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1 ANNUAL REPORT Jan 2007 – Dec 2007 Executive Summary Presented to: National Science Foundation EPSCoR Program James Gosz, Program Manager Meri Whitaker Program Director VI-EPSCoR November 30, 2007 2 Introduction This report summarizes the activities of the fourth year of the program from January 2007 through December 2007. The U.S. Virgin Islands received a Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in 2003. As a result of investments made by the Virgin Islands EPSCoR program (VI-EPSCoR) in its first four years, the Virgin Islands are now seeing significant improvements in the Territory’s ability to support and manage competitive research in the area of coral reefs and related ecosystems. This executive summary highlights the exciting activities and achievements that have been possible because of VI- EPSCoR priorities to stimulate research, strengthen physical infrastructure, enhance the organizational environment, develop human resources, and increase community engagement. VI-EPSCoR is hosted by the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI). UVI, the only public higher education institution in the U.S. Virgin Islands, is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools and is one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The VI-EPSCoR mission is to promote the development of the Territory’s science and technology resources by: • conducting research on areas of scientific inquiry linked to the U.S. Virgin Islands’ economic development; • improving research infrastructure to strengthen competitiveness; • increasing participation of students in science and technology in order to build a skilled workforce; • building partnerships between government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to create a foundation of research and development for economic growth. VI-EPSCoR is developing a center of excellence in marine and environmental science. The VI-EPSCoR research thrust is the Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs (BCCR). The marine environment of the Virgin Islands is among the most valuable in the Territory’s inventory of natural resources, and maintaining its integrity is an important factor in the Territory’s continued social and economic viability. With VI-EPSCoR support, BCCR researchers conduct nationally competitive research in oceanography, biodiversity and ecology of the complex coastal ecosystems of the Virgin Islands. The interdisciplinary research program provides an opportunity to synthesize local research and to formulate an integrated ecosystems management approach based on scientific expertise to ensure the wise stewardship of the Territory’s marine resources. Partners include other universities, government agencies, and private organizations. 3 RII Grant Priorities The VI-EPSCoR RII grant focuses on investments in research on the Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs, and in physical infrastructure, organizational environment, human resources, and community engagement in support of the BCCR research thrust. Research The VI-EPSCoR incubator grants program has stimulated significant growth in the scope and breadth of research related to the BCCR research thrust. Physical Infrastructure VI-EPSCoR and the University have made key infrastructure investments to establish a comprehensive research thrust on the Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs. Organizational Environment VI-EPSCoR has been a catalyst for organizational change at the University of the Virgin Islands and an active participant in University strategic planning. Human Resources VI-EPSCoR has increased participation of UVI faculty and students in research, developed two new graduate programs, and created an educational advisory board. Outreach VI-EPSCoR has raised awareness of its mission, goals and objectives through community partnerships, education and outreach activities. With RII funding, VI-EPSCoR has created a solid foundation for growth in research associated with the research thrust on Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs, including growth in the scope and breadth of the research agenda, an increase in the number and kinds of proposals submitted to NSF and other funding agencies, and an increase in the number of UVI faculty and students engaged in research and research-related activities. VI-EPSCoR has made strategic decisions to ensure that resources will be available beyond the current RII grant to support further development of a center of excellence in marine and environmental science. 4 Table of Contents Program Outcomes.............................................................................................................. 5 Research.......................................................................................................................... 5 Physical Infrastructure .................................................................................................... 6 Organizational Environment........................................................................................... 9 Human Resources ........................................................................................................... 9 Outreach........................................................................................................................ 12 Summary........................................................................................................................... 14 Appendices........................................................................................................................ 14 5 Program Outcomes Research The VI-EPSCoR incubator grants program has stimulated growth in research related to the BCCR research thrust. VI-EPSCoR investments have led to growth in the scope and breadth of coral reef research and in the volume of proposals for external research funding. VI-EPSCoR has provided grants for incubator research that have significantly expanded the scope and breadth of research on Virgin Islands coral reef ecosystems. In the first four years, VI-EPSCoR has funded 17 incubator research projects related to the BCCR research. Initial research was conducted by individual faculty researchers working independently within the focal areas on biodiversity, ecology, and coastal oceanography. As the research thrust has matured, incubator projects have provided insights for addressing more comprehensive research questions. Increasingly VI-EPSCoR researchers are working in interdisciplinary teams to address broader research. The incubator studies have led to a number of exciting new collaborations with external partners. The VI-EPSCoR incubator grants program has stimulated a significant increase in the number (33) of research proposals submitted to NSF and other agencies in the past 4 years, including many in collaboration with researchers at other universities and government agencies. Of these proposals, 16 have been funded with another 3 still pending. VI-EPSCoR has an increasingly diverse portfolio of research related to the BCCR research thrust. VI-EPSCoR is supporting exciting research in genetics (Molecular phylogentic analysis of Virgin Islands Porites, Genetic diversity of long-spined sea- urchins, Metabolic markers for bleaching in Porites), oceanography (Coastal oceanography, Data mining to analyze Caribbean oceanographic data, Mesoscale weather modeling, Integrating the effects of watershed activity patterns and coastal processes on near-shore coral reefs, Development of a regional tsunami warning system), ecosystem dynamics (Assessment of relationship between habitat and parasite infestation in reef fishes, Influence of coastal current patterns on disease susceptibility and connectivity of endangered coral Porites), and marine natural products (Novel anticancer metabolites from marine sponges, Biological interactions at the surface of advanced fouling-release marine coatings). VI-EPSCoR funding of key instrumentation has supported a number of important applied research projects including a study of grouper spawning aggregations, evaluation of marine protected areas as a management tool, assessment and monitoring of coral reefs and fish populations in the Virgin Islands, and measuring the effects of physical oceanographic parameters and land based erosion on patterns of coral disease, bleaching and mortality. 6 The current RII grant is building basic infrastructure and capacity to enable the Territory to support a growing research agenda on biocomplexity of Caribbean coral reefs (BCCR) and related ecosystems. As the BCCR research focus area developed and matured over the past four years two critical gaps in knowledge were identified within the three thematic areas: the influence of oceanography and the land-sea interface. The next RII grant will therefore integrate an understanding of the influences of biotic, physical and human interactions in coastal ecosystems and the oceanographic and climatic forcing functions on coral reef ecosystems. VI-EPSCoR encouragement and support of UVI faculty has facilitated new collaborations with external researchers, and established stronger partnerships with federal and territorial resource management agencies. VI-EPSCoR investments in BCCR have created new opportunities for collaboration with partner organizations, including the United States Geological Survey (USGS), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Virgin Islands National Park, the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR), University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Wood Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) and a number of other universities. Recent scoping meetings addressing the new direction and focus of the next RII grant have generated considerable enthusiasm with our federal and local partners. This interest in partnering with UVI on new research initiatives has resulted in several multi-year cooperative agreements being drafted with USGS, DPNR, NOAA and WHOI, and the placement of a NOAA research scientist at UVI. UVI scientists have also reached out to researchers from Hawaii EPSCoR to explore potential collaborative projects which could test hypotheses related to coral reef patterns and processes among Caribbean and Pacific ecosystems. Details of the VI-EPSCoR incubator research projects and sponsored research proposals, grants and collaborators are included in Appendices B and C. Physical Infrastructure Key infrastructure improvements have built capacity to support and sustain the BCCR research thrust. VI-EPSCoR investments include renovations of research facilities on St. Thomas and St. John and acquisition of major equipment. RII funding has been leveraged with university capital funds and other external funding sources. VI-EPSCoR investments in UVI’s marine research facilities have enabled significant expansion of basic and applied research and monitoring programs. VI-EPSCoR has supported renovations of UVI marine research facilities, significantly increasing the Territory’s ability to support competitive marine-related research. The physical renovations at the MacLean Marine Science Center on St. Thomas have included renovations of four research labs, a teaching lab, office space for additional researchers, a videoconference room and new dive facilities. These investments have generated interest 7 in the Virgin Islands as a viable research location and have attracted a host of US and international researchers, including the Danish World Expedition of the Galathea3, NOAA’s R/V Nancy Foster, and researchers from University of Rhode Island, Nova Southeastern University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. VI-EPSCoR funds have also supported extensive renovations and modernization of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS), an important historical field station located in the Virgin Islands National Park on St. John. The renovations at VIERS include a new air-conditioned analytical lab, semi-wet lab, wet lab, office and library, and a new structure to house the compressor tank filling station, workshop, generator and chemical storage. New instruments, computers and high-speed internet access have contributed to more sophisticated research at this remote facility. In the past year, VIERS has hosted researchers from UVI, Virgin Islands National Park, USGS, NOAA, California State University at Northridge, Auburn University, University of Central Florida, Eckerd College, Murray State University, and others. VI-EPSCoR investments in major research equipment have enabled new research directions and collaborations. An array of Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) purchased by VI-EPSCoR has been used extensively in incubator and other projects and deployed in waters near St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John, as well as Saba in the Netherlands Antilles. In a collaboration between oceanographers and marine biologists, the ADCPs have been deployed at grouper and snapper spawning aggregation sites to collect baseline data on water temperature, current speed and direction at different depths, in order to predict patterns of current-driven transport of eggs and larvae from spawning aggregation sites. The use of the ADCPs has led to exciting new incubator research directions related to coastal processes, such as a collaboration with the Virgin Islands Coral Reef Monitoring Program and the Virgin Islands National Park in which the ADCPs are used to study coral spawning, genetic relatedness of colonies and transmission of coral diseases. BCCR researchers have particular comparative advantage in studying coastal processes because of the easy accessibility to coastal regions around the Virgin Islands. Because of the importance of the coastal processes studies, VI- EPSCoR has funded the acquisition of new tools specifically designed to monitor near- shore conditions. The purchase of an Acoustic Wave and Current Profiler and a high- resolution Conductivity-Temperature-Depth instrument with capabilities to measure photosynthetically active radiation, chlorophyll, pH and turbidity has enabled researchers to collect baseline data and to verify high resolution coastal modeling efforts. These instruments have greatly enhanced and increased the likelihood of success of several VI- EPSCoR incubator research projects focused on coastal and onshore-offshore processes. Results from these projects have already been presented at scientific conferences and are being prepared for publication in peer-reviewed journals. VI-EPSCoR funded the purchase of a new research/dive vessel, a 30-foot Island Hopper with an inboard diesel engine, hydraulic trap hauler and electronics. Since October 2005, the new research vessel has supported nearly 900 hours of on-water 8 research activity by UVI researchers and visiting research scientists. The research vessel has been used for studies on grouper spawning aggregations and for coral reef surveys during recent coral bleaching events. VI-EPSCoR funds for physical infrastructure renovations have been leveraged with over $700,000 in additional grants. The leveraged infrastructure improvement grants include UVI Capital Project funds ($400,000), Title III funds ($135,000) and a NSF Field Station and Marine Lab grant ($185,000) to support the extensive renovations and modernization of the MacLean Marine Science Center and VIERS. VI-EPSCoR has worked with UVI Information Technology Services (ITS) on infrastructure investments to strengthen the university environment for research. VI-EPSCoR goals for information technology infrastructure improvements at UVI include improvement of intranet and Internet capacity, establishment of DS3 connectivity to the Internet, and ultimately the acquisition of Internet2 connectivity. VI-EPSCoR has supported a security assessment of the UVI network and the development of a disaster recovery and business continuity plan, a new network design, and storage and recovery solutions for researchers. In 2007, ITS and VI-EPSCoR continued to work together to further develop UVI information technology capabilities, to create technology plans that address applied research needs, and to install project management software to support BCCR research activities. VI-EPSCoR is taking the lead in identifying the information technology needs of new research projects, as they are proposed, and anticipating how to address the technology requirements of new projects. In early 2008, UVI will upgrade to broadband connectivity connecting the University to Internet2. During the transition, VI-EPSCoR funding is helping to support the cost of upgrades of the main UVI Internet connection. VI-EPSCoR is also supporting the installation of high speed Internet connectivity at VIERS, the UVI remote field station for marine research on St. John. VI-EPSCoR has worked with UVI Libraries to upgrade library resources for BCCR research. VI-EPSCoR purchased full access to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute library collections including electronic resources for BCCR researchers and graduate students, a document delivery service that electronically delivers full-text articles on a fee-per-document basis, and a university license for EndNote. VI-EPSCoR funds were leveraged with institutional and Title III funds to purchase books and periodicals to supplement journal collections and to increase electronic search capabilities related to BCCR research, including access to JSTOR. 9 Organizational Environment VI-EPSCoR has contributed to university efforts to strengthen the organizational environment for growth in research volume, increase involvement of faculty in research, and integrate research into the student learning experience. VI-EPSCoR has played a leading role in improving project management practices and contributed to University strategic planning. VI-EPSCoR participated in the University strategic planning process that produced a new strategic plan, Vision 2012. Vision 2012 defines the university’s mission as a learner-centered institution engaged in education, innovative research, and responsive community service. Vision 2012 defines key roles and responsibilities for VI-EPSCoR in the development of a center of excellence in marine and environmental science, two new graduate programs, and an educational advisory board. VI-EPSCoR has worked within University academic and administrative units to strengthen research infrastructure, faculty research competitiveness, and academic programs related to the BCCR research thrust. VI-EPSCoR is working with the ad hoc Indirect Cost Review Committee to evaluate existing policy on indirect cost recovery and distribution of indirect cost funds. A revised policy is in preparation for presentation to the UVI Cabinet in early 2008. VI-EPSCoR has implemented project management software and training to support VI-EPSCoR staff and researchers. This is a pilot project for University-wide implementation of project management software. VI-EPSCoR has created a Framework for Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation (PM&E) to identify formative, summative and extended evaluation data. The PM&E Framework will also be incorporated into the next VI-EPSCoR RII proposal. VI-EPSCoR has worked to ensure that human and fiscal resources will be available to sustain the VI-EPSCoR BCCR research thrust beyond the initial RII grant. New positions, originally funded by VI-EPSCoR, have been shifted to regular University funding. New graduate degree programs have been developed with attention to short, medium and long-term financial sustainability. VI-EPSCoR funds have been leveraged with university operating funds and funding from other external sources to sustain innovations created by VI-EPSCoR. Human Resources VI-EPSCoR has invested in development of human resources to support the BCCR research thrust by increasing the participation of faculty in research, by developing 10 a new graduate program in marine and environmental science, and by creating research opportunities for undergraduates. Because a significant proportion of the Virgin Islands’ population comes from groups underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), VI-EPSCoR has also made key investments to strengthen the pipeline of students in STEM fields, including the development of a new graduate program in mathematics for secondary teachers and an Educational Advisory Board for K-12 STEM education. VI-EPSCoR support for the BCCR research thrust has led to a substantial increase in the number of UVI faculty engaged in BCCR related research and in research collaborations with external partners. Since the inception of the VI-EPSCoR program, research faculty and staff in the UVI Center for Marine and Environmental Studies (CMES) have grown from one research faculty member, one post doc, three technicians and three undergraduates to three research faculty members, two post docs, seven technicians and seven undergraduates. More importantly, the involvement of UVI teaching faculty in research has increased substantially. Prior to VI-EPSCoR, only two UVI teaching faculty in marine science had a funded research grant. Because of VI- EPSCoR, 13 teaching faculty are involved in sponsored research projects. The VI-EPSCoR incubator grant program has also increased the number of inter- disciplinary research projects with multiple collaborators. The trend established by VI-EPSCoR incubator funding in Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs is apparent from the number of new collaborations (58) that have been established by faculty preparing research proposals for external funding. VI-EPSCoR funded improvements to UVI marine research facilities and infrastructure have increased interest in collaboration from scientists who seek to establish study sites in the Caribbean. VI-EPSCoR funded pilot research to incorporate land-sea linkages into the BCCR research focus has also generated considerable interest from potential research partners both locally and nationally. The increased volume and scope of research activity will address issues critical to the social and economic viability of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The VI-EPSCoR incubator grants program has created opportunities for BCCR researchers to advance pilot projects to the point where they can attract competitive funding. VI-EPSCoR offers incubator research grants annually to develop new research directions related to the BCCR research thrust. The 17 VI-EPSCoR incubator projects funded to date have involved 17 UVI researchers (some on multiple projects) and 11 researchers from other universities and government agencies, as well as 3 post-docs, 2 graduate students, and 45 undergraduates. To date VI-EPSCoR incubator projects have produced 33 proposals for external funding, which included 58 collaborators from other universities and government agencies. In June 2007 most of the incubator researchers, and a number of the student and post-doc researchers, presented their work at the international 33rd Scientific Conference of the Association of Marine Labs of the Caribbean. VI-EPSCoR incubator research projects and sponsored research proposals and grants are described in Appendices B and C. 11 VI-EPSCoR, working with the UVI Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), has used the incubator grants program to strengthen researchers’ skills in project design, proposal writing, and grants management. OSP provided technical support and training for incubator researchers in the process of acquiring and managing grants, and also provided liaison with the UVI Grants Accounting Office to help VI-EPSCoR create a realistic simulation of post-award grants management for the successful incubator proposals. These activities have enhanced faculty researchers’ abilities to seek, obtain and manage externally funded grants. VI-EPSCoR led the development and implementation of a new UVI Master of Marine and Environmental Science Program (MMES). VI-EPSCoR initiated and guided university and academic planning discussions that defined a new master’s degree program in marine and environmental science. The first cohort of students matriculated in August 2007, and includes employees of the VI Department of Planning and Natural Resources and the National Park Service. The program provides students with skills for planning, conducting, and evaluating scientific research. Caribbean ecology and environmental management are emphasized, as well as problem solving skills applicable well beyond the region. Graduates of the program will assist policy and decision makers to inform natural resource management decisions in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean. Potential employers, including government agencies and private organizations in the Territory, have expressed strong interest in hiring graduates of the MMES program. The new program meets the acute demand for science and resource management expertise in the Virgin Islands and the broader Caribbean region as evidenced by the financial support provided to students by local private donors and external partners, such as NOAA. The program is a bridge between the academic and resource management communities: core courses feature many local guest lecturers from the resource community. A workshop to broaden participation in the MMES program, modeled after a similar program at University of California-Berkeley, which was co-sponsored by UVI’s Provost’s Office and VI-EPSCoR, was held in October 2007 and was well received. VI-EPSCoR has collaborated with other federally funded programs to strengthen undergraduate research opportunities in STEM disciplines. 45 UVI undergraduate researchers have participated in VI-EPSCoR incubator projects, many of them funded by other federal grants, including the National Institutes of Health Minority Biomedical Research Support-Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement and Minority Access to Research Centers. The advent of the new graduate program in marine and environmental science presents an exciting opportunity to link UVI graduate students with undergraduates in a peer mentoring model designed to attract students from underrepresented groups to careers in marine and environmental science. This link will be made through the Emerging Caribbean Scientists program, an umbrella under which the various federal grants that encourage minority participation in STEM careers are managed at UVI. 12 VI-EPSCoR organized and led the development of a UVI Master of Arts in Mathematics for Secondary Teachers Program. With support from VI-EPSCoR, the University of the Virgin Islands established a new master’s degree program in teaching mathematics to meet the professional development and training needs of secondary school teachers. The first cohort began in June 2006 and will graduate in the summer of 2008. The Virgin Islands Department of Education is very supportive of the new program and has provided full scholarships for 20 public school teachers. The new program will strengthen the teaching qualifications of mathematics teachers in the Territory’s secondary schools and will help the public school system meet federal and territorial requirements. Better-trained teachers will provide secondary level students with stronger preparation in mathematics essential for development of a technically skilled workforce. Students with a stronger foundation in mathematics are more likely to pursue STEM-related academic studies and careers. VI-EPSCoR has facilitated the development of an Educational Advisory Board to link the Territory’s K-12 and postsecondary educational institutions and the Virgin Islands community in a partnership to strengthen K-12 STEM education. In Fall 2006, VI-EPSCoR, the President and the Provost of UVI, and the Virgin Islands Commissioner of Education constituted a new educational advisory board. Members include representatives of the University, the Department of Education, and VI-EPSCoR, potential employers in the private and government sectors, and parents of secondary school students. The Educational Advisory Board is charged with identifying priority areas where K-12 STEM education can be strengthened, developing a plan of action, promoting collaboration and the formation of strategic alliances to make optimal use of existing and potential resources, and promoting private sector and community involvement. Outreach Through the creation of professional and community partnerships, education and outreach activities, VI-EPSCoR has become an integral resource in the Virgin Islands for scientific research and education related to the BCCR research thrust. VI-EPSCoR has also reached out to other EPSCoR programs in areas of complementary interest. VI-EPSCoR has supported and participated in a variety of professional and educational events in the Virgin Islands to promote partnerships and build collaborations with key local government agencies and private organizations. In the past year VI-EPSCoR supported outreach initiatives including participation in the Marine Debris Removal and Monitoring Project of the Virgin Islands Mangrove Research and Conservation Coalition, the 2007 Virgin Islands Ecogenomic Symposium on Aquatic Cells and Molecules, the 33rd Scientific Conference for the Association of Marine Labs of the Caribbean, and the British and U.S. Virgin Islands’ Ocean Youth Summit. In November VI-EPSCoR hosted a workshop on Sustainable Land Development led by Dr. 13 Gaboury Benoit of Yale’s Environment School, which drew participants from the local natural resource management, legal, academic, and business communities. Students in the Master of Marine and Environmental Science program are leading new efforts to communicate about the environment with the Virgin Islands public. They have appeared on a local radio show to discuss environmental issues, and are formulating two environmental awareness projects: printing environmental messages on shopping bags, and introducing an “ecological/environmental concept of the month” in the local newspapers. The students are also taking the lead in organizing a NOAA Coastal Services Center workshop on managing visitor use in protected areas for Spring 2008. To bring current research and findings to the attention of the UVI and Virgin Islands community, VI-EPSCoR established the VI-EPSCoR Research Seminar Series. In the past year, the research seminar series hosted 29 research scientists from 13 universities and research organizations who presented research on marine and environmental issues. The seminars have been useful venues for local and visiting researchers to meet and discuss potential collaborations. Widely covered by local media, the seminars have also become an effective means of communicating scientific information to a broader general audience. The Virgin Islands community has recognized the value of the VI-EPSCoR program by increasing financial support for VI-EPSCoR. In the past year, VI-EPSCoR received a $400,000 appropriation from the Legislature of the Virgin Islands to support the program; local private donations in support of the program have also increased. Commitments of local support have now exceeded the local match initially pledged for the project. VI-EPSCoR has also been reaching out to other EPSCoR jurisdictions. As one of the newest EPSCoR programs, VI-EPSCoR has benefited significantly from models developed by other EPSCoR jurisdictions. For example, the new Master of Marine and Environmental Science program has benefited from knowledge shared by Hawaii EPSCoR in terms of curriculum, policies, and funding strategies. New Mexico EPSCoR has shared experience in developing the state’s science and technology and STEM education infrastructure. Research collaborations are being explored with Hawaii EPSCoR and other potential partners. VI-EPSCoR is positioned to play a significant, continuing leadership role in strengthening collaborations between the University, governmental agencies, and private organizations in the U.S. Virgin Islands Territory and the eastern Caribbean Region. 14 Summary In summary, VI-EPSCoR investments are building a solid foundation for a center of excellence in marine and environmental science. VI-EPSCoR initiatives have significantly updated research facilities, equipment and technology at the University of the Virgin Islands. In addition to new VI-EPSCoR funded research faculty participating in BCCR research projects, an increasing number of UVI teaching faculty are also now participating in the BCCR research thrust. VI-EPSCoR has augmented research resources at UVI by new collaborations with researchers from other universities, developing stronger partnerships with government agencies, and reaching out to other EPSCoR jurisdictions with mutually complementary programs. The new graduate program in marine and environmental science will strengthen research and teaching at UVI and produce graduates with skills in research and natural resource management tailored to local needs. The new graduate program in teaching mathematics for secondary teachers and the new Educational Advisory Board link the University with the local school system in efforts to strengthen K-12 STEM education. The investments made by VI-EPSCoR in its first four years have resulted in significant improvements in the Territory’s ability to stimulate, support and manage competitive research on the Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs. Recent scoping meetings addressing the new direction and focus of the next RII grant have generated considerable interest and enthusiasm with our federal and local partners. Appendices A. Federally Funded Projects in the Territory with Linkages, Coordination, and Collaboration with VI-EPSCoR RII Activities 15 B. Sponsored Research Proposals and Grants Related to the BCCR Research Thrust C. VI-EPSCOR Incubator Research Projects Related to the BCCR Research Thrust D. VI-EPSCoR Governing Committee, Advisory Boards, and Staff Appendix A: Federally Funded Projects in the Territory with Linkages, Coordination, and Collaboration with VI-EPSCoR RII Activities Funding Source Project Funding Status A.1 US Dept of Ed TITLE III Institutional strengthening grant to UVI which is leveraging VI-EPSCoR RII investments in several key areas, including chemistry teaching lab instrumentation, physical renovations, information technology, and libraries. Awarded $1,618,500 (FY07) and $1,569,249 (FY08) A.2 NIH MBRS- SCORE UVI research and institutional strengthening project with two sub-projects related to VI-EPSCoR research thrust. (See Nemeth and Hall in Appendix B.) UVI will be submitting the next NIH MBRS-SCORE proposal in 2007. Several researchers with VI-EPSCoR funded incubator grants will submit Independent SCORE proposals. VI-EPSCoR has also facilitated new research collaborations expected to lead to SCORE proposals. Awarded $1,183,721 6/03 – 11/07 A.3 NSF HBCU- UP Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP). UVI project to strengthen undergraduate education in STEM areas. HBCU-UP undergraduates participate in research projects including VI-EPSCoR projects. Awarded $2,675,796 9/05 – 10/10 A.4 NIH MBRS- RISE Minority Biomedical Research Support-Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS- RISE). UVI project to strengthen undergraduate education in STEM areas by providing four years of scholarship support. MBRS-RISE funded undergraduates could participate in research projects including VI-EPSCoR projects. Awarded $1,415,466 3/07 – 2/11 A.5 NIH MARC Minority Access to Research Centers (MARC). UVI project to strengthen undergraduate education in STEM areas. Provides stipends for undergraduate researchers to participate in research projects including VI-EPSCoR projects. Awarded $1,390,995 6/06 – 5/11 A.6 NSF CSEMS UVI project to strengthen the foundation of undergraduate students in STEM areas of study. CSEMS funded undergraduates could participate in research projects including VI-EPSCoR projects. Awarded $294,495 10/02 – 9/08 A.7 NSF SEAGEP South East Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (SEAGEP). Program to increase significantly the number of students receiving doctoral degrees in STEM areas, with special emphasis on underrepresented minority groups. UVI participates on subcontract from the University of Florida. SEAGEP funded undergraduates could participate in research projects including VI-EPSCoR projects. Awarded $150,000 5/06 – 2/009 A.8 NIH HRSA HCOP Health Resources and Services Administration-Health Careers Opportunities Program (HRSA- HCOP). UVI project. Encourages undergraduates to enter Health Careers. Supports the UVI Summer Science Enrichment Academy to strengthen preparation of high school students in STEM areas. Awarded $314,347 (FY06) 9/99 – 8/07 A.9 SBA SBDC Virgin Islands Small Business Development Center. Supports economic development ventures in the Virgin Islands. Strengthens local grant writing capacity. Awarded $500,000 (FY07) $500,000 (FY08) A.10 USGS Developing and Supporting Science for Better Management and Conservation of Coral Reef Awarded $105,000 and other tropical resources in V.I. National and VI Coral Reef National Monument. 6/06 – 5/10 A.11 NOAA University of Puerto Rico Caribbean Regional Association (CaRA) for Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing System. Awarded $139,505 1/07 – 6/08 Appendix B: Sponsored Research Proposals and Grants Related to the BCCR Research Thrust Funding Source and Status Research Proposal / Grant Researchers B.1 NSF Awarded $90,743 (UVI portion of multi-institution grant) 10/05 - 10/10 Biological Sciences Systematic Biology and Biodiversity Inventories: Assembling the Tree of Life – An Integrative Approach to Investigating Cnidarian Phylogeny S. Romano (UVI) J. Stake (Post-doc) M. Lucas (MSc student) B.2 NSF CAREER 7/06 Not funded Integration of research and teaching at UVI using phylogenetic analysis of the Caribbean coral Porites S. Romano (UVI) B.3 NOAA Sector Applications Research Program Not funded $756,000 A Coastal/Coral Reef Decision Support Tool with Climate Change Scenario- Testing J. McManus (UMiami) S. Ketcham (UVI) Renaud (USN ret) B.4 NOAA-University of Puerto Rico. Ocean.US consortium. Awarded UVI 1/06 $55,000 first year, $90,000 second year, 90,000 third year Caribbean Regional Association in support of an integrated ocean and coastal observing system for the US-Caribbean Exclusive Economic Zone. UVI is subcontractor. R. Watlington (UVI) E. Ban (UVI) B.5 USGS VI WRRI Awarded $29,800 3/05 – 3/06 Improving water quality research through hands-on hydrology / hydrography training R. Watlington (UVI) B.6 University of Kopenhagen Awarded 2007 In-Kind Data Galathea Project R. Watlington (UVI) R. Nemeth (UVI) B.7 VITEMA Awarded 2006 $75,500 3 yrs National Tsunami Hazard Monitoring Project R. Watlington (UVI) B.8 NOAA-UVI AOML/Southeast Fisheries Center Approx. $25,000 In-kind data collection time on R/V Nancy Foster 3/07 Larval and juvenile reef fish study R. Watlington (UVI) N. Idrisi (UVI) Lampkin (SEFC) Smith (AOML) L. Johns (AOML) Gerrard (SEFC) B.9 NIH MBRS/SCORE 6/06 Not funded J. Carroll (UVI) B.10 NSF CHE-Research Instrumentation and Facilities 8/06 Not funded Acquisition of a 300 MHz NMR for Use in Research and Education J. Carroll (UVI) B.11 NOAA Sea Grant-Puerto Rico 3/05 $114,099 Pre- proposal not selected Integration of spatial and temporal patterns of coral reef resources in the Virgin Islands M. Boumedine (UVI) B.12 NSF CISE Directorate Broadening Participation in Computing Program 5/06 $598,048 Not funded. Bringing Research Careers to the Islands (BRCI) M. Boumedine (UVI) B.13 NOAA Regional Integrated Ocean Observing System 2/07 $4,700,000/3 yrs. Preproposal not selected. Development of an Operational Core for the Caribbean Regional Integrated Coastal Ocean Observing System (CaRA COOS) M. Boumedine (UVI) B.14 Earth Watch Funded Summer 07 $25,000 Behavior and Ecology of Caribbean Reef Fishes P. Sikkel (Centre College) B.15 Earth Watch Student Challenge Award Program Funded $14,500 2008 Behavior and Ecology of Caribbean Reef Fishes P. Sikkel (Centre College) B.16 DOI USGS VI WRRI Awarded $17,960 3/06 – 3/07 Diversity of freshwater fish and invertebrates of St. Thomas watersheds and its relationship to water quality as affected by residential and commercial development D. Nemeth (UVI) Mathur (UVI Undergrad) Hodge (UVI Undergrad) B.17 NOAA Sea Grant-Puerto Rico - Pre-proposal 3/07 not selected Effect of habitat on the ecology of host-parasite interactions between capsalid monogeneans and surgeonfish hosts on Caribbean coral reefs P. Sikkel (Centre College) D. Nemeth (UVI) B.18 NSF CAREER 7/05 $1,200,000/5yrs, Not funded Connectivity among Caribbean coral reefs N. Idrisi (UVI) B.19 NSF BIO OCE Submitted 8/05 $240,000 (3 yr) Not funded The Carbon Isotopic Composition of Organic Material N. Idrisi (UVI) P. Schwartz (UVI) B.20 NOAA CEGIS 12/06 $150,000/2yrs. Not funded A landscape approach to exploring coral reef connectivity and change C. Rogers (USGS) N. Idrisi (UVI) D. Zawada (USGS) I. Kuffner (USGS) M. Monaco (NOAA) B.21 NSF BIO OCE Submitted 2/07 $800,000/3 yrs Not funded Modeling metapopulation dynamics of Acropora palmata whitepox disease N. Idrisi (UVI) T. Smith (UVI) C. Rogers (USGS) L. Cherubin (RSMAS) Minette (RSMAS) M. Brandt (RSMAS) B.22 USGS State Partnership Awarded 6/07 $300,000/3 yrs Physical and biological connectivity of Virgin Islands coral reefs: the potential for recovery of reefs within Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, and Buck Islands Reef National Monument C. Rogers (USGS) B. Schill (USGS) N. Idrisi (UVI) R. Nemeth (UVI) T. Smith (UVI) K. Brown (UVI) L. Cherubin (RSMAS) M. Shivji (Nova) B.23 NOAA Sea Grant-Florida 2/07 not funded Restoration of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum: are cultured urchins as effective at removing macroalgae from coral reefs as wild caught individuals? L. Walters (UCF) T. Turner (UVI) Vaughn (Mote) Moe (Mote) Bartels (Mote) B.24 USGS State Partnership Awarded 3/07 $295,000 (3 yrs) Coral-Algal-Herbivore interactions in protected versus unprotected reef ecosystems I. Kuffner (USGS) L. Walters (UCF) Paul (Smithsonian) T. Turner (UVI) B.25 NSF BIO-OCE Submitted 2/07 $418,368 Not funded Collaborative Research: Confronting the Coral Reef Crisis - Application of Metabolomics to the Research and Management of Corals Under Stress T. Smith (UVI) M. Sussman (U Wisc) B.26 Gulf & Caribbean Restoration Program (#V12) Awarded $31,677 1/07 – 12/07 Marine Debris Removal and Monitoring Effort at Cas Cay N. Idrisi (UVI) A. McCammon (UVI Post- grad) B.27 DoEd UVI Title III Funded $738,400 2 yrs Improvements to Chemistry Program Infrastructure S. Latesky (UVI) T. Archibald (UVI) B.28 NOAA Sea Grant-Puerto Rico Awarded $122,228 3/07 ($24,015 to UVI) Symbiont diversity and population dynamics of coral reef sea anemones N. Chadwick (Auburn) S. Ratchford (UVI) B.29 UPR Sea Grant Pre- proposal accepted 3/07 $159,000 (2 yrs) full proposal not funded Recovery of Nassau groupers in the USVI: Identifying life-history bottlenecks from settlement to adulthood R. Nemeth (UVI) B.30 USGS State Partnership Pre-proposal accepted 3/07 $295,000 (3 yrs) proposal withdrawn due to B.22 Evaluating the effect of marine protected areas on movement, growth and survival of juvenile Nassau groupers (Epinephelus striatus) in St. John, US Virgin Islands R. Nemeth (UVI) C. Jennings (USGS) B.31 NOAA-CFMC $166,000 funded 4/07-9/08 Characterization of deep reef communities in the Marine Conservation District, St. Thomas, USVI R. Nemeth (UVI) T. Smith (UVI) B.32 NOAA Sea Grant-University of Puerto Rico Awarded $145,000 3/06 – 2-/08 Determining the minimum size of fishery closures for protecting grouper spawning aggregations R. Nemeth (UVI) Collaborators M. Shivji (Nova Southeastern) B. Wetherbee (URI) B. Victor (URI) B.33 NMFS and VI DPNR-DF&W (#GC-PNB-027-2003) Awarded $90,000 1/03 – 3/05 Assessment of grouper and snapper spawning aggregations R. Nemeth (UVI) B.34 NOAA International Coral Reef Conservation Program (#NA03NMF4630329) Awarded $60,000 10/03 – 3/06 Comparative Investigations of Red Hind Spawning Aggregations under different management regimes in USVI, BVI and Saba and Development of educational documentary on grouper and snapper spawning aggregations in the USVI R. Nemeth (UVI) E. Kadison (UVI technician) B.35 The Ocean Conservancy Awarded $10,000 10/05 – 8/06 Development of educational documentary on Grouper and Snapper Spawning aggregations in the USVI R. Nemeth (UVI) B.36 The Nature Conservancy Awarded $15,000 10/05 – 8/06 Development of educational documentary on Grouper and Snapper Spawning aggregations in the USVI R. Nemeth (UVI) B.37 NIH-SCORE (#1 S06 GM066923-01) Awarded $260,361 for third year 6/03 – 5/07 Regional analysis of red hind breeding populations R. Nemeth (UVI) B.38 The Ocean Conservancy Awarded $20,000 11/04 - 12/06 Identification of essential fish habitat for juvenile groupers in the US Virgin Islands R. Nemeth (UVI) B.39 DPNR-CZM Awarded $72,000 2/06 – 9/06 Long-term coral reef monitoring program in the Virgin Islands – year 5 R. Nemeth (UVI) T. Smith (UVI) B.40 DPNR-CZM Awarded $80,000 10/04 – 9/05 Long-term coral reef monitoring program in the Virgin Islands – year 4 R. Nemeth (UVI) B.41 NOAA Sea Grant-University of Puerto Rico (#MS-151-06) Awarded $126,710 3/06 – 2/08 Core funding for Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service R. Nemeth (UVI) M. Taylor (UVI) Ban (UVI) B.42 NOAA Sea Grant-University of Puerto Rico (#MS-151-04) Awarded $118,105 3/04 – 2/06 Core funding for Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service R. Nemeth (UVI) M. Taylor (UVI) B.43 VI DPNR-DEP Awarded $156,924 10/03 – 9/06 Territorial biological monitoring program of coral reefs and fishes within Category 1 watersheds R. Nemeth (UVI) M. Taylor (UVI) B.44 VI DPNR-DEP Awarded $86,111 3/03 – 3/05 Non-point Source Pollution Education. K-12 education on St. Croix. M. Taylor (UVI) B.45 NSF FSML (#DBI-0331552) Awarded $185,000 4/04 – 3/07 Strengthening the Research and Educational Capabilities of the Virgin Islands Environmental Research Station, St. John US Virgin Islands. This funding leverages facilities and laboratory renovations funding in the NSF EPSCoR RII grant. R. Nemeth (UVI) B.46 DOE Title III (#P031B020099) Awarded $140,000 Enhancing student learning and faculty research productivity within the MacLean Marine Science Center. *Nominated as an Exemplary Title III project R. Nemeth (UVI) B.47 NIH-SCORE Awarded $348,102 for third year 6/03 – 5/07 Lobster Neurology R. Hall (UVI) T. Stewart (post-doc) T. Forte (post-doc) B.48 NSF IGERT Pre-proposal submitted 3/07 $400,000/5 yrs not funded Coral Reef Ecosystem Science and Management A. Baker (RSMAS) S. Vitazkova (UVI) R. Nemeth (UVI) T. Hughes (James Cook U.) T. McLanahan (Wildlife Conservation Society) M. Miller (NOAA) B.49 NOAA-Oceans and Human Health Submitted 11/07 $195,440/3 yrs, UVI portion Environmental regulation of Gambierdiscus abundance and toxicity: an integrated study of ciguatera fish poisoning and the development of a predictive capability for human illness in the U.S. Virgin Islands D. Anderson (WHOI) M. Richlen (WHOI) R. Dickey (FDA) T. Smith (UVI) O. Christian (UVI) B.50 Caribbean Coral Reef Inst. Submitted 8/07 $148,000 (2 yrs) Spatial and temporal characterization of spawning aggregations along the southern shelf edge of St. Thomas, St. John and Vieques R. Nemeth (UVI) M. Domeier (Mar. Cons. Sci. Inst.) M. Shivji (Nova Southeastern) B. Wetherbee (URI) B.51 Caribbean Coral Reef Inst. 9/07 submitted $139,399/2 yrs Management of the spatial and temporal dynamics of Caribbean coral reef degradation T. Smith (UVI) M. Brandt (UVI ) A. Cohen (WHOI) A. Moulding (Nova S.U) A. Baker (U Miami) B.52 NSF-RUI Submitted 7/07 $505,800/1yr Phylogenetic analysis of the Caribbean coral Porites. A proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation Systematic Biology Program/Research in Undergraduate Institutions S. Romano (UVI) B.53 NOAA Sea Grant-University of Puerto Rico (#MS-151-XX submitted $126,712 3/08 – 2/10 Core funding for Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service - Educational and outreach activities to inform and educate citizens about ocean resources and marine career opportunities in the Virgin Islands. VI-EPSCoR and VIMAS collaborate in educational and outreach activities related to the VI-EPSCoR research thrust. R. Nemeth (UVI) M. Taylor (UVI) K. Lewis (UVI) B.54 NOAA/NMFS Awarded $14,000 7/07 – 6/08 Monitoring the Elkhorn coral in the Virgin Islands National Park, St. John B. Devine (UVI) C. Rogers (USGS) B.55 The Nature Conservancy Awarded $35,000 12/06 – 3/08 Mapping the spatial distribution of size class and disease affecting Elkhorn coral B. Devine (UVI) C. Rogers (USGS) Appendix C: VI-EPSCoR Incubator Research Projects Related to the BCCR Research Thrust # Funding Status Research Project Researchers Targets for external funding New Collaborations C.1 Awarded $65,000 Fall 04 – Sum 06 Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of USVI Porites Romano (UVI) Stake (Post-doc) Lucas (MSc student) Marshall (Undergrad) Cuffy (Undergrad) Phillips (Undergrad) Boateng (Undergrad) Jno-Baptiste (Undergrad) NSF Biological Sciences Systematic Biology and Biodiversity Inventories (funded $90,743, 7/06). NSF CAREER (7/06 – not funded) NSF RUI (submitted 7/07, $505,800/1 yr) Sussman (U Wisc) Nelson (U Wisc) T. Smith (UVI) Baker (RSMAS) C.2 Awarded $80,000 Fall 04 – Fall 06 Study of Genetic Diversity of Long- spined Black Sea Urchins to Improve Management of Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystems Ketcham (UVI) Ortiz (Undergrad) NOAA Sector Applications Research Program (Not funded) NSF Biological Oceanography related to Population Connectivity in Marine Systems Specific Theme of Emphasis ( 8/07) Burton (Scripps) Wray (Duke) McManus (RSMAS) Renaud (USN ret) C.3 Awarded $101,000 Fall 04 – Sum 06 Coastal Oceanography Watlington (UVI) Gentius (Undergrad) NOAA Ocean.US CaRA (Funded $235,000 3 yrs) USGS VI WRRI (Funded $29,800 3/05) Univ. of Kopenhagen (Funded In-Kind 07) VITEMA (Funded 06 $75,500 3 yrs) NOAA AOML/SEFC (Funded In- Kind 07) Corredor (UPR) Morrell (UPR) Chaparro (UPR Sea Grant) Ban (UVI) Idrisi (UVI) R. Nemeth (UVI) Lampkin (SEFC) Smith (AOML) Johns (AOML) Gerrard (SEFC) C.4 Awarded $45,000 Fall 04 – Spr 06 Developing a Marine Natural Products Facility at UVI Carroll (UVI) Purcell (Undergrad) Washington (Undergrad) MBRS-SCORE (6/06 Not funded) NSF CHE-Research Instrumentation and Facilities (8/06 Not funded) Gotchfeld (U. Miss.) Tupper (U. Miss.) C.5 Awarded $90,000 Fall 04 – Sum 06. Awarded $25,000 Spr 06 – Sum 07 Finding Descriptive Patterns with CREWS datasets / Using data mining tools to analyze Caribbean oceanographic data. Boumedine (UVI) Carty (Undergrad) Jerrold (Undergrad) NOAA Sea Grant-Puerto Rico (3/05 Pre-proposal Not selected) NSF CISE Directorate: Broadening Participation in Computing Program (5/06 Not funded) NOAA Regional Integrated Ocean Observing System (Pre- proposal not selected 2/07) Hendee (NOAA) Idrisi (UVI) Henry (UVI) Berkling (Polytechnic Univ. of Puerto Rico) Morgan (UC Berkeley) C.6 Awarded $72,000 Fall 04 – Spr 06. Awarded $14,500 Spr 06 – Sum 07 Mesoscale Weather Modeling Project – Modeling, Analysis and Data Visualization of Local Effects of Storms / Measuring Near-Shore Bulk SeaTemperatures D.Smith (UVI) Boumedine (UVI) Francis (Undergrad) Wilson (Undergrad) Beebe (Undergrad) Hercules (Undergrad) Idrisi (UVI) Watlington (UVI) C.7 Awarded $10,000 Spr 05 – Spr 06 Preliminary Assessment of the Relationship between Habitat and Parasite Infestation among Managed Reef Fishes of the US Virgin Islands Sikkel (Centre College)) D. Nemeth (UVI) McCammon (UVI post- grad) Tuttle (Undergrad) Mathur (Undergrad) Hodge (Undergrad) Earth Watch (funded $25,000) USGS VI WRRI (funded $17,960) NOAA Sea Grant-Puerto Rico (not funded) Earth Watch: Student Challenge Award Program(funded $14,500 for 2008) Grim (N. Arizona U.) Williams, (U. Puerto Rico) Miller-Morgan (OSU) Noah (Coral World) Ziemba (Centre College C.8 Awarded Spr 05 – Fall 07 Biophysical Modeling of Larval Fish and Invertebrate Dispersal Idrisi (UVI) LaPlace (Undergrad) NSF CAREER (7/05 not funded. NSF BIO OCE (8/05 not funded) NSF BIO OCE SGER (12/05 not funded) Cherubin (RSMAS) Olascoaga (RSMAS) Garraffo (RSMAS) Schwartz (RSMAS) R. Nemeth (UVI) C.9 Awarded $32,982 Spr 06 – Sum 07 Do coastal current patterns influence disease susceptibility and connectivity of populations of the endangered coral Acropora palmata in St. John and St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Idrisi (UVI) T.Smith (UVI) Romano (UVI) Rogers (USGS) Fredricks (Undergrad) McKenzie(Undergrad) NOAA CEGIS (12/06 not funded) NSF BIO-OCE 2/07(not funded) USGS-State Partnership (Funded 6/07) Cherubin (RSMAS) Minnette (RSMAS) Brandt (RSMAS) Rogers (USGS) Zawada (USGS) Kuffner (USGS) Monaco (NOAA) Schill (USGS) Shivji (Nova) C.10 Awarded $20,996 6/06 – Sum 07 Coral Restoration on Reefs Dominated by Macroalgae: Is the Long-Spined Sea Urchin Diadema antillarium the Key to Success? Walters (U Central Fl) Turner (UVI) Sacks Parrish (Undergrad) Rivera (Undergrad) Harry (Undergrad) NOAA Sea Grant-Florida (not funded) USGS-State Partnership (funded, 2007-2012, $537,284) Florida Inst. of Oceanography (funded $12,500) CCRIR (submitted) Kuffner (USGS) Paul (Smithsonian) Vaughn (Mote) Bartels (Mote) Moe (Mote) C.11 Awarded $19,955 Spr 06 – Sum 07 Identification of Metabolic Markers for Bleaching in the Coral Porites astreoides M. Sussman (U Wisc.) Nelson (U Wisc.) T. Smith (UVI) Phillips (Undergrad) NSF BIO-OCE (2/07 not funded) Romano (UVI) Baker (RSMAS) C.12 Awarded $18,319 Spr 06 – Sum 07 Pilot study to integrate the effects of watershed activity patterns and coastal processes on near-shore coral reefs T. Smith (UVI) Idrisi (UVI) Devine (UVI) Thomas (UVI) GCRP #VI2 (Funded $31,677 Jan 07-Dec 07) EPA Assessment and Watershed Protections Programs Grants (8/07) NOAA-Oceans and Human Health proposal (submitted Nov 07, $195,440) Gray (U. of San Diego) Rogers (USGS) Vermeij (U. Hawaii – Manoa) D. Anderson (WHOI) M. Richlen (WHOI) R. Dickey (FDA) O. Christian (UVI) C.13 Awarded $25,000 Spr 06 - Sum 07 Biological Interactions at the Surface of Advanced Fouling-Release Marine Coatings Archibald (UVI) Turner (UVI) DoEd UVI Title III (funded $738,400 Oct 07-Sep 09) EPA Fellowship, Army Research Organization and Office of Naval Research O. Christian (UVI) Malik (Ampac Fine Chemicals) Finn (Scripps) Sharpless (Scripps) C.14 Awarded $30,000 Symbiont diversity and population dynamics of coral reef sea anemones Chadwick (Auburn) Ratchford (UVI) McCammon (UVI) Gennusa (Undergrad) Greaux (Undergrad) Nelsen (Graduate) NOAA Sea Grant-Puerto Rico (funded 11/07) Spr 06 – Sum 07 C. 15 Award amount $15,156 Sum 07 Novel anticancer metabolites from marine sponges and associated fungi Christian (UVI) Washington (Undergrad) Wadsworth (Undergrad) NIH-Director’s New Innovator Award Program (May 08) NIH-SCORE (Jan 08) NSF CAREER (Jan 08) MRI (Co PI), Anastacio Emiliano Sosa, University of Turabo, PR, (PI) (2008) Moobery (Sourthwest Foundation for Biomedical Research) Valeriote (Henry Ford Center) Sosa (University of Turabo) C.16 Award amount $6,600 Jobsis (UVI) TBD Van Dam (Chelonia Inc.) Assessment of sea turtle populations at coral reefs of St. Thomas and St. John Lewis (UVI-VIMAS) Boulon (VI National Park) Fall 07 Coles (VI-DPNR) C.17 Award amount $5000 Fall 07 Christian (UVI) NOAA-Oceans and Human Health proposal (submitted Nov 07) D. Anderson (WHOI) Developing Predictive Capability for Ciguatera fish poisoning in the Virgin Islands M. Richlen (WHOI) R. Dickey (FDA) T. Smith (UVI) Appendix D: VI-EPSCoR Governing Committee, Advisory Boards, and Staff VI-EPSCoR Governing Committee Name Institution / Organization Frank Schulterbrandt Chairman of the Governing Committee and Executive Director, U.S.Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority LaVerne E. Ragster Co-Chair of the Governing Committee and President, University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Donna M. Christensen U.S. Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress TBD Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Education Robert Mathes Commissioner, Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources Richard Moore CEO, Para Technology Roderick Moorehead Board of Directors, St. Croix Chamber of Commerce Richard Nemeth Principal Investigator, Biocomplexity of Caribbean Coral Reefs (BCCR) and Director, UVI Center for Marine & Environmental Studies (CMES) Usie Richards Senate President, U.S. Virgin Islands Legislature David Sharp CEO, Innovative Corporation Robert Stolz Division of Science and Mathematics, UVI Thomas Taylor Dist. Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas Meri Whitaker Director, VI-EPSCoR Lee Williams Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate College, University of Oklahoma Biodiversity of Caribbean Coral Reefs (BCCR) Advisory Board Name Institution / Organization Richard Nemeth Principal Investigator, BCCR, and Director, CMES Elizabeth Gladfelter Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Cecil A. Jennings Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resource, University of Georgia Barbara Kojis Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources- Division of Fish and Wildlife John McManus National Center for Coral Reef Research, Univ. of Miami John C. Ogden Florida Institute of Oceanography Robert Richmond Pacific Biosciences Research Center-Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa Caroline Rogers U.S. Geological Survey-Virgin Islands National Park Service Sandra Romano Division of Science and Mathematics, UVI Alina Szmant Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina- Wilmington Roy Watlington Division of Science and Mathematics, UVI Meri Whitaker VI-EPSCoR Director VI-EPSCoR Educational Advisory Board Name Institution / Organization Lauren Larsen Virgin Islands Department of Education Ludence Romney Virgin Islands Department of Education Rosa White Virgin Islands Department of Education Cynthia Jackson Division of Education, University of the Virgin Islands Teresa Turner Division of Science and Math, University of the Virgin Islands Velma Tyson Division of Science and Math, University of the Virgin Islands Frieda Webster Trust Asset Management LLP Gustave James Systems Engineering Rafe Boulon Virgin Islands National Park Margerita Greenwich-Benjamin Economic Development Commission Meri Whitaker Virgin Islands EPSCoR VI-EPSCoR Staff Name Institution / Organization Meri Whitaker VI-EPSCoR Director TBD VI-EPSCoR Program Coordinator Richard Nemeth Principal Investigator, BCCR, and Director, CMES Vanere Goodwin Graduate Program Coordinator, Mathematics for Secondary Teachers Sylvia Vitazkova Graduate Program Coordinator, Marine and Environmental Science Keisha Christian Research Manager, BCCR TBD Outreach Communications Manager, VI-EPSCoR Paul Butler-Nalin External Consultant, VI-EPSCoR Monitoring and Evaluation Kaisa Prentice Program Specialist, VI-EPSCoR Charmane Joseph Administrative Assistant, BCCR