Oceanographic Technical Services, University of Rhode Island, 2018-2022

University Of Rhode Island, Kingston RI

Investigators

Abstract

University of Rhode Island proposes to support technical services on R/V Endeavor, a 184? general purpose research vessel operated as part of the Academic Research Fleet. The fleet is scheduled and supported by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS). R/V Endeavor is a well-equipped, intermediate sized research vessel that is owned by NSF and operated under a Charter Party Agreement by the University of Rhode Island. The vessel was built in 1976 and refit in 1993. She can carry up to 17 scientists on cruises up to 30 days in duration. The vessel supports projects from all disciplines of oceanography. The proposal requests support for basic services and utilization of the Tech Pool. They will provide one shipboard technician on each cruise of R/V Endeavor to support seagoing research projects and to maintain, calibrate and provide for qualified users items from their pool of shared-use research instrumentation. 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.