Equipment: University of Miami - Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Sciences Research Vessel F.G. Walton Smith Oceanograhic Instrumentation

The University of Miami requests funding for additional and back-up instrumentation on the R/V Walton Smith, a 96,’ general purpose regional vessel operated by the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS) as part of the US Academic Research Fleet (ARF).

The vessel conducts a substantial portion of her operations in the near shore waters of South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, providing scientific information relevant to major environmental initiatives. The operations include oil spill monitoring, water management changes, municipal waste disposal, and storm water discharge among others which are deemed critical to the sustainable development of the South Florida and Gulf economy.

Oceanographic Instrumentation requested in this proposal includes: 1) Turner Designs C3 Fluorometer (3 optic channels) $9,605 2) (2) WET Labs C-Star Transmissometer (CST-25-DR) $21,387 3) Sea-Bird 9+ underwater unit repair & 911+ Upgrade $27,993 4) 2) Sea-Bird ECO-FLNTU_RTD Fluorometer/Turbidity $17,485

$76,470   Broader Impacts

The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 19-602). 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.