NSERC CREATE for freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms (fHABs): Algal Bloom Assessment though Science, Technology and Education (ABATE).

在加拿大淡水和全球范围内，藻类水华的发生频率和强度都在增加。这些水华往往是有害的，产生有毒和有毒的代谢物，可能造成毁灭性的后果。加拿大应对日益扩大的生态系统健康问题的挑战的关键应对措施应该是创建一支知识丰富、技能精湛的劳动力队伍，在制定解决新出现的淡水有害藻华(FHAB)危机的战略方面发挥领导作用。我们需要一个知识课堂，在那里，学者、政府和行业与受训者合作，制定与以下因素有关的关键研究问题：(1)导致淡水藻华；(2)导致有利于潜在有害物种优势的水华动态的转变；(3)引发这些代谢物的产生；然后采用跨学科的方法来寻找这些关键问题的答案，并与最终用户合作，将科学发现转化为行动，以改变政策和做法，以预防、减轻或适应fHAB。《藻华科技教育评估(ABATE)》培训项目就是为打造这一新的知识课堂而设计的。一个由来自加拿大、美国、欧洲、亚洲和非洲的学者、政府和产业界组成的协作培训团队将帮助学员在研究项目委员会中正式指导学员，并通过该培训计划特定的组成部分提供非正式指导。这些活动包括由该领域领导人提供的讲座、互动网络研讨会、实地学校和短途旅行，以亲眼目睹面临危险的社区面临的fHAB问题，通过学术交流和政府和行业实习获得真实世界经验，将科学发现转化为政策和实践的讲习班，以及与潜在雇主的年度展示和网络论坛。该课程旨在通过实施科学部分和专门的专业课程或证书，提供优秀的科学和专业技能，使受训人员成为学术、公共或私营部门的“准备工作”的领导者。该培训计划属于NSERC的环境科学与技术优先领域。

Algal blooms are increasing in frequency and intensity in Canadian freshwaters and globally. These blooms are often harmful, producing noxious and toxic metabolites with potentially devastating consequences. The key response to Canada's challenge of the widening ecosystem health issue should be the creation of a knowledge-rich and skill-ready workforce to take leadership roles in defining strategies to solve the emerging freshwater Harmful Algal Bloom (fHAB) crisis. We need a knowledge class, where academics, governments and industries work together with trainees to develop key research questions related to factors that (1) lead to algal blooms in freshwaters; (2) result in shifts in bloom dynamics favouring dominance by potentially harmful species; and (3) trigger the production of these metabolites; and to then adopt a transdisciplinary approach to finding answers to these key questions and work with end users to translate the scientific findings into actions that change policy and practice to prevent, mitigate or adapt to fHABs. The "Algal Bloom Assessment through Science, Technology and Education (ABATE)" training program is designed to create this new knowledge class. A collaborative training team including academics, government and industry from Canada, the U.S., Europe, Asia and Africa will help guide trainees formally on research project committees and informally through components specific to this training program. These include lectures contributed by leaders in the field, interactive webinars, field schools and excursions to see first-hand fHAB problems facing communities-at-risk, real world experiences through academic exchanges and government and industry internships, workshops to translate scientific findings into policies and practices and an annual showcase and networking forum with potential employers. The curriculum is designed to provide scientific excellence and professional skills through the implementation of science components and specialized professional courses or certificates that will make trainees "job-ready" leaders in academic, public or private sectors. The ABATE training program falls within NSERC's priority area of Environmental Science and Technologies.