FSML: Developing a Strategic Plan for the Bowdoin Scientific Station

FSML：为鲍登科学站制定战略计划

• 批准号: 1226941
• 负责人: Damon Gannon
• 金额: $ 2.5万
• 依托单位: Bowdoin College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-04-01 至 2015-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1226941&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: FSML; Developing; Strategic; Plan; Bowdoin

Bowdoin College has been awarded a grant to convene an external review of programs and facilities of the Bowdoin Scientific Station (BSS) as part of a strategic planning effort. Established over 75 years ago, BSS is Bowdoin College's biological research station in the Bay of Fundy's Three Islands archipelago (www.bowdoin.edu/kent-island/). BSS is unusual among field stations and marine laboratories (FSMLs) because it is operated by an undergraduate liberal arts college, provides access to a wide variety of terrestrial and marine habitats, has remarkable ecological characteristics (macro tides, extreme philopatry among migratory animals, self-compatible plants, boreal plant communities despite temperate location, and geographically isolated plant and animal populations), and possesses several valuable long-term ecological databases, some of which span more than 55 years. But what makes BSS truly extraordinary is its scientific productivity. Considering its small size (25 person maximum capacity, including staff), seasonal usage, and undergraduate focus, the Station has an unusually high publication rate (203 peer-reviewed papers, 37% of which were authored or co-authored by undergraduate students). Twenty-five papers have been published in the past 5 years. BSS has trained and inspired thousands of students who have had the opportunity to work in close collaboration with professional biologists in the field. With previous support from NSF, BSS has modernized its infrastructure, expanded its research programs, and developed new collaborations with researchers from the U.S. and Canada. However, it has never had a strategic plan and, because of its remote location, has never had an external review of its programs or facilities. The external review will be part of a larger planning effort that will include: 1) an institutional self-evaluation; 2) engagement of local community organizations; 3) drafting of a strategic plan; 4) convening an external review of programs, facilities, and the draft strategic plan (supported by this grant); and 5) final revising and adoption of the strategic plan based on input from the external review team. The review will focus on research opportunities, data management, educational programming, facilities and infrastructure, natural resource management, community outreach, safety, and financial sustainability. The review team would consist of senior administrators and scientists who have significant experience managing successful FSMLs, and who are active in the Organization of Biological Field Stations or the National Association of Marine Laboratories. Team members would represent a variety of scientific disciplines from molecular- to ecosystem-scales. The strategic plan and external review report will explore opportunities to develop a collaborative network of FSMLs bordering the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy system to address research questions at the regional scale. BSS is an exceptionally valuable research and teaching asset, which has trained and inspired thousands of students by giving them the opportunity to work in close collaboration with professional biologists. This experience has a profound and lasting effect on these students, a disproportionate number of whom go on to careers in science and environmental management. By identifying emerging research trends and new scientific niches for BSS, this project will improve the Station's ability to support innovative research and enhance the educational opportunities that it can provide. Clearly, these planning efforts will benefit Bowdoin's students and faculty. But since approximately 1/3 of the Station's users traditionally come from other institutions (including undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty), the impact of this planning project will reach far beyond the Bowdoin community. Strategic planning will also enable BSS to improve its environmental stewardship and land management programs.

作为战略规划工作的一部分，鲍登学院获得了一笔赠款，用于对鲍登科学站（BSS）的项目和设施进行外部审查。BSS成立于75年前，是鲍登学院在芬迪湾三岛群岛的生物研究站（www.bowdoin.edu/kent-island/）。BSS在野外站和海洋实验室（fsml）中是不寻常的，因为它由本科文理学院运营，提供各种陆地和海洋栖息地，具有显着的生态特征（宏观潮汐，迁徙动物的极端哲学，自相容植物，温带地区的北方植物群落，地理上孤立的植物和动物种群）。并拥有几个有价值的长期生态数据库，其中一些数据库的跨度超过55年。但让BSS真正与众不同的是它的科学生产力。考虑到其规模较小（包括工作人员在内的最大容量为25人）、季节性使用和以本科生为重点，该站的发表率异常高（203篇同行评议论文，其中37%是由本科生撰写或合作撰写的）。近5年发表论文25篇。BSS培训和激励了成千上万的学生，他们有机会与该领域的专业生物学家密切合作。在NSF的支持下，BSS对其基础设施进行了现代化改造，扩大了研究项目，并与来自美国和加拿大的研究人员开展了新的合作。然而，它从未制定过战略计划，而且由于地处偏远，它的项目或设施从未接受过外部审查。外部审查将是更大规划工作的一部分，该工作将包括：1)机构自我评价；2)当地社区组织的参与；3)制定战略规划；4)召集对项目、设施和战略计划草案（由本赠款支持）的外部审查；5)根据外部评审小组的意见，最终修改并通过战略计划。审查将侧重于研究机会、数据管理、教育规划、设施和基础设施、自然资源管理、社区外展、安全和财务可持续性。审查小组将由高级行政人员和科学家组成，他们在管理成功的海洋生物监测站方面具有丰富的经验，并积极参与生物野外站组织或全国海洋实验室协会。团队成员将代表从分子尺度到生态系统尺度的各种科学学科。战略计划和外部审查报告将探讨在缅因湾/芬迪湾系统附近建立一个fsml合作网络的机会，以解决区域范围内的研究问题。BSS是一项非常有价值的研究和教学资产，它通过给学生提供与专业生物学家密切合作的机会，培训和激励了成千上万的学生。这种经历对这些学生产生了深远而持久的影响，他们中不成比例的一部分人后来从事科学和环境管理方面的职业。通过确定新的研究趋势和新的科学定位，该项目将提高该站支持创新研究的能力，并增加它可以提供的教育机会。显然，这些规划工作将使鲍登学院的学生和教师受益。但是，由于该站大约三分之一的用户传统上来自其他机构（包括本科生、研究生和教职员工），因此这个规划项目的影响将远远超出鲍登社区。战略规划还将使BSS能够改善其环境管理和土地管理计划。