[Coral-List] Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CRES 2006) Funding Opportunity

[Michael Dowgiallo]

Reminder -- Coral Reef Ecosystems Studies (CRES 2006) proposals are due 
September 1, 2005 at 3 pm EST. (Please distribute further as appropriate)

If you have ever thought of working on deep water hermatypic coral 
ecosystems, but didn’t have deep-water technology or SCUBA diving skills 
to get there, NOAA could help you obtain the necessary skills and 
provide operational support for your field operations. This opportunity 
is a part of the broader CRES 2006 announcement that includes core 
funding for research along with the operational support for the deep 
diving technology.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Center for 
Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (NOAA/CSCOR) is encouraging research 
proposals that will address deep-water, hermatypic coral reef ecosystems 
(50 m to 100 m) within the U.S. EEZ. Key objectives of this research are 
to understand the processes that regulate deep hermatypic reef 
ecosystems and to assess their vulnerability to exploitation and human 
disturbance. This opportunity is available not only to scientists that 
already have SCUBA skills to dive to 100 m, but also to scientists that 
have shallow water SCUBA skills and are interested in learning to dive 
to 100 m to conduct research. NOAA/CSCOR has partnered with NOAA’s 
Undersea Research Program (NURP) Centers to enable scientists the 
opportunity to obtain the proper training needed to SCUBA dive to 100 m 
(e.g. using tri-mix, close-circuit rebreathers). In addition to deep 
water SCUBA, the NURP Centers will also provide their expertise in 
administering appropriate technologies for field-based research to 
support your proposal such as remotely operated vehicles and shallow 
diving submersibles.. Applicants should include all operating costs for 
these specialized technologies and the necessary ship costs in their 
proposals. The full funding opportunity can be found at:

http://fedgrants.gov/Applicants/DOC/NOAA/GMC/NOS-NCCOS-2006-2000240/listing.html.

For more information, contact Mike Dowgiallo, NOAA/CSCOR, 301-713-3338 
x161 or Michael.Dowgiallo at noaa.gov <mailto:Michael.Dowgiallo at noaa.gov>.

Note: this offer is only available to U.S. citizens or foreign nationals 
associated with a U.S. university.

Michael J. Dowgiallo, Ph.D.
NOAA Oceans and Coasts
National Centers for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research
Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research
N/SCI2, SSMC4, Rm. 8316
1305 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910