UNOLS East Coast Van Pool CY2018 - CY2022

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Funding is requested to support the operation of the UNOLS East Coast Van Pool (ECVP) for CY 2018 - 2022. Operations include scheduling, van transportation logistics, maintenance, repairs, outfitting and construction of new vans. The Van Pool provides these portable laboratory assets to Oceanographic research projects around the globe. The pool has 13 portable laboratories of several different functions. Funds included in this proposal will be used to support a number of upgrades and repairs to the existing vans as well as personnel time to provide necessary general maintenance.Broader ImpactsThe principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 13-589). It provides infrastructure support for scientists to use the vessel and its shared-use instrumentation in support of their NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF). The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or lab access to working, calibrated instruments for their research, reducing the cost of that research, and expanding the base of potential researchers.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.