Strategic Planning Grant for Rensselaer's Darrin Fresh Institute

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

A five-year strategic institutional plan will be developed for research, education and outreach goals of Rensselaer's Darrin Fresh Water Institute Field Station in Bolton Landing, NY. The overarching mission of the Institute is to take a science-driven, integrated approach using cutting-edge technology to help inform solutions on global issues related to water and the environment. Recent investments in infrastructure and the development of a new and significant partnership with IBM, and the FUND for Lake George provides a unique opportunity to undertake a major new strategic planning effort that will ensure the continued productivity and broad impact of the DFWI. Specifically, the planning process will focus on the question of how best to enhance multidisciplinary research and training needed to meet the grand challenges of water security in the 21st century. Leveraging the considerable resources and intellectual capital of one of the nation's leading engineering universities (Rensselaer), the planning process will identify new strategies for engaging a larger cross-section of the university (faculty, students and resources) and recruiting a greater diversity of students, faculty and other partners. Also, these efforts will result in higher impact contributions of the DFWI to limnology, training of students and postdocs and expanding current technologies. The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive 5 yr Strategic Plan for Rensselaer's Darrin Fresh Water Institute Field Station https://www.rpi.edu/dept/DFWI/ taking advantage of a recent NSF-MRI award for 'Acquisition of a Smart Sensor Web for Understanding Freshwater' for Lake George and a program expansion with the elevation of the DFWI Field Station from a School of Science Center to an Institute-Wide Research Center at Rensselaer. The plan will benefit from input from Rensselaer administrators and faculty, external users of the DFWI and external workshop participants. This plan will include the following components; 1- Academics, for advancing research, education and outreach at the DFWI field station, 2- Facilities, in support of the academic mission of the DFWI and, 3- Business plan that supports the overall operations of the DFWI as well as enabling growth of the academic programs and enhancement of facility capabilities. These goals will be met through visitation of three other/similar Biological Field Stations to learn from their successes and failures; meeting with RPI administrators to ensure than any DFWI strategic plan comports with campus initiatives and; a workshop that identifies the current strengths and weaknesses, as well as future opportunities for the growth of research, education and outreach programs at the field station.