[Coral-List] New Marine Research Center in Key Largo, FL

[research at mrdf.org]

If you are interested in incorporating citizen science and/or an  
outreach component into your research, contact Marine Resources  
Development Foundation (MRDF).

MRDF's MarineLab in Key Largo, FL is an educational facility that  
hosts students 4th grade thru college from all over the country.  We  
have recently expanded our facility and capability to host marine  
scientists and provide them with field support, equipment, boats,  
housing and student assistance.  We are looking to create new  
partnerships with universities or organizations conducting research in  
our area.

We spend most days of the year on the waters off of Key Largo- both on  
the Oceanside and the Bayside.  Many times out of the week we return  
to the same sites.  We have experience in grant writing and would be  
happy to assist in writing a grant if there is a project you have in  
mind we could work together on.

Some examples of our current "research partnerships":

-Coral Restoration Foundation personnel have taught MarineLab staff  
how to transplant coral and monitor coral growth, disease, etc. at the  
restoration site.

-Florida International University SERC water quality monitoring  
network program has lent us a YSI sonde and in turn we collect data  
for them at Bayside sites we commonly go to with our students.

-Dr Larry Brand (RSMAS) has us collect water samples throughout  
Florida Bay that are tested for cyanobacteria levels

-Dr. Deron Burkepile (FIU) is having our students count parrot fish  
bites to monitor food selection on various reefs off of Key Largo

-Dr. Josh Feingold (NOVA) has us shuttle a graduate student back and  
forth to a mangrove island off of Key Largo every other week and  
assist him with benthic surveys.

-We have partnered with NOAA's Phytoplankton Monitoring Network and  
have recently received the permits to begin a study on phytoplankton  
population on healthy versus algal dominated reefs

Please refer to http://mrdf.org/ResearchSupport.html for more  
information on technology available, boats, rates etc.

If you would like more information on how you can incorporate our  
visiting students into your research, please contact Sarah Egner at  
Sarah.Egner at MRDF.org or call 800-741-1139