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UNE President Danielle Ripich. (Photo Credit: University of New England)
USD 20m grant to fund aquaculture research in Maine
(UNITED STATES, 8/7/2014)
A USD 20 million National Science Foundation EPSCoR (Experimental Programme to Stimulate Competitive Research) grant will establish a Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network (SEANET) programme in Maine.
Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine will use the grant to mobilize the collective capacity of Maine's coastal science resources to establish SEANET, a research network focused on sustainable ecological aquaculture. SEANET will take a multi-institutional, transdisciplinary research approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of how sustainable ecological aquaculture can interact with coastal communities and ecosystems.
This multi-institutional, public-private partnership led by UMaine, in collaboration with the University of New England (UNE) and other institutions in Maine, will use the state's 3,500-mile coastline as a living laboratory to study physical oceanography, biophysical, biogeochemical, socioeconomic and policy interactions that have local, bioregional, national and global implications.
Maine has multiple institutions with world-class expertise in marine sciences, engineering, climate change and social sciences. The SEANET research partners will initially include UMaine, UNE, University of Southern Maine, University of Maine at Machias, Bowdoin College, Maine Maritime Academy, St. Joseph's College, Southern Maine Community College, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and the Cobscook Community Learning Center. In addition, dozens of other partners and stakeholder groups will collaborate on the project's research, education, workforce development and economic development activities.
The SEANET research programme will utilize the field of sustainability science to understand the social and environmental connections, and feedback loops among sustainable ecological aquaculture and coastal communities and coastal ecosystems.
“This research project will use various types of science to understand how aquaculture fits in our multi-use working waterfront, while building partnerships and training students, so that we can use similar approaches to other coastal resource management issues in the future,” said Paul Anderson, director of SEANET at the University of Maine.
University of Maine President Susan Hunter affirmed the project's importance, saying: “This NSF grant recognizes the leadership and contribution of University of Maine scholars and students who aim to support coastal ecosystems, economies, and communities by promoting sustainable policies and practices in Maine.”
University of New England President Danielle Ripich added: "UNE is committed to building research and programmes to support the marine economy of Maine. This public-private partnership brings two great institutions together to improve our coastal enterprises. Together with all the partners, we can do good things for Maine.”
EPSCoR is a federal programme directed at states that have historically received less federal research and development funding. The programme provides states with financial support to develop partnerships between their higher education institutions, industry, government, and others in order to effect lasting improvements in its research and development infrastructure, capacity, and national academic competitiveness. Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine is responsible for administering and implementing the NSF EPSCoR programme for the state.
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Address:
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11 Hills Beach Rd,
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Biddeford,
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Maine (ME 04005)
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United States
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+1 207-283-0171
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