{"id":549,"date":"2014-03-01T09:43:00","date_gmt":"2014-03-01T14:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/?page_id=549"},"modified":"2024-08-27T14:44:02","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T18:44:02","slug":"coastal-science-serves-north-carolina","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/coastal-science-serves-north-carolina\/","title":{"rendered":"Coastal Science Serves North Carolina: Sea Grant Funds New Research Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n
This article was published in the Spring 2014 issue of Coastwatch.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Water quality. Community development. Storm surge. Environmental education. Marine fisheries. North Carolina Sea Grant\u2019s new core funding cycle supports research projects that cover a breadth of coastal issues and needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNorth Carolina\u2019s coastal and marine research community is clearly focused on priorities identified in our Sea Grant strategic plan,\u201d notes Susan White, executive director. \u201cWe are eager not only to see critical project data but also to actively share the results and recommendations with federal, state and local agencies, along with community organizations and residents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n North Carolina Sea Grant is part of the National Sea Grant College Program, within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA provides federal funds, while the state provides matching support. In addition to a core research cycle every two years, North Carolina Sea Grant provides seed funding throughout the year, and often administers state or federal research programs on specific topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Headquartered at North Carolina State University, Sea Grant is recognized as an interinstitutional program of the University of North Carolina system. Researchers across the state are eligible to compete for Sea Grant support. The 2014-16 funding cycle features projects with scientists from East Carolina University, NC State, NC Central University, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Coastal Studies Institute and UNC Wilmington, as well as Duke University. The listing also includes a regional project that couples in-state researchers with out-of-state colleagues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNorth Carolina Sea Grant continues to work with a breadth of UNC system researchers to ensure priority coastal and marine issues in the state are being addressed,\u201d notes Chris Brown, vice president of research and graduate education for the UNC system. \u201cNew research approaches, featuring technical innovation and multidisciplinary partnerships, will provide state-of-the-art yet practical results that will be applied in support of local coastal communities and appreciated by countless visitors who enjoy North Carolina\u2019s coastal resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The new projects fit into several focus areas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n BUILDING OCEAN AND CLIMATE LITERACY IN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH A PROJECT WET CLIMATE LITERACY MODULE; <\/strong>M. Nils Peterson, Susan Moore, Sarah Carrier and Renee Strnad of NC State; and Laurell Malone of NC Central.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Citizens with an understanding of climate and environmental issues are better equipped to face environmental challenges. This project will develop a new climate literacy classroom module in collaboration with a national environmental education curriculum known as Project WET. The team will evaluate its effectiveness based on increases in climate literacy among students and teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\nENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND CAREER INITIATION<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
HEALTHY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n