FSML Planning Grant: HEART Field Center

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Wayne State University is awarded a planning grant for its Urban Watershed Environmental Research Group (UWERG, http://engineering.wayne.edu/uwerg/) to develop a strategic plan for the field-based water research center of the Huron to Erie Alliance for Research and Training (HEART). The planning process will focus on development of field facilities at Lake St. Clair Metropark and Belle Isle along the Huron to Erie corridor, a binational body of water shared by the United States and Canada that connects the Upper and Lower Great Lakes. The planning process will design activities and facilities at HEART to attract scientists, educators, and students from both national and international institutions to conduct innovative research focusing on urban systems and the environment. Training and research activities of HEART will impact the more than 4 million people along the waterway who benefit from its recreational, economic, and ecological value, and will inform watershed managers and policymakers in this and similar urban freshwater environments. The planning process will (a) develop the research themes of the Center; (b) identify research partners and expand recruitment networks for attracting students and post-docs to the facility; (c) obtain expert input on field station organization and administration, including fee structures; and (d) develop a strategic plan for fund raising. Outside experts will participate in three workshops that will focus on themes of research, education, and organization. The outcome will be a strategic plan for development of the facilities to achieve beneficial scientific, societal, and educational impacts. Furthermore, the planning activities include communication with a network of potential users and advisors who will help shape the scientific program and recruit students and other users.