Modernization and Enhancement of the Seawater System and Research Infrastructure at Northeastern University's Marine Science Center

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This project renovates 1,310 sq ft. of research laboratory space in Northeastern University's Marine Science Center which houses the Ocean Engineering Lab, the Molecular/Analytical Chemistry Lab, the Shared Molecular Resources Lab, and the Wet Prep Lab. It also provides major infrastructure upgrades to the existing flow-through seawater system which lacks adequate capacity and reliability for present and future research needs. These improvements will help to transform these facilities into an interdisciplinary research hub focused on technological solutions to better address major environmental issues facing the world's coastal marine habitats. The renovations will provide increased research capacity as well as improved facilities for graduate student training. Research that will be enabled include studies of coastal ocean eutrophication, the development of automatic underwater mariculture controllers that can be used in fisheries development projects, marine genomic studies, and investigations of the molecular, physiological, and behavioral responses of marine organisms to stress. Broader impacts of project include increasing infrastructure for science in terms of helping the US stay economically competitive in the area of mariculture and fisheries ecosystem management. Additional impacts include potential applications to national security through the development of remotely controlled vehicles and sensors. The renovation will also enhance the research and educational capabilities of the institution and facilitate broader participation by outside researchers and will serve as a hands-on science outreach engine by serving over 4,000 K-12 school children each year through the Northeastern University Coastal Ocean Science Academy which has many students that are members of under-represented minorities in STEM fields.