Strengthening the Research and Educational Capabilities of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station, St. John US Virgin Islands

加强位于美属维尔京群岛圣约翰的维尔京群岛环境资源站的研究和教育能力。（FSML #0331552）摘要：在Richard S. Nemeth博士的指导下，维尔京群岛大学（UVI）获得了一笔资金，用于升级位于美属维尔京群岛圣约翰的维尔京群岛环境资源站。VIERS位于维尔京群岛国家公园、联合国教科文组织生物圈保护区和珊瑚礁国家纪念碑的中心，这使得VIERS具有独特的地理位置，可以为研究人员提供海洋和陆地栖息地生态系统水平研究的参考地点。虽然VIERS作为环境教育和研究中心已经提供了35年的持续服务，但过时的实验室设施限制了该设施在教学，特别是研究方面的使用水平非常低。由于热带环境的腐蚀，实验室里的大部分仪器都使用了20多年，已经严重退化。VIERS实验室也没有为来访的科学家提供互联网接入或计算机设施，支持实地活动的主要设备已被一系列严重的飓风损坏。通过广泛的规划过程，UVI确定了VIERS现有和潜在用户的基本需求。该项目的主要目标是使VIERS设施现代化，以促进来自地方、国家和国际机构的研究人员和教育团体的使用。来自国家科学基金会的资金将允许UVI购买主要的研究仪器，翻新现有的建筑和现代化的通信系统。获得现代实验室仪器和主要现场设备将扩大VIERS的研究能力，从非常基本的生态观测到更复杂的测量和实验，并将增加空间和时间尺度的研究能力。拟议的改造将提供一个研究实验室设施，其功能和互补的工作空间包括计算机实验室、分析实验室、干实验室和带运行海水系统的湿实验室。UVI还将使信息技术、通信和数据管理系统现代化，这将促进研究人员之间的更大合作，并加强研究、教育和外展计划之间的联系。VIERS周围所有具有代表性的热带环境的接近将为研究人员提供重要的机会，以便在邻近的陆地和海洋生态系统之间进行实质性的比较。改善VIERS的设施将促进教学和研究，并通过与VIERS的外展活动进行社区互动，将增加公众对自然资源的兴趣和参与。这个野外生物站现代化的更广泛影响还将包括更高水平的合作，以及访问科学家、教育工作者和学生之间信息和思想交流的增加。最后，VIERS活动的增加将为UVI文化多元化的学生群体以及USVI K-12学生和教师提供更多的教育和研究机会。

Strengthening the research and educational capabilities of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station, St. John, USVI. (FSML #0331552)AbstractA grant has been awarded to the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) under the direction of Dr. Richard S. Nemeth to upgrade the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) located on St. John, US Virgin Islands. VIERS is located at the center of the Virgin Islands National Park, the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the Coral Reef National Monument, making VIERS uniquely situated to provide researchers with reference sites for ecosystem level studies in both marine and terrestrial habitats. Although VIERS has provided 35 years of continuous service as a center for environmental education and research, the outdated laboratory facilities has limited use of this facility for teaching and especially for research to very low levels. Most of the instrumentation in the laboratory is over 20 years old and has been severely degraded due to the corrosive tropical environment. The VIERS lab also has no internet access or computer facilities available for visiting scientists and major equipment, which support field activities, have been damaged by a series of severe hurricanes. Through an extensive planning process, UVI identified the essential needs of current and potential users of VIERS. The primary goal of this project will be to modernize the VIERS facility to stimulate usage by researchers and educational groups from local, national and international institutions. Funding from the National Science Foundation will allow UVI to purchase major research instrumentation, renovate existing buildings and modernize the communication systems. The acquisition of modern laboratory instrumentation and major field equipment will expand research capabilities of VIERS from very basic ecological observations to more sophisticated measurement and experimentation, and will increase research capabilities at both spatial and temporal scales. The proposed renovations will provide for a research laboratory facility with functional and complementary workspaces including a computer lab, analytical lab, dry lab and wet lab with running seawater system. UVI will also modernize the information technology, communications and data management systems which will foster greater collaboration among researchers and strengthen the linkages between research, education and outreach programs. The close proximity of all representative tropical environments around VIERS will provide significant opportunities for researchers to make substantive comparisons among adjacent terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Improving the facilities at VIERS will facilitate teaching and research and, through community interaction with VIERS' outreach activities, will increase public interest and involvement in their natural resources. The broader impacts of modernizing this field biological station will also include a greater level of collaboration and an increase in the exchange of information and ideas between visiting scientists, educators, and students. Finally, increased activities at VIERS will provide more opportunities in education and research for the culturally diverse student body at UVI and K-12 students and teachers in the USVI.