Lead Institution: Florida A&M University (Historically Black College and University)
Academic Partners: Creighton University, Delaware State University, Jackson State University, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, University of Texas Brownsville.
National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) Partners: Apalachicola NERR, Flower Garden Banks NMS, Grand Bay NERR, Gulf of Mexico Alliance, Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System and Mission Aransas NERR.
NOAA Collaborative Research Partner: The National Ocean Service.
Education Focus: ECSC Students are provided education and training opportunities through innovative courses and degree programs at all levels and by engaging in research in ecological processes, geospatial analysis, integrated social science, integrated ecological assessment and any combination of these in support of environmental decision making.
The ECSC mission is to educate a new generation of environmental scientists in NOAA-related sciences, particularly from under-represented minority groups, and to develop the natural and social science tools for integrated assessments of ecosystem health in support of coastal environmental decision making. Our academic partners provide NOAA, NOAA contractors, other Federal agencies, and academia with access to a diverse pool of students from underrepresented minority groups; an impressive array of academic programs with the established capacity to provide quality educational and research experiences to prepare students in NOAA-related sciences; and a collection of highly qualified faculty and staff committed to engaging in teaching, research and service needed to support the desired outcomes of NOAA’s ecosystem goals namely
"1. Healthy and productive coastal and marine ecosystems that benefit society, and 2. A well-informed public that acts as stewards of coastal and marine ecosystems".
The ECSC has established a regional approach to address coastal and marine environmental issues through collaborations with NOAA and its National Ocean Service (NOS) and by partnering with strategically selected National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) that span coastal regions from the extreme western Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic coast of Delaware. The ecological, economic, social, and cultural attributes of these coastal and marine ecosystems are vital on the local, regional, and national levels and, as such, provide excellent study areas upon which to focus the research, education, and outreach activities of the Center.
ECSC has four primary and interrelated goals:
- Increase the number of underrepresented minorities in atmospheric, environmental, and oceanic sciences by training and graduating students and expanding the capacity of faculty from member institutions to participate in NOAA related research;
- Develop tools, including conceptual models, to assess the response of coastal ecosystems and communities to develop measurement programs to monitor critical system attributes;
- Improve the scientific basis for coastal resource management; and,
- Facilitate community education and outreach relating to the function and significance of coastal ecosystems.
