This award supports purchase of boats, diving equipment and facility at the Long Marine Laboratory (LML) of the University of California Santa Cruz. These improvements in facilities and equipment will allow the Diving and Boating Safety Programs (DBSP) to meet the growing numbers and needs of students and researchers. Funds will be used to equip a new Marine Support Facility with scuba cylinder racks, Nitrox tank-charging equipment, cabinets, and heating and ventilation systems. The new facility will provide students and researchers with areas for staging, fabrication and maintenance of diving and scientific equipment. The award will augment institutional funds to be used for site preparation, foundation, rough carpentry and minimal interior finish work. In addition, the award will support purchase of a 16' inflatable boat, a 22' fiberglass vessel and 3 outboard engines. A forklift will also be purchased to move boats and heavy gear on the grounds of the facility.
Since 1976, the LML has been the coastal research laboratory for the University's Institute of Marine Sciences. The laboratory is located on a coastal bluff adjacent to the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the nation's largest National Marine Sanctuary. The LML Education Program (K-12) and aquarium displays serve 35,000 visitors each year. The Diving and Boating Safety Program provides support for faculty, staff, student and visiting researchers in biology, chemistry and earth sciences. Approximately one-third of the University's 300 undergraduate Marine Biology students use the scuba diving and small boat facilities in classes or as part of their research.
