographic sub-disciplines of biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography as well as archaeological oceanography and atmospheric chemistry. The result is a collegial school—an ideal setting for students, faculty, and staff to collaboratively address the science questions and challenges of today.

GSO played a major role in creating the National Sea Grant Program and pioneered the integration of research, policy development, and stakeholder involvement in coastal management programs for implementation at local, state, national, and international scales. GSO also carries on a tradition of active public service and outreach programming.

URI Narragansett Marine Laboratory, circa 1940, exterior ▲ and interior ▼

GSO’s first research vessel, RV Trident, early 1960s

continued on next page 2 GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION Research Research Education Outreach THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

Complementing its broad-based research agenda, GSO has a strong academic program with nearly 850 conferred graduate degrees that are distributed equally between the master’s and doctoral levels. Graduates are employed in academia, government and non-governmental organizations, and the private sector and are distributed internationally across six continents and nearly three dozen countries.

GSO benefits from strong, long-term support from the state, the University of Rhode Island, and diverse external funders. With an excellent seagoing capability and an attractive and practical waterfront campus as the home base for its Research Vessel Endeavor, GSO has close links among its research, academic, and public service and outreach programs.

In 2011, GSO is celebrating its 50th anniversary with myriad events and activities planned for the scientific community, alumni, Friends of Oceanography, and public.

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Research At the Bay Campus, more than 200 research projects and outreach programs are conducted, with a combined budget of approximately $30 million in federal, state, and private funds. GSO serves a community of scientists who are conducting research in all areas of marine science.

Marine Science Research Areas at GSO Acoustical Oceanography Air-Sea Interaction Biofouling Biophysical Oceanography Coastal Erosion Coastal and Estuarine Health Coastal, Ocean, and Air Pollution Dynamics of Estuarine/ Coastal Circulation and Mixing Early Development in Fishes Ecology of Suboxic Habitats Ecosystem Dynamics and Biogeochemical Cycling Fish Ecology Fish Population Dynamics Global Carbon Cycling Global Climate Change Harmful Algal Blooms

High Temperature and Solid Earth Geochemistry Mantle Dynamics Marine Zooplankton Ecology Molecular Ecology Ocean Acidification Ocean Circulation Dynamics Ocean Influence on Hurricane Intensity Oceanographic Imaging and Mapping Offshore Renewable Energy Ocean Instrumentation Paleoceanography Pollutant Cycling and Bioaccumulation Regional Earth Systems Remote Sensing Subsurface Life Tectonics Volcanism

continued on next page 3 GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION

Education

Research Education Education Outreach Outreach

GSO is one of the largest and most widely known graduate schools of oceanography in the U.S. More than 80 students are currently enrolled—two-thirds in doctoral programs and one-third in master’s programs. GSO students can earn Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in the classical areas of oceanography—biological, chemical, geological, and physical—as well as in interdisciplinary and related areas such as archaeological oceanography and atmospheric chemistry. A non-thesis Master of Oceanography and a “Blue MBA” in conjunction with URI’s ­College of Business Administration are also offered.

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

GSO has graduated more than 800 students since its inception 50 years ago. They are working in academia, industry, government, and environmental organizations in the U.S. and abroad; and engaged in research, teaching, and policy-making. GSO graduates live all over the world—in 42 states and 30 countries.

For more information: gso.uri.edu

Outreach

Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

GSO is unique in its longstanding commitment to a broad-based array of externally-supported outreach programs. The Office of Marine Programs is renowned for its outreach and education directed towards schoolchildren and teachers, for its training of the media and scientists in science reporting skills, for its coordination of ­national education initiatives, and for engaging in science

4 GSO Profile

c­ omm­unications and information strategies to support international networks of researchers. The Coastal ­Resources Center contributes its coastal management expertise for better governance and stewardship of coastal ecosystems around the U.S. and in many developing nations, from Tanzania to Indonesia. The Coastal I­ nstitute partners with local, state, federal, and international agencies to increase understanding of the relationships between human activity and the condition of the coastal environment and its resources. As a founding Sea Grant institution, for more than four decades Rhode Island Sea Grant has funded coastal and ocean research as well as carrying out outreach and education programs addressing the needs of resource managers and uses of marine resources.

Active annual giving programs of the GSO Alumni ­Association and Friends of Oceanography, as well as the activities of the GSO Dean’s Advisory Council, offer additional opportunities for innovative outreach to wideranging audiences, from alumni to friends to the scientific and business communities, as well as educators and the public.

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

PROFILE INTRODUCTION NARRAGANSETTBAY BAYCAMPUS CAMPUS THE NARRAGANSETT Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV Endeavor Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships

The GSO Dean serves as chief operating officer of the University’s ­Narragansett Bay Campus, comprising more than 200 acres of prime real estate overlooking the West Passage of Narragansett Bay. The campus, which was a U.S. Army coastal defense site during the ­Spanish-American War as well as World Wars I and II, has been the home of the Graduate School of Oceanography since its founding in 1961.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

continued on next page 5 GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION NARRAGANSETTBAY BAYCAMPUS CAMPUS THE NARRAGANSETT Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV Endeavor Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

6 GSO Profile

The campus consists of approximately 20 URI buildings that contain a mix of offices, research labs, classrooms, and meeting spaces. There is a total of roughly 300,000 square feet of built space, about half of which is contained in six major buildings: Horn Laboratory, South Laboratory, Watkins Laboratory, Center for Atmospheric Chemistry Studies, Coastal Institute, and Ocean Science and Exploration Center which houses offices of the Dean and administrative staff, as well as the Claiborne Pell Marine Science Library, National Sea Grant Library, and the Inner Space Center. Other notable features of the Narragansett Bay Campus include a facility that provides continuous running seawater to the Ann Gall Durbin Marine Research Aquarium, Ark Annex to the Aquarium, and Luther Blount Aquaculture Laboratory; the Equipment Development Lab, which provides design, fabrication, and test capabilities for scientists; a large geological samples storage facility; a dock for the RV Endeavor and a small boat facility; and numerous specialized research facilities for physical and numerical modeling of large-scale ocean circulation or earth mantle behavior.

In addition, the URI Department of Ocean Engineering is located on the campus, with federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) laboratories bordering on the north. The Narragansett Bay Campus also serves as

homeport for GSO’s research vessel, RV Endeavor, with a pier located along the campus waterfront. The pier allows for efficient staging of cruises and easy access to the open ocean, only a few miles south of the campus.

In total, the GSO Dean and Associate Deans (Research and Administration, Academics, and Development) and nearly 300 faculty, marine research scientists, graduate students, and administrative, professional, technical, and support staff comprise the GSO community at the Narragansett Bay Campus.

Current GSO Employees and Students

32 17 166

80+

Faculty Marine Research Scientists Professional, Technical, and Support Staff Graduate Students

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS Institutes, Centers, and Offices Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV Endeavor Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Institutes, Centers, and Offices A number of institutes, centers, and offices are based at the Narragansett Bay Campus, their work contributing to GSO’s research, education, and outreach missions.

Facilities and centers supporting GSO’s research and education missions include:

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Institutes, Centers, and Offices

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

Center of Excellence in Undersea Technology Center of Excellence for Research on Offshore Renewable Energy Center for Marine Life Sciences Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence National Office Coastal Institute Coastal Resources Center GEMSNET

For more information: gso.uri.edu

Inner Space Center

Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting National Sea Grant Library Office of Marine Programs Claiborne Pell Marine Science Library Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR Program Rhode Island Sea Grant URI Foundation Boat Donation and Sales Program

The Claiborne Pell Marine Science Library opened on the Narragansett Bay Campus in 1968. The Pell Library provides resources and services that support the instructional and research programs at the Bay Campus. The collection emphasizes oceanography, marine biology, fisheries, atmospheric chemistry, and coastal and estuarine habitats. The special collections at the Pell Library include the scientific reports of major oceanographic and polar expeditions since 1873. Collectively, the University Libraries hold over 1.1 million books and receive 8,000 current periodicals. Holdings of government documents, audio/ visual materials, computer files, manuscripts, archives, maps, nautical charts, and microforms total nearly 2.3 ­million additional items.

The National Sea Grant Library, housed in the Pell Marine Science Library, is a cooperative venture of URI and NOAA. Founded in 1971, NSGL is the digital library and official archive for NOAA Sea Grant documents. It is the only comprehensive collection of Sea Grant-funded documents from more than 30 programs and projects across the country. This collection encompasses a wide variety of subjects, including oceanography, marine education, aquaculture, fisheries, aquatic nuisance species, coastal hazards, seafood safety, limnology, coastal management, continued on next page

7 GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS Institutes, Centers, and Offices Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV Endeavor Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

marine recreation, and law. The NGSL provides global access to over 15,000 full-text digital documents through its 40,000-record, searchable publications database.

As a national technological hub for ocean exploration and research, education, and marine telecommunications, the Inner Space Center serves as the primary conduit for telepresence: live audio, video, and data feeds from remote platforms, such as ocean-going research vessels, fed into GSO, other oceanographic institutions and colleges, and elementary and secondary schools. In 2010, the Inner Space Center opened with fully integrated technical capabilities for handling live streams of video, audio, and data from remote ships of exploration in real time.

The Center of Excellence in Undersea Technology is a consortium-based organization supported by funding from the federal government and private industry. Its vision aims at becoming the pre-eminent national center focused on the education and training of the next generation of technologists and on the research, development, testing, and evaluation of undersea technologies and associated products for national defense and security.

The Center of Excellence for Research on Offshore Renewable Energy coordinates and expands research in this area conducted at the GSO and URI’s Colleges of the Environment and Life Sciences, Engineering, and Arts and Sciences. The vision of this Center is to advance research and

8 GSO Profile

development in the areas of offshore wind, current, wave, and thermal energy to position the state of Rhode Island as the national leader in ocean energy.

The Center for Marine Life Sciences consists of the Ann Gall Durbin Marine Aquarium, Blount Aquaculture Research Laboratory, Marine Ecology Research Laboratory, Ark Annex, and associated mesocosms, intake pipes, and seawater pump house. Organisms are cultured from around the globe at the Center. Walk-in environmental chambers make research on polar organisms possible, and specialized labs allow for studies of pathogens and for transgenic animals. The seawater facilities at URI’s Bay Campus offer a remarkable array of possibilities for research on marine life. The facilities have undergone major renovations and updates in the last several years to accommodate the ever-widening scope of research topics in ocean life sciences—from molecular ecology of zooplankton, to physiology and behavior of transgenic fish, to effects of ocean acidification on food webs.

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV RVEndeavor Endeavor Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

9 GSO Profile

RV Endeavor GSO prides itself on a 50-year ship-operating tradition.

Its 185-foot Research Vessel Endeavor is owned by the National Science Foundation (NSF), and operated by URI/ GSO through a multi-year cooperative agreement. RV Endeavor is one of 21 oceanographic research ships coordinated by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System, a group of 61 academic institutions and national laboratories involved in oceanographic research and joined for the purpose of coordinating oceanographic ships’ schedules and research facilities.

RV Endeavor was built in 1976 at Peterson Builders, Inc., in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and underwent a major refit in 1993. The ship carries a crew of 12, a marine technician, and berthing for up to 17 scientists. Its onboard facilities include four science laboratories, three permanently installed oceanographic winches, and two permanently installed hydraulic frames to facilitate equipment deployment into the sea. RV Endeavor is engaged in government-sponsored oceanographic scientific research

supported by NSF, ONR (Office of Naval Research), NOAA, and the state of Rhode Island. Over the past five years RV Endeavor has averaged more than 180 operational days at sea, transiting over 150,000 nautical miles, translating into approximately $3 million in annual funding for ship operations alone.

RV Endeavor has conducted research operations in most of the oceans around the world. One month after the disastrous earthquake in Haiti, the ship was deployed to conduct geophysical surveys offshore Port Au Prince to determine the location of the fault line. Also, in June 2010, the ship was given a week’s notice to mobilize for research at the Deepwater Horizon Spill site to engage in critical studies to determine the fate of oil in the water column.

At the state level, Rhode Island has a long tradition of valuing the sea, an integral part of the state’s economy and culture. The state-supported Rhode Island Endeavor Program provides Rhode Islanders with direct access to RV Endeavor’s scientific research and educational capabilities.

PROFILE INTRODUCTION

Institutional Partners

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV Endeavor Institutional Partners Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships

GSO is strengthened by institutional cooperation at multiple organizational levels. At the University level, our closest synergies are with the College of Engineering through the Department of Ocean Engineering (OE), which is co-located on the Narragansett Bay Campus and supported in part by GSO; and individual programs in the College of the Environment and Life Sciences (CELS), which rely on many GSO-based facilities, including the Blount Aquaculture Facility. These synergies are expressed through a variety of inter-college, agency, and industrial partnerships.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Ocean Engineering URI offers Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in the Department of Ocean Engineering. This program specializes in the application of engineering principles and technology to solve problems in the ocean and coastal waters. One of only eight accredited ocean engineering programs in the U.S., the department has an enrollment of nearly 200 students. Specializations include ocean renewable energy from wind, waves, and tides; marine spatial planning, ocean robotics, ocean instrumentation and data analysis, underwater and sub-bottom acoustics, acoustic tomography, marine geomechanics and soil mechanics, marine hydrodynamics, coastal engineering and near-shore processes, marine environmental modeling, ocean drilling, ROVs and AUVs (remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles), and coastal and offshore structures.

Ocean engineering courses are supplemented by offerings in mathematics, computer science, other engineering departments (Chemical, Civil and Environmental, Electrical

and Computer, Mechanical and Applied Mechanics), and GSO. Graduate enrollment is open to students with undergraduate degrees in engineering, mathematics, physical sciences, or other technical disciplines. continued on next page

10  GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION

College of the Environment and Life Sciences

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS Institutes, Centers, and Offices RV Endeavor Institutional Partners Affiliates, Partners, Affiliates, Partners,and andMemberships Memberships

The college, with 97 faculty and over 1,600 students, has undergraduate and graduate programs in biological sciences, geosciences, resource economics, and marine and coastal policy and management. With specific teaching and research programs—for example, in marine biology, fisheries, aquaculture, ecology, sedimentation, and geology —faculty and students from GSO and CELS participate in a broad range of interdisciplinary activities including

RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

research projects, coursework, and seminar programs.

Graduate and undergraduate students participate in courses taught by faculty from both GSO and CELS, with opportunities for even greater interdisciplinary programs in the future. As the two largest research groups on campus, GSO and CELS collaborate to provide the major research infrastructure and intellectual capacity for the marine, environmental, and life sciences at URI.

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

Affiliates, Partners, and Memberships

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

11 GSO Profile

GSO hosts a satellite office for NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration, which manages the activities of NOAA’s dedicated ocean exploration vessel, the Okeanos Explorer, home ported at Quonset Point, R.I. The National Park Service’s North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Unit, The Nature Conservancy Global Marine Initiative, and the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program also have bases of operations at GSO. The University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) is a consortium of 61 academic institutions and national laboratories involved in oceanographic research. From their offices at GSO, UNOLS coordinates facilities including a fleet of 21 research vessels (RV Endeavor is a UNOLS vessel), deep submergence vehicles, and aircraft operated by the Naval Postgraduate School. The Rhode Island Nuclear Science Center’s small,

2-megawatt research reactor is also situated on the campus, as is the Atlantic Ecology Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Narragansett Laboratory of NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Other oceanographically relevant nearby facilities include the Naval Undersea Warfare Center and the Naval War College at Newport, R.I. and a number of science and environmental consulting firms.

GSO is a member of the Consortium for Ocean Leadership and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans, the Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems, and UNAVCO, an organization facilitating geoscience research and education using geodesy.

PROFILE RESEARCH OVERVIEW

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

Research Support

RESEARCH OVERVIEW RESEARCH OVERVIEW

GSO faculty, marine research scientists, and professional staff collectively generate more than $30 million each year in external funding, which accounts for nearly 1/3 of the University’s total. Support is generated primarily from federal agencies, as well as state and private sources. The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds most of GSO’s investigator-driven research, with significant support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Departments of Commerce, Energy, and Defense (DOC, DOE, DOD), and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Research Support Research Support Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

In addition to government and private support for research and outreach programs, GSO receives approximately $7 million in state support allocated primarily to salaries. GSO’s share of indirect costs generated by grants is roughly $1.6 million, or approximately 34% of the total, and endowment principal totaling about $2.4 million produces interest income to support a range of programmatic endeavors.

Research Awards GSO Sponsored Programs Awards by Fiscal Year Research Dollars in Millions $33 $31 $29 $27 $25 $23 $21 $19 $17 $15 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10

INTRODUCTION

Sources of Research and Outreach Support (FY 2010) % contribution to total GSO research by agency.

4%

3%

2%

2%

1% 1%

NSF DOC

4% 32% 6%

USAID U.S. Navy DOE State of R.I.

6%

URI Foundation Nonprofits Other Federal Agencies

16%

U.S. Air Force 23%

EPA Other

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION

Research Strengths

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

GSO is well positioned to play a leading role in the next stage of ocean science and exploration with our strengths in observation-based research, modeling, and instrument development. GSO faculty and scientists are internationally recognized through their leadership in scientific programs, the impact of their research, their positions of leadership for scientific journals and societies, and their scientific awards and fellowships. Unique research strengths occur in all oceanographic disciplines.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Modern hurricane forecasting models rely on GSO research to accurately predict the magnitude and trajectory of hurricanes. GSO’s hurricane research group is involved in the study and numerical modeling of atmosphereocean interactions in tropical cyclones. Over the last 10 years more than 30 papers have been published in peerreviewed journals. In collaboration with NOAA’s scientists, the group has made a successful conversion of coupled hurricane-ocean research models to fully automated realtime prediction systems that are currently used by the National Hurricane Center and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center for issuing official tropical cyclone ­warnings in all ocean basins. The hurricane group continues to be responsible for maintaining and improving these operational forecast systems. It also closely collaborates with GSO’s air-sea interaction research group that studies ­surface waves, near surface atmospheric/oceanic ­turbulence,

sprays, bubbles, and air-sea exchange of momentum, heat, and gases.

GSO’s physical oceanographers are leaders of national and international programs studying physical processes covering a broad range of spatial and temporal scales. These studies are conducted using a variety of instruments on platforms ranging from satellites to ships of opportunity to UNOLS research vessels. The RAFOS float group (SOund Fixing And Ranging—SOFAR—spelled backwards) has played a major role in the development and application of Lagrangian techniques. It maintains the world’s premier float ballasting facility and has also been the major supplier of RAFOS sound sources for many institutions both in the U.S. and abroad during the last decade. continued on next page

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

GSO scientists are leaders in moored technology, applying current meters, inverted echo sounders, and bottom pressure recorders, combined with shipboard surveys to study the physics of time-varying ocean current systems in various ocean basins. URI has been the lead-institution in multi-institutional programs, including the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio western boundary currents and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and our physical oceanographers have run major programs within several marginal seas (e.g., Gulf of Mexico, Sea of Japan, South China Sea). The techniques and instrumentation developed at GSO have been adopted by numerous European, U.S., and Asian institutions for dynamical studies.

The remote sensing group at GSO has developed, and maintains, an archive and processing facility for highresolution (1 km) sea surface temperature fields obtained from satellite-borne infrared radiometers in the North Atlantic and North Pacific. The group also has developed edge detection algorithms for sea surface temperature fields that are used to explore the characteristics of ocean fronts and the relationship between surface fronts and the ocean below.

GSO’s ongoing studies of Narragansett Bay have greatly increased understanding of coastal and estuarine health.

In the course of these studies, GSO scientists maintain some of the world’s longest continuous records of marine continued on next page

14 GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

populations, environmental and nutrient data, ocean currents, coastal erosion, and estuarine chemistry. Coastal and estuarine physical oceanography studies incorporate high frequency radar, moored instrumentation, and towed vehicle observational methodologies to obtain measurements of currents, hydrographic parameters, and turbulent mixing, which are analyzed in concert with integrated numerical simulations. Recent projects have included investigations of mid-shelf fronts in the MidAtlantic Bight, a study of hypoxia in Narragansett Bay, and another focused on the circulation pathways and stratification in nearby Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound. A ferry-based sampling program in eastern Long Island Sound facilitates unique investigations of coastalestuarine exchange and ties in with developing regionalscale Coastal Ocean Observation Systems.

Biological oceanographic research spans estuarine ecology and deep-sea biology. Deep-sea zooplankton have been studied in the oxygen minimum zones of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP Project) and Arabian Sea (JGOFS)

with primary emphasis on distributions relative to environmental gradients; biodiversity; trophic webs; role in the biological pump; and potential ecosystem responses to global change. Other research focuses on primary production, nutrient cycling, plankton ecology, and fish population dynamics, combining laboratory experiments with model simulations and cruises to decipher planktic food webs. The ultimate goal of food web work is to link the ecology of plankton to its global ramifications in terms of biogeochemical cycles, effects on oceanic productivity, and anticipated responses to climate change effects. Additional areas of specialized research include the examination of factors that influence phytoplankton dynamics within their environmental context, including physical dispersal (using a global drifter database), physiological response to the environment (using lab experiments and gene expression studies), natural selection (using population genetics), and finally predation (through the development of novel genetic methods to peer into zooplankton gut contents).

continued on next page 15  GSO Profile

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

The Marine Geology and Geophysics group’s research interests are diverse and interdisciplinary. Major focus areas include subseafloor biosphere; ocean exploration; volcanology and geochemistry; marine spatial planning and habitat mapping; geophysics, plate tectonics, and geo­ dynamics; and paleoceanography and paleoclimatology.

to guide sampling strategies for study of microbial life.

GSO scientists are deeply interested in the influence of major biological events (extinctions and radiations) on ecosystem structure and the relevance of metabolic strategies for major evolutionary radiations and survival of major extinctions.

GSO scientists lead the world in exploration and analysis of life deep beneath the seafloor, and have played an internationally leading role in scientific ocean drilling.

Research includes studies of microbial life and biological controls on the chemical evolution of the ocean and atmosphere, global rates of subseafloor respiration, and biological controls on estuarine acidification. Multiple expeditions have been led, including the only two scientific expeditions focused primarily on the study of subseafloor life. The Geobiology Laboratory, located at GSO and funded by NSF and URI, is fully outfitted for microbiological and biogeochemical sampling and analysis of diverse subsurface and aquatic environments, including on-site analyses of biologically significant transient ­properties and of biological, chemical, and physical properties used

Volcano research at GSO includes both geochemistry and potential hazards of these dynamic systems. Geochemical studies include the analyses of erupted basalts from the western Pacific subduction system to provide important constraints on the composition, interaction, and evolution of volcanic systems at convergent margins and back-arc spreading centers. Research on submarine explosive ­volcanism and its associated hazards include work at Santorini and Kolumbo volcanoes in Greece and Kick’em Jenny volcano in the Lesser Antilles Arc. These studies include exploration of in situ submarine deposits using remotely operated vehicles, geochemical analysis of eruption products using electron microprobe, grain size analysis by laser granulometry, and theoretical modeling of eruption processes. continued on next page

16 GSO Profile

MASSACHUSSETTS

Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan (SAMP)

71°50'W

Map Key

VERMONT

OceanSAMP Study Area State/Federal Waters Separation

NEW YORK

71°40'W

71°30'W

71°20'W

71°10'W

MASSACHUSETTS

Surface Roughness

71°0'W

70°50'W

New Bedford

Benthic Surface Roughness

NEW HAMPSHIRE

NARRAGANSETT

MASSACHUSETTS BAY

BAY

CONNECTICUT

BUZZARDS BAY

41°30'N

RHODE ISLAND

Lowest Quartile

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Highest Quartile

Sakonnet Pt.

VINEYARD

Westerly

SOUND

PROFILE

41°20'N

Pt Judith

Watch Hill Pt RHODE ISLAND SOUND

INTRODUCTION

"

RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Block Is

Miles 0

Kilometers

0

5

5

Montauk 10

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

The complex interaction of Earth’s lithosphere and asthe­ nosphere are studied by GSO scientists with a diverse suite of methods ranging from geophysical surveys and seismic tomography to laboratory and numerical models. Recent and active research includes tomographic studies of ridgeplume interactions near Iceland, geodynamical studies of potential plume-trench interactions at the Samoa-Tonga and the Yellowstone-Cascade hotspot-subduction zone systems, and near-bottom surveys of young ocean rifts.

For more information: gso.uri.edu

GSO scientists helped to develop the field of paleoceanography and remain active today in studies of the Arctic, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans as well as paleoclimatic studies of marine, lake, and estuarine sediments on timescales of annual to tens of millions of years. Current major projects include studies of annually laminated sediments, studies of nutrient cycling on glacial-interglacial timescales, and major climate changes during the last one million years.

Coordinate System:

Projection: RI Stateplane Units: Feet FIPS Zone: 3800 Datum: NAD83

For Project Background Information: http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/oceansamp

For Project Map and Data Products: http://www.narrbay.org/d_projects/oceansamp

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

The Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan (SAMP) represents the University’s significant entry into, and national leadership role in, marine spatial planning

as an innovative tool for identifying offshore renewable energy resources—an increasingly important aspect of adaptive management of ocean-based resources. Since 2008, through a team effort supported by nearly 50 University researchers and outreach specialists, as well as dozens of public and private stakeholders, the nearly $10 million Ocean SAMP project, with URI providing over $1 million of the total through staff and resources such as the RV Endeavor, has enabled Rhode Island to employ a proactive approach in managing, protecting, and enhancing the economic, social, and environmental resources of state ocean waters. Today, the SAMP team is helping other coastal states and countries around the world to learn the lessons of the Ocean SAMP and take part in planning the future of their own ocean resources. The Ocean SAMP is a GSO-led project managed by the URI Coastal Resources Center/Rhode Island Sea Grant, in partnership with the URI Departments of Ocean Engineering and Natural Resources Science.

Note: Surface roughness is one measure used to assess the complexity of ecological habitat, with the relationship between roughness and diversity being well documented. For this work, roughnesss is measured as the standard deviation of the slope within a 1000 meter radius. This measure was chosen to enhance transition zones or areas where the benthic topography changes rapidly across small areas and may indicate complex habitat structure. These data are only one of the needed pieces of information to develop an accurate classification of benthic communities.

GSO scientists are heavily involved in the effort to develop a national approach to habitat mapping. The effort is cen-

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41°0'N

Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions

41°10'N

B L O C K ISLAND S O U N D

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

tered on developing a common language for classification by using the NOAA Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (CMECS) to characterize the physical and biological components of the ecosystem. Current major mapping projects include mapping the Narragansett Bay system and Rhode Island offshore waters. URI has a 42’ research vessel for offshore mapping and a 28’ research vessel for coastal and estuarine mapping, which are outfitted with interferometric and sub-bottom sonar systems for 3-D characterization of the seabed.

Other current research by GSO chemical oceanographers includes the sources, transport, and bioaccumulation of organic pollutants in Narragansett Bay, the Great Lakes, and the global ocean. Novel passive samplers in the water and atmosphere are used for sampling. The analysis is con­ olecules ducted using isolation and characterization of m and their characteristic signatures in the laboratory using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). The aim is to establish a global aquatic passive sampling program (AQUA-GAPS) to measure and reduce the presence of ­organic contaminants in the waters of the world.

Another focus is on tracing the fluxes of black carbon from

the atmosphere to sediments in the ocean. Black carbon particles are the second most important factor in climate change, but little is known about their fate and effect once they enter the oceans. The goal is to use shipboard sampling of air, water, and sediment to better understand the cycling of these particles in the ocean. With the forthcoming hire of another chemical oceanographer, GSO will have a new faculty member with expertise in ocean acidification, climate change, and/or biogeochemistry.

GSO leads the world in the area of ocean exploration.

The recently completed Inner Space Center (ISC) is a key research tool at GSO utilizing telepresence technologies, video production and broadcast equipment, and real-time data processing and visualization systems to enable remote, shore-based ocean exploration operations and research. Using this technology, ISC ­researchers ­communicate with teams of scientists, engineers, and educators onboard research vessels to support live shipboard deep submergence vehicle dives, data processing and analysis, and educational outreach activities. Two primary ships of exploration are supported by the ISC: the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, and the privately operated

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Research Strengths Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

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19 GSO Profile

EV Nautilus. The mission control facility within the ISC is equipped for round-the-clock operations during which teams of researchers stand watch to support the shipboard scientific investigations. Immediately adjacent to the mission control space is a video production studio and control room to support the creation and delivery of live training and educational broadcasts.

URI received a $20 million award for 2010–2015 from the National Science Foundation for the Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR Program (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research). The Office of Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR is based at the Narragansett Bay Campus. The mission is to provide a platform to promote collaboration and cooperation among nine of the state’s institutions of higher education and to align investments in infrastructure and human capital with the need of the state to increase research competitiveness. A primary goal is to advance science and design research on the impacts of climate change on marine organisms in Narragansett

Bay and in the ocean. Research questions concern adaptations of populations, physiological changes in organisms, structure and dynamics of the food web, and propagation of diseases. The approach is creative in that it includes the Rhode Island School of Design and GSO’s Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting in an effort to assist with making science accessible to children and adults of all ages. The solid intention for RI EPSCoR is to bring more research funding into the state, to help Rhode Island develop a knowledge-based economy, to influence strategic hires in marine life science, and to help society understand the impact of climate change.

RESEARCH THEMES n Human Interaction with Earth’s Climate System n Ocean Exploration n Ecosystem Dynamics n Natural Hazards n Ocean Processes of Unexplored Scales

PROFILE INTRODUCTION

Future Research Directions

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

Oceanographers will confront many scientific opportunities and challenges in the coming years. Despite tremendous effort and ingenuity, measuring currents accurately continues to be a major challenge, one that has enormous implications for quantifying the ocean’s role in the global heat engine. The wide spectrum (in both space and time) of dynamically active scales poses fundamental problems on how to quantify fluxes of mass, heat, salt, and other properties. Greater attention will turn to ocean processes on scales less than 50 km where much energy gets transformed between different states and scales. Furthermore, new techniques afforded by rapid technological advances allow simultaneous measurement of physical, chemical, and biological structures and processes on these same time and space scales, thus opening the door for dramatic breakthroughs in interdisciplinary oceanography. Because GSO is an institution without rigid boundaries between oceanographic sub-disciplines, it is well positioned to play a leading role in many future transformative initiatives.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Future Research Directions Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

To maintain its research capabilities and international research standing, GSO must maintain its balanced program of research across the broad range of oceanographic studies. Toward that end, GSO must retain and strengthen its collegial community-based research culture, with strong institutional support for inventive investigator-driven

Research program-building efforts are not limited to these themes. Other areas of program development will move forward as the research interests of GSO faculty and ­marine research scientists evolve.

interdisciplinary research. GSO’s leading research programs have generally been driven by the interests of individual scientists or the coalescence of like-minded scientists around themes of strongly shared interest. Continued success will be best served by hiring the brightest scientists and giving them resources and latitude to shape the strongest possible programs in their areas of interest.

To significantly build research capabilities and further its standing in the research community, GSO must build on its strengths to strategically position itself as an active contributor in rapidly developing areas of oceanographic study. The GSO researchers envision a future research agenda built around five themes. A January 2011 retreat titled “Oceanography 2030” held at the University’s W. Alton Jones Campus is designed to solidify understanding of the technologies likely to be important in oceanography over the next 20 years, and the impacts these technologies will have on future oceanographic research. This retreat paves the way for in-depth thought about the relevance of the five themes:

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Future Research Directions Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Human Interactions with Earth’s Climate System

Ocean Exploration

The ocean, marine ecosystems, and climate are changing on scales not seen in millions of years. To understand these changes and their consequences, humanity must address these changes through adaptation, mitigation, or both. Consequently, GSO is proposed as the leading national center for study of coastal and estuarine impacts of human-caused global change (e.g., ocean acidification, global warming, and sea-level change). This research theme builds on significant existing strengths of GSO, including its location on Narragansett Bay, seawater experimental facilities, and existing research strengths in coastal ecology and coastal environmental studies. Topics of special interest include:

GSO scientists explore myriad aspects of the ocean on a daily basis. These aspects include the history of Earth, the structure of marine ecosystems, the composition of marine communities, the crust-mantle system, the subseafloor ocean, and the maritime history of humanity. GSO researchers employ a broad range of tools for this exploration, including deep coring systems. Exploration platforms include space-based satellites, ships, remotely operated vehicles, autonomous undersea vehicles, fixed ocean observing stations, and Lagrangian floats. In combination with these platforms, the GSO Inner Space Center provides an unprecedented opportunity to remotely explore much of the ocean from shore in real time. GSO will build on existing strengths in the following areas:

n productivity and health of marine systems n impact of climate change on marine life and ecosystems n human impacts on marine environments and ecosystems n marine spatial planning using ecosystem-based science n large marine predators

n exploration of marine biodiversity (in both the water column and the subseafloor ocean) n development of new technology to explore the marine environment n exchanges at boundaries

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Future Research Directions Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

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Ecosystem Dynamics Public and societal interest about the oceans derives largely from the ecosystem services provided by the marine environment (e.g. minerals, fisheries, tourism).

The ecosystem components that provide these services are not static features; they are sustained by physical and biological processes, including the ocean circulation that provide nutrients to support primary production, the dispersal of plankton, and the active movements of nekton.

While understanding of oceanic ecosystems has been one of the traditional goals of oceanographic research, these studies have taken on a new urgency because of rapid climate change and the potential impacts of ocean acidification. Expanded and proposed new uses of the marine environment will increase the stresses already caused by pollution, overfishing, and habitat modification. The need for coastal and marine spatial planning to coordinate the

competing uses of marine environments requires the collection of spatially resolved data and better understanding of ocean ecosystem processes and population changes of large marine fauna. Thus there are increased needs and opportunities for research on marine ecosystem dynamics which GSO scientists are poised to tackle including: n marine microbial ecology and food-web dynamics n phytoplankton ecology and physiology n marine zooplankton ecology and deep-sea biology n estuarine, coastal, and salt-marsh ecosystems n fish endocrinology, ecology, and population dynamics

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW Research Support Research Strengths Future Research Directions Future Research Directions ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Natural Hazards As the world’s population increases and large numbers of people take up residence in coastal areas, the potential impact of natural disasters is becoming an acute problem.

Effects on society have been highlighted by the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the Haitian earthquake of 2010. A recent report by the Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology titled “Charting the Course of Ocean Science in the United States: Research Priorities for the Next Decade” has identified increasing resilience to natural hazards as one of six key themes where research should be focused. Multidisciplinary natural disaster research and educational programs at GSO have contributed to an improvement in hazard risk assessments as they relate to human populations around the ocean’s margins.

GSO will build on existing strengths in the following areas:

n hurricane modeling and forecasting n assessment of coastal storm severity and frequency n tsunami generation and deposit recognition n earthquake mechanisms n impacts of large-scale volcanic eruptions on human populations and climate n asteroid impacts n coastal hazards n marine science education and public outreach n marine and environmental reporting

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24 GSO Profile

Ocean Processes of Unexplored Scales Ocean processes on horizontal scales of 50 km to 10 m are energetic and largely uncharted, and they have particular societal relevance. Across such scales, stirring and mixing regulate ocean thermocline structure and chemical distributions, and they influence biological processes directly. The coastal ocean couples landward and seaward via these processes, which can organize to connect global, basin, and regional signals, as well as ultimately dissipate energy. Despite these linkages, oceanographic research has concentrated on mesoscale and global circulation for the past few decades. The next advances in the field will almost certainly be in the submesoscale (kilometers and smaller), given their importance to ocean processes and relevance to ocean acoustics. The circulation cells at fronts and edges of eddies are a particular focus for many researchers even though what causes eddies to be sites of enhanced productivity remains poorly understood.

Processes responsible for the transport of material across

the continental shelf need to be understood to address topics such as biological productivity in the coastal ocean and dispersal of contaminants introduced at the coasts.

Estuarine processes are important for determining the quantity and quality of terrestrial material that reaches the open shelves. The effectiveness of cross-shelf transport is influenced by topography, estuarine discharge, and wind, as well as the offshore oceanic setting, including eddies, filaments, and boundary currents. The physics of crossshelf exchange is likely controlled by processes acting at one or more of the frontal boundaries existing on continental margins. URI scientists anticipate playing a leadership role in this area by building on existing strengths in the following areas: n remote sensing n instrument development n numerical methods n theoretical expertise

PROFILE INTRODUCTION

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

GSO offers instruction and mentorship leading to the ­Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Oceanography (M.O.), and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

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Graduate students conduct research in core areas of oceanography (biological, chemical, geological, and physical) as well as in interdisciplinary and related areas such as atmospheric chemistry and archaeological oceanography. A joint degree program combining a Ph.D. in oceanography and a master’s in marine affairs is available for students pursuing careers at the interface between science and policy. A joint master’s degree in oceanography and business administration (M.B.A.-M.O.) called the Blue M.B.A. is one of only a few such programs in the U.S. The interest and student applications that it attracts are steadily increasingly in quality and number, including students from the U.S. Naval Academy Graduate Studies Program and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Each year, GSO receives more than 100 applications, and incoming classes range from 15-20 students. The number of matriculating graduate students has remained relatively steady between 80 and 90 over the last ten years.

GSO’s graduates are highly sought by employers and often assume leadership roles in industry, academia, and government agencies.

Additionally, GSO faculty provide instruction in a dozen or more undergraduate courses each year. These courses primarily reside within GSO, but they also include courses in the departments of Biological Sciences and Ocean Engineering, and in the Honors Program. GSO faculty deliver courses that span the undergraduate classroom experience from general education to upper-level science. An undergraduate minor in oceanography is available. Research opportunities for undergraduate students span a broad range of oceanographic topics through the ­Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in ­Oceanography (SURFO) program, which is nationally competed and one of the leading programs in the nation, and the Coastal Fellows Program for URI undergraduates.

In recent years, GSO faculty have taken the lead on two URI Honors Colloquia; most recently, in 2008, nearly 1000 people participated every week in the semester-long GSO-led colloquium on People and Planet—Global Environmental Change. GSO is also co-planning the 2011 URI Honors ­Colloquium titled, “Are You Ready for the Future?”

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GSO’s Graduate and Undergraduate Courses

PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

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26 GSO Profile

Undergraduate (100 to 300 level) URI 101: Traditions and Transformations The Ocean Planet Ocean Exploration Oceans, Atmospheres, and Global Change Volcanoes and the Environment Weather for Everyday Living Sailing the Blue Planet (Grand Challenge) Hot Topics in Science (Grand Challenge) Life in the Universe (Honors Program) Ocean and Atmosphere (Honors Program) Climate Through Earth History (Honors Program) Undergraduate and Graduate (400 and 500 level) General Oceanography Deep-Sea Biology Oceanographic Science Introduction to Marine Pollution Laboratory and Research Problems in Physics Ocean Studies Special Problems and Independent Study in Oceanography Physical Oceanography Marine Analytical Chemistry Numerical Models and Data Analysis in Ocean Sciences Oceanography for Educators Global Environmental Change Education

Chemistry of the Earth Foundations of Earth System Dynamics Chemical Oceanography Organic Geochemistry of Natural Waters Atmospheric Pollution and the Upper Ocean Synoptic and Dynamic Meteorology Graduate Writing in Marine and Environmental Sciences Climate, Radiation, Gases, and Aerosols Geological Oceanography Volcaniclastic Sedimentation Marine Geophysics Modern Oceanographic Imaging and Mapping Techniques Biological Oceanography Oceanographic Processes Marine Microbial Ecology Introduction to Marine Pollution Principles of Ocean Circulation Ocean Waves and Storm Surge Modeling Advances in Genome Biology Data Analysis and Communication Master’s Thesis Research Endocrinology I&II (Biology) Animal Behavior (Biology)

Graduate (600 level) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics I & II Waves Tides Chemical Distributions Physical Chemistry of Seawater High-Temperature Geochemistry Seminar in Marine and Atmospheric Chemistry Subduction Zones Petrology of the Oceanic Crust Marine Stratigraphy Marine Bio-optics and Remote Sensing Marine Fish Ecology and Production Fish Population Dynamics Fisheries Oceanography Coastal Marine Ecosystems Individual Studies Special Studies Marine Organic Chemistry Marine Plankton Marine Molecular Ecology Biological Controls on Ocean Chemistry Paleoceanography Lagrangian Oceanography Ecology of Narragansett Bay Seminar in Oceanography Doctoral Dissertation Research Workshop in Oceanography Topics for Teachers

PROFILE INTRODUCTION

PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

GSO is unique in the breadth, success, and national and international reputation of its public service and outreach programs. Four groups at the Narragansett Bay Campus are actively engaged in concerted public service and outreach efforts. They include the Coastal Institute (CI), Coastal Resources Center (CRC), Office of Marine Programs (OMP), and Rhode Island Sea Grant (RISG). GSO also supports robust Alumni Association and Friends of Oceanography programs, and benefits from the advice and counsel of the Dean’s Advisory Council.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE SERVICEAND ANDOUTREACH OUTREACH CoastalInstitute Coastal Institute Coastal Resources Coastal ResourceCenter Center Office of Marine Programs Rhode Island Sea Grant GSO Alumni Association Friends of Oceanography GSO Dean’s Advisory Council

For more information: gso.uri.edu Dean’s Office: 401.874.6222 email: info@gso.uri.edu

Coastal Institute The Coastal Institute (CI) works to increase understanding of the relationships between human activity and the condition of the coastal environment and its resources.

The CI works in partnership with local, state, federal, and international agencies to use this understanding to contribute to the solution of the complex problems of human use and development in coastal environments. Working across and beyond traditional structures to encourage new approaches to problem solving, the CI is a neutral setting where knowledge is advanced, issues discussed, information synthesized, and solutions developed for the sustainable use and management of coastal ecosystems.

Examples of activities in which the CI is engaged as a lead or partner include Chair of the R.I. Bays, Rivers, and Water-

sheds Coordination Team’s Environmental Monitoring Collaborative; Scientific Support of Emergency Environmental Response (SSEER) working with the R.I. Department of Environmental Management to provide scientific data gathering, analysis, environmental damage assessment, etc.; partnering with the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit (NAC-CESU) to provide highquality science, usable knowledge for resource managers, responsive technical assistance, continuing education, and cost-effective research programs; working with the R.I. Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide R.I. cities and towns with process instruction on applying for federal grant support in emergencies; and hosting and serving on the executive committee and the management council of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP), which is part of the National Estuary Program (NEP), a national network of 28 programs working for collaborative solutions for estuaries designated by Congress as of critical importance.

Coastal Resources Center The Coastal Resources Center (CRC) is recognized internationally as a leading source of conceptual frameworks and tools for governance and stewardship of coastal ecosystems. CRC was created at GSO in 1972 to apply the best continued on next page

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH Coastal Institute Coastal Resources Center Office of Office ofMarine MarinePrograms Programs Rhode Island Sea Grant GSO Alumni Association Friends of Oceanography GSO Dean’s Advisory Council

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available science to problems posed by intensification of human activities and conflicts in Rhode Island’s coastal zone. CRC serves as the principal source of issue analysis and policy development for the state’s Coastal Resources Management Council. This work has included drafting one of the first federally approved U.S. state coastal zone management programs, drafting one of the first special area management plans, and most recently, pioneering the design, planning, and decision-making process for siting a wind farm off the state’s coast.

CRC is known for its pragmatic, issue-driven, learning-based approach to complex issues posed by coastal change. In 1985, CRC was selected by the U.S. Agency for International Development to lead the first international application of coastal management principles in low-income nations.

Since then, CRC has maintained long-term partnerships in developing countries throughout the world. CRC recently developed the first certification programs for professionals working in marine protected areas and in the practices of coastal ecosystem governance. CRC’s Summer Institute in Coastal Management attracts young to mid-career professionals from throughout the world for an intense monthlong training program at GSO on principles and practices of integrated coastal management. Each year, CRC offers a variety of popular overseas training courses in coastal management, adaptation to climate change, and other priority topics. CRC internships for URI students contribute

to international projects. CRC is funded by a wide range of state, federal, and international organizations.

Office of Marine Programs For more than twenty years, the Office of Marine ­Programs (OMP) has served as the primary public education and outreach arm of GSO. OMP efforts reach ­multiple a­ udiences in Rhode Island, around the country, and throughout the world. OMP is home to the Central ­Coordinating Office for the nationwide Centers for Ocean ­Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) as well as the Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting and the Grantham Prize for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment, the largest prize in journalism. OMP also leads the international education and outreach team for the Census of Marine Life. OMP’s Narragansett Bay Classroom offers a variety of teacher training opportunities, field trips, interpretive programs, special events, lectures, tours, family programs, and summer camps. OMP scientists and educators oversee a range of educational Web site development efforts including Hurricanes: Science and Society funded by NSF and Discovery of Sound in the Sea funded by ONR. OMP actively works with GSO’s Inner Space Center to pioneer use of telepresence technologies for educational purposes. OMP successfully garners diverse federal, state, and private funds to support its ­projects and activities. continued on next page

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PROFILE INTRODUCTION

Rhode Island Sea Grant

GSO Alumni Association

THE NARRAGANSETT BAY CAMPUS

Rhode Island Sea Grant is an award-winning organization that works in the state, the region, and beyond to discover answers to issues affecting coastal resources and the people who depend on them. Rhode Island Sea Grant has a 40year history of funding coastal and ocean research as well as running high-quality outreach and education programs that address the needs of resource managers and users. The program has two focus areas: sustainable coastal communities and ecosystems; and sustainable fisheries and seafood.

The GSO Alumni Association is an active entity, with more than 30% of its living members contributing annually to its fund drive to raise support for the GSO Alumni Award program which supports student research and makes it possible for GSO students to meet colleagues, network with potential employers, and present their research findings. A well-attended annual reunion and receptions at national scientific meetings further build the alumni community.

RESEARCH OVERVIEW ACADEMIC PROGRAMS PUBLIC SERVICE AND OUTREACH Coastal Institute Coastal Resources Center Office of Marine Programs Rhode Island IslandSea SeaGrant Grant GSO Alumni Association Alumni Association Friends of Friends of Oceanography Oceanography GSO Dean’s Dean’s Advisory AdvisoryCouncil Council

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29 GSO Profile

Based at GSO, Rhode Island Sea Grant funds research at URI and other institutions throughout the state. It is also home to one of only four Sea Grant Legal Programs in the country, and the only one in the Northeast, located at Roger Williams University School of Law. Rhode Island Sea Grant is one of over 30 programs that make up the National Sea Grant College Program, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Friends of Oceanography Founded in 1986 on the occasion of GSO’s 25th anniversary, Friends of Oceanography is a community-based organization to support GSO’s educational and research activities and build strong ties between GSO and its neighbors and associates. Its mission is to raise funds for student fellowships while offering public activities to increase awareness of the ocean environment.

Dean’s Advisory Council Also launched in 1986, the GSO Dean’s Advisory Council has served over the years as a sounding board, an important connection with outside constituencies, and source of wise counsel for the Dean. Meeting twice each year, current membership reflects a rich tradition of ties within the state of Rhode Island and the larger world of ocean science and industry. Its members are individuals with backgrounds in business and investment, politics, ocean science, environmental law, the armed services, and local community leadership. Council members have recently taken roles in building up GSO’s fundraising capacities and its outreach to members of the wider Rhode Island and oceanographic communities. Most recently, the Council has initiated a forum to assist in supporting the monetization of intellectual work associated with research undertaken by GSO researchers.

PROFILE

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