Facility for the Study of Fine Scale Variability in Physical, Chemical, and Biological Oceanographic Features at the Shannon Point Marine Center

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The Shannon Point Marine Center of Western Washington university is awarded a grant to purchase an instrument package consisting of 1) a water sampler/profiler suitable for continuous profiling of fine scale physical and chemical oceanographic variables, including depth, temperature, salinity, subsurface photosynthetically active radiation, dissolved oxygen, and in vivo chlorophyll a fluorescence, and 2) a flow cytometer capable of powerful analysis of microbial communities associated with the physical and chemical phenomena measured in the field. Broader Impacts: The broader impacts are strong. Many undergrads are publishing, many have gone on to graduate school, and under-represented groups are engaged. The faculty at SPML and WWU have an excellent track record in the development of undergraduate research programs through a long term commitment to undergraduate teaching at the laboratory as well as undergraduate research through an REU and a minority serving undergraduate research program. The laboratory already has a strong data base from 9 stations in near by waters and a very well developed and useful website for visiting researchers and collaborators. Profiling CTD packages are the standard in oceanographic research and familiarity with these instruments and modes of data collection will be valuable for those seeking employment or further education in the field. Similarly, flow cytometry is a fundamental technology, not just for marine microbial ecology, but for immunology and other medical research and diagnostic fields.