Florida Gulf Coast University, part of the State University System of Florida, opened its doors to the public in 1997. From an initial size of ~2500, the student body has grown to well over 10,000 in a little over a decade, growing at an annual rate of 12-20%. The undergraduate programs in Marine Science, Environmental Studies and the M.S. in Environmental Science program have been identified as flagship programs for FGCU. These programs, with support from FGCU's Coastal Watershed Institute and the Whitaker Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education, enable FGCU students, faculty and staff to focus research, education and outreach activities on the environments and coastal watersheds of Southwest Florida. The location of FGCU, a few miles inland from the coast, limits access to the natural habitats. In June 2007, the FGCU Foundation acquired a waterfront facility to support the University's marine and environmental science programs. The facility offered the potential for research and education programs. The Field Station property consists of a main residence that includes a student classroom and faculty workspace; an eight-unit apartment building; and a multipurpose building with an additional apartment, a conference room, and a wet and dry lab. The site includes 11 boat slips (including 5 boat lifts), providing access to mangroves, oyster reefs, mud flats, and seagrasses. The proximity of VFS to the main campus, its location in the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, and its boat docks and lifts provide access for FGCU faculty and students, as well as visiting scientists, involved in research and training.

Planning Grant Activities: To date, the use of and renovations to the Field Station have been purely tactical in approach, increasing research and training capacity at the site for specific projects rather than relying on a strategic plan that would impact a broader group of faculty and students and would result in a more thorough and inclusive use of the facility. The applicants are organizing a planning effort to develop a five-year strategic plan for facilities use and improvement that will drive research, training and outreach and guide future renovations, equipment purchases, and other infrastructure support at the Field Station. The planning effort is involving potential users and will incorporate a needs assessment, the identification of a core research facility, recommendations from an expert panel, and site visits to other field stations and marine labs. They plan to increase capacity for research, education and outreach at the Field Station that encourages interdisciplinary collaborations among faculty and students. The additional research capacity and access to coastal waters is intended to attract collaborators from around the world. The Field Station will enable FGCU faculty, staff and students to be more engaged in restoration activities (e.g., community-based restoration of oyster reefs) within the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve and to expand marine environmental education and outreach to local middle and high school students and community colleges, as well as to minority and underrepresented groups. The Field Station will also further the University's role in the coordination of research activities and information sharing related to the Estero Bay and Caloosahatchee watersheds. We view this facility as a component of the broader research mission of the University that spans the coastline from the Ten Thousand Islands and Rookery Bay to Charlotte Harbor.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
0934320
Program Officer
Peter H. McCartney
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2009-09-15
Budget End
2011-03-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$24,070
Indirect Cost
Name
Florida Gulf Coast University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Fort MYERS
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
33965