Strengthening the Research and Educational Capabilities of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station, St. John US Virgin Islands

加强美属维尔京群岛圣约翰环境资源站的研究和教育能力。(FSML英属维尔京群岛大学（UVI）在理查德·S. Nemeth将升级位于美属维尔京群岛圣约翰的维尔京群岛环境资源站。VIERS位于维尔京群岛国家公园、教科文组织生物圈保护区和珊瑚礁国家纪念碑的中心，使VIERS具有独特的地理位置，可为研究人员提供海洋和陆地生境生态系统研究的参考地点。尽管VIERS作为环境教育和研究中心已经连续提供了35年的服务，但过时的实验室设施限制了该设施用于教学，特别是用于研究的水平非常低。 实验室中的大多数仪器都有20多年的历史，由于腐蚀性的热带环境已经严重退化。VIERS实验室也没有互联网接入或计算机设施可供访问科学家和主要设备，支持现场活动，已被一系列严重的飓风破坏。 通过广泛的规划过程，UVI确定了VIERS当前和潜在用户的基本需求。该项目的主要目标是使维也纳国际空间站设施现代化，以鼓励地方、国家和国际机构的研究人员和教育团体使用该设施。国家科学基金会的资助将使UVI能够购买主要的研究仪器，翻新现有建筑物并使通信系统现代化。购置现代实验室仪器和主要实地设备将扩大维也纳遥感卫星的研究能力，从非常基本的生态观测扩大到更复杂的测量和实验，并将提高空间和时间尺度的研究能力。拟议的翻修将提供一个研究实验室设施，包括计算机实验室、分析实验室、干实验室和带运行海水系统的湿实验室。UVI还将实现信息技术、通信和数据管理系统的现代化，这将促进研究人员之间的更大合作，并加强研究、教育和外联方案之间的联系。VIERS周围所有具有代表性的热带环境都非常接近，这将为研究人员提供重要的机会，对邻近的陆地和海洋生态系统进行实质性比较。改善VIERS的设施将促进教学和研究，并通过社区与VIERS的外联活动的互动，将提高公众对其自然资源的兴趣和参与。 使这一野外生物站现代化的更广泛影响还将包括更高水平的合作以及访问科学家、教育工作者和学生之间更多的信息和想法交流。 最后，在VIERS活动的增加将提供更多的机会，在教育和研究的多元文化的学生团体在UVI和K-12学生和教师在USVI。

Strengthening the research and educational capabilities of the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station, St. John, USVI. (FSML #0331552)AbstractA grant has been awarded to the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) under the direction of Dr. Richard S. Nemeth to upgrade the Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station (VIERS) located on St. John, US Virgin Islands. VIERS is located at the center of the Virgin Islands National Park, the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the Coral Reef National Monument, making VIERS uniquely situated to provide researchers with reference sites for ecosystem level studies in both marine and terrestrial habitats. Although VIERS has provided 35 years of continuous service as a center for environmental education and research, the outdated laboratory facilities has limited use of this facility for teaching and especially for research to very low levels. Most of the instrumentation in the laboratory is over 20 years old and has been severely degraded due to the corrosive tropical environment. The VIERS lab also has no internet access or computer facilities available for visiting scientists and major equipment, which support field activities, have been damaged by a series of severe hurricanes. Through an extensive planning process, UVI identified the essential needs of current and potential users of VIERS. The primary goal of this project will be to modernize the VIERS facility to stimulate usage by researchers and educational groups from local, national and international institutions. Funding from the National Science Foundation will allow UVI to purchase major research instrumentation, renovate existing buildings and modernize the communication systems. The acquisition of modern laboratory instrumentation and major field equipment will expand research capabilities of VIERS from very basic ecological observations to more sophisticated measurement and experimentation, and will increase research capabilities at both spatial and temporal scales. The proposed renovations will provide for a research laboratory facility with functional and complementary workspaces including a computer lab, analytical lab, dry lab and wet lab with running seawater system. UVI will also modernize the information technology, communications and data management systems which will foster greater collaboration among researchers and strengthen the linkages between research, education and outreach programs. The close proximity of all representative tropical environments around VIERS will provide significant opportunities for researchers to make substantive comparisons among adjacent terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Improving the facilities at VIERS will facilitate teaching and research and, through community interaction with VIERS' outreach activities, will increase public interest and involvement in their natural resources. The broader impacts of modernizing this field biological station will also include a greater level of collaboration and an increase in the exchange of information and ideas between visiting scientists, educators, and students. Finally, increased activities at VIERS will provide more opportunities in education and research for the culturally diverse student body at UVI and K-12 students and teachers in the USVI.