The NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Center Director and Associate Director were recognized as leaders in research in the July issue of FAMU magazine. 

NCCOS Hosts NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Annual Meeting
Last week NCCOS hosted the 2017 NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME) Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. The event brought together science leads and faculty researchers to coordinate partnership activities that support CCME and NOS’s mutual science and workforce development goals. CCME was created last fall through a cooperative agreement administered through […] Continue reading

On August 29, 2016, NOAA’s Office of Education announced $11.9 million in grants to four lead minority-serving institutions (MSIs) across the country. The funds will be used to educate and graduate students who pursue degree programs with applied research in NOAA mission-related scientific fields.

Awards were made to Florida A&M University, Howard University, City College of New York and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. These institutions partnered with 24 other schools to establish four cooperative science centers. The centers will train students in earth system sciences and remote sensing technology, coastal and marine ecosystems, living marine resources and atmospheric sciences and meteorology – all core science fields for NOAA. 

“The excitement and true value of these programs provides students with an opportunity to help NOAA solve real world problems in the realms of earth sciences and environmental intelligence,” said Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, NOAA administrator. 

Retired Vice Adm. Manson Brown, deputy NOAA administrator, is in New York today to commemorate the 15-year partnership with participating institutions. He added, “These programs also give NOAA access and exposure to America’s future scientists and technologists as we endeavor to build a workforce that is more diverse and inclusive.”

Grant awards were made through NOAA’s Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI). Since the first grants were made in 2001, NOAA EPP/MSI cooperative science centers have awarded degrees to over 1,600 students who have earned post-secondary degrees in NOAA mission-related fields. 

The long term goal of NOAA's Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions is to increase the number of students, particularly from underrepresented communities, who attend Minority Serving Institutions and graduate with degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The grants were announced at the NOAA EPP/MSI 8th Biennial Education and Science Forum held in New York and attended by NOAA senior leaders, U.S. Rep. Jose Serrano of New York, as well as representatives of the lead and partner institutions.

All grant awards were made after a rigorous competitive peer review process by external reviewers from academia and other federal agencies.

FY 2016 NOAA EPP/MSI Center Award Recipients

NOAA Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technologies

Partners:

• Hampton University (Virginia)
• University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
• University of Maryland – Baltimore County
• San Diego State University (California)
• University of Texas at El Paso

NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystem

Partners:

• Bethune-Cookman University (Florida)
• California State University Monterey Bay
• Jackson State University (Mississippi)
• Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

NOAA Living Marine Resources Cooperative Science Center

Partners:

• Delaware State University
• Hampton University (Virginia)
• Oregon State University
• Savannah State University (Georgia)
• University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology
• University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

NOAA Center for Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology

• Jackson State University (Mississippi)
• Pennsylvania State University
• San Jose State University (California)
• State University of New York at Albany
• University of Maryland – Baltimore County
• University of Maryland – College Park
• University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez
• University of Texas at El Paso

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Join us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and our other social media channels.

Today, Florida A&M University (FAMU) announced the receipt of a $15.4 million award over five years from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Educational Partnership Program (EPP) to establish the Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems (CCME).  The new award will allow the FAMU-led partnership to make profound national impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems education, science, and policy. The full suite of academic partners include:

• Bethune-Cookman University
• California State University – Monterey Bay
• Jackson State University
• Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
• University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley

The award was made after a national competition with rigorous criteria established by the NOAA EPP.

CCME institutions bring forth a wealth of relevant academic programs and faculty with extensive expertise in coastal and marine ecosystems. Additionally, CCME institutions have well-established records of educating students from underrepresented groups in NOAA-related science and policy, preparing graduates for productive careers and conducting high impact research.

FAMU Distinguished Professor Larry Robinson, Ph.D., will serve as the CCME director and principal investigator. The interdisciplinary team at FAMU will include faculty and students from the College of Education, College of Science and Technology, College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities, School of Business and Industry, and School of the Environment.

“The entire CCME team should be commended for contributing to this successful outcome in an extremely competitive environment,” Robinson said. “We have the opportunity to engage in education, research, and outreach consistent will NOAA’s priorities, while contributing to the well-being of the coastal communities and ecosystems so dear to all of our partners.”

The Center has already begun its important work by developing an implementation plan that focuses on student recruitment. One of the unique requirements of the award is that at least 50 percent of the funds are used to support students.

“The student-centered aspect of this award aligns perfectly with the priorities of all CCME institutions and specifically with FAMU’s focus on preparing our students for success in today’s competitive learning and work environments,” said Timothy Moore, Ph.D., vice president for Research.

Retired Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown, deputy NOAA administrator, recently discussed the importance of the program at the NOAA EPP Education and Science Forum in New York.

“These programs also give NOAA access and exposure to America’s future scientists and technologists as we endeavor to build a workforce that is more diverse and inclusive,” he said.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

Photo: FAMU CCME Director Larry Robinson, NOAA Deputy Administrator Vice Admiral Manson K. Brown, graduate student Darias Bell, and FAMU Professor Michael Abazinge discuss student research.

Photo by: Tony Leavell Photography, LLC