COASTAL BIOLOGY
Flagship Program Annual Report
Major Activities 2013-2014
The Coastal Biology Advisory Committee and the Coastal Biology Director
determine priorities each year based on an expected budget. While there
were some emergency needs this year that required reassigning funds, we
were able to fund our priorities. In general, our goal is to provide resources
for students and faculty engaged in coastal research. The proposed budget
for each item is shown below in parentheses. However, it is often difficult
to determine to which category expenditures belong given that some
purchases can fit in several categories. Total budget for the Coastal Biology
Flagship program in 2013-2014 was $50,000. Planned expenditures are
underlined. Approximate actual expenses are emboldened.
1. Student research and travel support ($10,000).
A. Sixteen students were supported (maximum $500/graduate
student and $300/undergraduate) who presented papers at
scientific meetings. We sent a number to an international
meeting this year. Several students won various awards at these
meetings for their research presentations. These funds have
enabled the Biology Department to increase the number of
undergraduates that conduct research. (Travel = $7,718 &
research = $3,239).
2. Support for department as hosts of coastally oriented scientific
groups and societies ($3,000).
A. We hosted a very large (600+ attendees) Benthological Society
on campus in spring 2014. ($949)
3. Support of infrastructure to support coastal research, i.e. boats and
vehicles, including safety equipment ($10,000),
A. Annual maintenance of the 27’ R/V “Osprey” and 21’ “Genetic
Drift”, trailers as well as the purchase of a small skiff. ($4,332)
B. Marina rental fee for R/V “Osprey”. ($5,249)
C. CPR, safety training for boat certification. ($690)
D. SeaTow Membership, boat insurance ($3,265)
4. Support of the GTM-NERR initiative (Estuarine Reserve), which
included both teaching and research support ($5,500),
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5.
6.
7.
8.
A. Support of GTM-NERR Research Coordinator (also supported
by DEP contract). ($1,791)
B. Support of research initiatives by Dr. Gilg, which involve
students. These funds come both from student support and
GTM support, which are difficult to separate fiscally.
C. Support of teaching initiatives by Dr. Smith and Dr. Johnson at
the Reserve.
Support of research in and on the St Johns River ($4,400),
A. Vessel support of Dolphin research. (Costs associated with this
item embedded in 3A, 3B & 3C above.)
Support of the Florida Institute of Oceanography, Field Studies in
Marine Biology course ($10,000),
A. UNF is one of the five state universities hosting the course,
which consists of students moving from university to university
to experience the full array of coastal environments found along
Florida’s coasts. ($5,548)
Public Outreach and education ($2100).
A. Supported of an OLLI course focused on Coastal Biology,
spring 2013. ($600)
B. Supported two Brotman Family Public Lectures. ($2,000)
Miscellaneous support of Coastal faculty ($4,000).
A. Support for faculty requests when matching funds associated
with grants were required, e.g. Dr. Ross for research at Mote
Marine Lab. ($2,500)
B. Purchased equipment (PCR Machine). ($8,998)
C. Many other smaller requests associated with research or
teaching ($3,121). [Many small requests that were not easily
placed in a budget category are included here.]
Future Goals/Needs
Maintenance of Program - The most critical element required to maintain
the Coastal Biology program is the need for continued base-level support,
currently at 50K. This funding level provides resources to undergraduates
and graduate students for research, training and professional exposure at the
level of our current student population. It does not provide significant
funding for faculty research, since the Biology Department emphasis is for
faculty to apply for external funds. It will be difficult to expand the potential
training and research opportunities for additional students without additional
faculty. Thus, proposals for additional one-time funding must revolve
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around programs that will bring additional high achieving students to the
campus and into our programs in the future when more resources are
available. Our vessels are also showing signs of aging. There will be a need
for new outboard engines on the R/V Osprey and a new boat and motor for
the R/V Genetic Drift in the near future. An Auxiliary account is
accumulating funds from grants, but this alone will not be sufficient.
Whenever boats are used by faculty with grants, there is a fee. However,
additional funds will be required since faculty use vessels for unfunded
research and for teaching.
Enhance K-12 Interaction - The growing relationship with the NERR at
GTM would benefit from additional resources. We proposed several options
that would provide greater opportunities for K-12 students at Duval County
schools as well as potential approaches to engage “at-risk” students using
models currently working well at GTM. Both options require additional
staff that would be based at GTM.
Engage Current Teachers - Another way to expand the reach of the
Coastal Program to a large number of potential UNF students is to engage
teachers. A summer Marine Science course designed specifically for
teachers that would follow the approach currently used in the Florida
Institute of Oceanography “Study Abroad in Florida” course would be an
excellent mechanism. In this course, middle and high school teachers would
move to Marine Labs around the state and immerse themselves in various
coastal habitats.
Benchmarks
Prime goals of the Coastal Biology Flagship Program remain to 1) develop a
Coastal Biology program that would gain national prominence in the
discipline, 2) raise the public profile of the Biology program and UNF, and
to 3) enhance the opportunities of UNF students in Coastal Biology. These
are not goals that can be met in any year, but long-term goals that require
continuous and multi-year commitments of time and energy. Below are
metrics that point to major progress in meeting those goals since initiation of
the Coastal Biology Flagship program.
1. Two concentrations (tracks) within the Biology degree oriented toward
Coastal Biology/Marine Biology were developed and implemented that are
attracting students. One of these tracks (Coastal Environmental Biology)
has been proposed as a separate standalone degree within the Department of
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Biology that we hope will begin fall 2014. This track is for students who
plan to enter the work force after graduation.
2. National prominence is a long-term goal, but we are making significant
progress. This goal can only be met by supporting existing faculty and
hiring excellent new faculty. The role of the flagship program is to support
those faculty whose primary research relates to coastal issues or organisms.
Five new faculty with Coastal Biology expertise were added since the
flagship program was initiated. Coastal Biology faculty obtained major
grants, including significant involvement in the Deep Horizon Oil Spill
research. Faculty routinely review technical papers and grants submitted to
major scientific journals. Coastal Biology faculty serve on International
Journal editorial boards and publish in high quality journals in their fields.
UNF became an active member of the Florida Institute of
Oceanography (FIO) when it was reformulated as an AISO and has taken the
lead in the development of a Florida-wide Field Studies in Marine Biology
taught for the second time in summer 2014. This course and additional
courses for graduate students and teachers are planned for the future in
concert with FIO. Funds to reduce costs to students through these programs
were approved by the legislature in an expanded budget; a request approved
by the Florida Board of Governors.
Coastal Biology Faculty received an NSF grant to host a Coastal
Biology component of NSF’s REU program. Summer 2014 hosts the second
year’s cohort bringing some of the brightest undergraduate students in the
country to UNF’s campus.
Applications for the M.S. Biology program, especially for students
applying for coastally related research was extremely high again this year
with a large cohort expected for fall 2014. Applications came from students
graduating from some of the top undergraduate institutions in the country.
The Coastal Biology graduate program at UNF is now nationally
known. Our work with students, graduate and undergraduate, is being
recognized for the high quality of research being presented by our students
at national meetings. The Coastal Biology Program hosted 600+ scientists
for the Benthological Society in spring 2014. Many attendees commented
that they had no idea that we had the infrastructure and programs that they
saw and heard about. This group included many from other Florida
universities.
Our graduate students made presentations at a scientific meeting in
New Zealand last year as well as at other meetings in the U.S. raising the
status of UNF and the Biology Department. We now have a faculty member
that is part of the fisheries panel helping federal fisheries regulators decide
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how best to regulate and manager marine recreational and commercial
fishing. Collectively, efforts of faculty, staff and students are rapidly
leading towards meeting the goal of national recognition.
3. Engaging the local public has many benefits. We have finally reached a
point where the media call our faculty when various events occur and they
need technical assistance. Our faculty are continually in the local news and
involved with programs focused on filming the natural world. We have
taken reporters in the field and in vessels with us as a way of emphasizing
how teaching and research work together and assist local governments when
asked. We hope to be a participant in a summer Marine Biology course for
teachers taught under the sponsorship of the Florida Institute of
oceanography, which will further embed UNF in the public mind as a place
where Coastal research occurs.
The Brotman Family public lecture series has been a success, but
relies on continuous help from UNF’s public outreach offices. We have not
reached “critical mass” yet in our efforts to develop a relationship with the
public. Our spring “Life on the First Coast” public course through the OLLI
program has been a great success and limited only by available faculty time.
These public courses sponsored by continuing education have allowed us to
make contact with a large number of the public interested in Coastal
Biology.
Our relationship with the National Estuarine Research Reserve located
near Ponte Vedra (GTM-NERR) has expanded with a new contract that will
move five of their staff to UNF, although they will still be working at the
Reserve facility. The expanded relationship that comes with this national
reserve offers our faculty and students research opportunities and water
access. Estuarine Research Reserves (NERRs) were established to not only
preserve areas for future study, but to educate the public as well. Coastal
research and education correspond with the goals of the Flagship program
and the GTM-NERR/UNF Coastal Biology flagship connection is a natural
one. Biology faculty and students have been conducting research and
teaching classes at the reserve for the past several years. The Biology
Department is committed to finding mechanisms that will continue the
relationship with the reserve.
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