Provision of Research Vessel at the Shannon Point Marine Center

西华盛顿大学获得一笔赠款，用于购买一艘新的研究船，该船为香农角海洋中心（SPMC）提供了真实的时间处理收集地点水柱样本的能力。 该船将提供受保护的实验室能力，以测量植物和动物海洋微生物群落的过程，更准确地了解调节和推动此类系统生产力的海洋过程。这一新的能力将大大扩大SPMC在海洋沃茨进行实地研究的范围，并扩大可向本科生和研究生提供的有关这一过程的培训。SPMC专注于为本科生提供最新的现场和实验室调查技术以及实际研究经验的实践培训。 SPMC每年向至少18名此类学生提供此类培训，这些学生来自代表性不足的少数民族和普通学生群体，包括社区学院学生。 拟议中的船只将为这些从全国各地招募的学生提供额外的培训来源。 SPMC还开展海洋公共教育计划，将研究活动转化为K-12和普通公众观众，以提高海洋科学素养。 针对学校和公共活动的方案包括对所用技术的说明和关于研究活动成果的信息。 水质、有害藻华生态和渔业生产力等问题是当地讨论土地和水资源利用的共同主题。 使用拟议的船只将提高作为可靠信息来源为此类讨论作出贡献的能力。有关香农角海洋中心的更多信息，请访问网站http://www.wwu.edu/spmc/。

Western Washington University is awarded a grant to acquire a new research vessel that provides the Shannon Point Marine Center (SPMC) with the capacity to process samples from the water column at the site of collection in real time. The vessel will provide protected laboratory capacity to measure processes in the plant and animal marine microscopic community, providing a more accurate picture of the oceanic processes that regulate and drive the productivity of such systems. This new capacity will greatly expand the scope of the field research that SPMC can conduct in marine waters and the training in such processes that can be provided to both undergraduates and graduate students. SPMC focuses on providing undergraduate with hands-on training in the most up-to-date field and laboratory investigative techniques and in actual research experience. SPMC annually provides such training to at least 18 such students, both from under-represented minority and general student populations, including community college students. The proposed vessel will provide an additional source of training to these students recruited from around the nation. SPMC also operates a Marine Public Education program that translates research activities to both K-12 and general public audiences in an effort to improve ocean science literacy. The programs targeting schools and public events include descriptions of the techniques used and information about the outcomes of research activities. Issues of water quality, harmful algal bloom ecology and fisheries productivity are common themes that occupy local discussions of land and water use. Use of the proposed vessel will enhance the ability to contribute to such discussions as a source of credible information. For more information about Shannon Point Marine Center, visit the web site at http://www.wwu.edu/spmc/.