RV Endeavor Ship Operations: 2018-2022

University Of Rhode Island, Kingston RI

Investigators

Abstract

R/V Endeavor is owned by the National Science Foundation, and is operated by The University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO). This proposal represents a request for renewal of a five-year Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation from 2018 through 2022. With its home port at URI's Narragansett Bay Campus, R/V Endeavor represents the flagship of the school's shore-based facilities. GSO's researchers investigate local to global-scale phenomena, providing greater breadth and depth of scientific understanding. GSO's disciplinary strengths span physical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, marine and atmospheric chemistry, and biological oceanography. GSO is also home to unique outreach expertise in the fields of science communication, coastal policy and management, and marine education. This proposal presents the objectives and the methods employed for continued service of a renewed cooperative agreement for R/V Endeavor program, which has consistently provided support over the past 41 years to our nation's oceanographic science community. Historical budget data is presented to show the results of efficient, cost effective financial management systems. The proposal also describes URI GSO's involvement with the East Coast Oceanographic Consortium (ECOC), its membership, and delineates the benefits of a consortium approach to ocean-based research and education. This funding request supports 127 NSF mission days aboard the R/V Endeavor and is based on a comprehensive operating budget forecast and analysis of projected income and expenses for CY 2018. The extent to which the University of Rhode Island will operate and accomplish its goals for the five-year Cooperative Agreement is described in the Project Description of this proposal. The intellectual merit and broader impact of the program is reflective of its missions. 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.