← LeaderboardsInvestigatorsiAttributed = a PI's even-split share of each grant — a $1M grant with 2 PIs counts $500K each.
Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center
$1,305,000
Total funding
3
Grants
Funding over time
peak $500K · FY2020–24$500K$375K$250K$125K$0
'20
'21
'22
'23
'24
Funding mix
By agency
USDA$1,305,000 · 3
By mechanism
—$1,305,000 · 3
Investigators at Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center
InvestigatorsiAttributed = a PI's even-split share of each grant — a $1M grant with 2 PIs counts $500K each.
Exposure= the full size of every grant they're on ($1M each).
Rising Stars
First grant in the last 5 yrs
Not enough data
Emerging Leaders
6–10 yrs in
Not enough data
All-Time
Most funded here, all years
Not enough data
Largest grants
**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE MAINE AQUACULTURE INNOVATION CENTER AND WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE ARE PARTNERING TO CREATE AND PILOT WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAMMING FOR AQUACULTURE. THE NEED FOR THE PROGRAM WAS IDENTIFIED IN A RECENT REPORT WRITTEN BY THE GULF OF MAINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE CREATION OF NEW CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS, PILOT TESTING CURRICULUM AND DELIVERY METHODS, AND DEVELOPMENT OF ASSESSMENT TOOLS. THE CONTENT OF THE PROGRAMMING WILL MEET THE NEED FOR ENTRY-LEVEL SKILL SETS IN 4 KEY AQUACULTURE SUB-SECTORS (RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE, FIN-FISH AQUACULTURE, SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE, AND MACROALGAE AQUACULTURE) AND INCORPORATE THE LATEST TEACHING AND AQUACULTURE TECHNOLOGIES. STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE WITH A WORKFORCE TRAINING CERTIFICATE OR AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE.THIS PROPOSED EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A NEW WORKFORCE TRAINING PROGRAM TARGETING THE NEEDS OF THE AQUACULTURE SECTOR IN MAINE, IN ORDER TO TRAIN A NEW GENERATION OF DATA AND TECH-SAVVY AQUACULTURISTS. THE PROGRAMMING DEVELOPED WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE EXPANDED TO OTHER COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN MAINE, AND THROUGHOUT THE NORTHEAST U.S. THE CONTENT OF THE PROGRAMMING WILL MEET THE NEED FOR ENTRY-LEVEL SKILL SETS IN 4 KEY AQUACULTURE SUB-SECTORS: 1) LAND-BASED RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE; 2) MARINE FIN-FISH AQUACULTURE; 3) COLD-WATER COASTAL SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE; AND 4) MARINE MACROALGAE AQUACULTURETHE PROPOSED WORKFORCE TRAINING PROJECT INCLUDES THE CREATION OF NEW CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY SYSTEMS, PILOT TESTING OF THE CURRICULUM AND DELIVERY METHODS, AND DEVELOPMENT OF ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR A WORKFORCE TRAINING CERTIFICATE, AND AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE FOCUSED ON AQUACULTURE.$500,000
· FY2021 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** INTRODUCTION: BENEFITS OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM HAVE LONG BEEN KNOWN ANDMAINE'S AQUACULTURE SECTOR NEEDS TO LEVERAGE THESE BENEFITS TOO. CURRENTLY, AQUACULTURE EDUCATIONDEPENDS ON THE INTEREST OF INDIVIDUAL TEACHERS, WITH ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF EDUCATORS ANDSCHOOL DISTRICTS EMBRACING AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO INCORPORATING AQUACULTURE EDUCATION INTOTHEIR CURRICULA.GOAL: TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MAINE'S ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATORS INTEGRATINGAQUACULTURE CONCEPTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.OBJECTIVES: (1) PROMOTE EDUCATOR EXPERTISE IN, AND ENCOURAGE IMPLEMENTATION OF, AQUACULTURESCIENCES IN MAINE'S ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOMS. (2) IDENTIFY AQUACULTURECLASSROOM ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES, AND PROMOTE MAINE EDUCATOR AWARENESS OF AND ACCESSIBILITYTO THEM.ACTIVITIES: PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE: COLLECTING AND ORGANIZING AQUACULTURE CLASSROOM RESOURCESINTO COHERENT SEAWEED, SHELLFISH AND AQUAPONIC CURRICULA. TEACHER TRAINING EVENTS TO SUPPORTIMPLEMENTATION OF CURRICULA INTO GRADE 4 TO 8 CLASSROOMS, INCLUDING EDUCATOR WEBINARS,WORKSHOPS, AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO EDUCATORS ANDCONNECTIONS TO MAINE'S AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS PROMOTING EDUCATOR ACCESSIBILITY TORESOURCES.PARTICIPANTS: CLASSROOM EDUCATORS TEACHING GRADES 4-8 WILL BE INTRODUCED TO AQUACULTURE ANDSUPPORTED IN IMPLEMENTATION OF AQUACULTURE INTO THEIR CLASSROOMS.INTENDED IMPACT: AQUACULTURE EDUCATION IN THE CLASSROOM WILL REDUCE THE DIVIDE BETWEEN FARMAND TABLE, ENHANCE FOOD SECURITY OF RURAL COMMUNITIES, INCREASE AWARENESS OF AQUACULTURECAREERS, AND HELP TO DEVELOP AN INFORMED CONSUMER BASE AND COMMUNITIES.RELEVANCE TO PDAL PRIORITIES:THIS PROPOSAL ALIGNS WITH THE PDAL PROGRAM AREA PRIORITY BYSEEKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF K-14 EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN AQUACULTURE SCIENCES.$500,000
· FY2024 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture
THE MAINE AQUACULTURE INNOVATION CENTER (MAIC) PROPOSES TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE, NATIONWIDE CONSUMER INSIGHTS SURVEY ON EDIBLE SEAWEED AND VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS THAT WILL PROVE HIGHLY VALUABLE IN LOCATING PROMISING MARKETS FOR U.S. FARMED SEAWEED. SURVEY DATA WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP AN INTERACTIVE DATA DASHBOARD FOR USE BY SEAWEED FARMERS, DISTRIBUTORS, WHOLESALERS, AQUACULTURE RESEARCHERS, AND EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS.EDIBLE SEAWEED CAN PROVIDE INCOME DIVERSIFICATION FOR AQUACULTURE OPERATORS AS WELL AS FISHERMEN STRUGGLING IN THE WILD-CATCH INDUSTRY DUE TO THE COLLAPSE OF FISHERIES FROM WARMING WATERS, HABITAT DEGRADATION, AND INVASIVE SPECIES. HOWEVER, LITTLE CONSUMER RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON SEAWEED, LEAVING STAKEHOLDERS IN NEED OF INSIGHTS DATA ON WHICH TO BASE MARKET-DRIVEN DECISION MAKING THAT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED REVENUES AND HIGHER PROFITABILITY FOR SEAWEED FARMERS AND VALUE-ADDED PRODUCERS.THIS WORK DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE PROGRAM PRIORITY AREA: ECONOMIC RESEARCH FOR INCREASING COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURE PROFITABILITY. THE CONSUMER RESEARCH WE CONDUCT WILL PROVIDE THE CRITICAL MARKET DATA NECESSARY TO SUPPORT NEW AND ESTABLISHED AQUACULTURE OPERATORS ENTERING THE FARMED SEAWEED MARKET. AS FISHERIES BECOME INCREASINGLY LESS STABLE AND MORE REGULATIONS ARE PUT IN PLACE ON CAPTURE QUOTAS AND SIZE RESTRICTIONS, FISHERMEN CAN TURN TO THIS HIGHLY VALUABLE, EMERGING MARKET. REGIONAL DATA ON CONSUMPTION HABITS, PREFERENCES, AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY THAT CAN BE FILTERED BY DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS AGE, GENDER, AND INCOME-LEVEL WILL ENABLE SEAWEED FARMERS TO TARGET THE MOST PROFITABLE MARKET SEGMENTS FOR THEIR PRODUCTS, OR TO TAILOR THEIR PRODUCT OFFERINGS AND VOLUMES TO SPECIFIC REGIONS.$305,000
· FY2020 · National Institute of Food and Agriculture