This Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) project is co-supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities. This workshop is designed to bring together participants from both academic and industrial institutions for the formation of a regional environmental research consortium. Representatives from five colleges and universities (Fisk University, Middle Tennessee State Universisty, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Technological University, and Vanderbilt University) and local industry (including Eckenfelder Engineering and DuPont) will learn about similar consortia which have been successful in stimulating collaborative research efforts. `Action Groups` will be established to provide focus in the areas of water pollution, air pollution, and health effects and public policy. A framework for collaboration between the academic institutions (including both predominately undergraduate institutions and HBCUs) and local industries is seen as having advantageous outcomes for the Middle Tennessee region. These sorts of partnerships are ideally suited for participation in the NSF-GOALI program. The nature of environmental research dictates that multidisciplinary approaches must be utilized. The workshop dedicated to the establishment of a Middle Tennessee Environmental Research Consortium brings together researchers from different academic institutions and industrial interests having a wide variety of backgrounds. The establishment of `Action Groups` focused on topical areas of interest will provide a framework which should encourage meaningful collaboration of benefit to the institutions, companies, and the people of this region.
