West Coast Van Pool - 2018-2022 CY

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

The West Coast Van Pool currently consists of 10 modular laboratory vans that are all owned by the National Science Foundation or Oregon State University. These vans are maintained by Oregon State University and shipped all over the world in support of sea-going science. Funds included in this proposal will be used to support several upgrades and repairs to the existing vans as well as personnel time to provide necessary general maintenance. The proposed 2018 season currently has over 400 days of van use on the schedule however, like previous years, it is anticipated that number to increase as the year progresses. Vans will be shipped to Alaska and Hawaii as well as other ports throughout the West Coast and Eastern Pacific. Every effort is made to reduce the time and cost for shipping vans. Numerous UNOLS research vessels and institutions have been utilized to help assist in the transportation and logistics associated with the West Coast Van Pool. Broader Impacts The 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.