[Coral-List] Coral Bleaching Research Coordination Network call for workshop participant applications

[Grottoli, Andrea]

The Coral Bleaching Research Coordination Network (Coral Bleaching RCN) will be hosting a workshop to develop recommendations for coral bleaching experimental design protocols on 22−24 May 2019 at the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, USA (see details below). We seek input and participation from researchers across a broad range of disciplines (i.e., biology, physiology, geology, ecology, biogeochemistry, physical oceanography, etc.) and at various career stages. Applicants must hold a Ph.D or equivalent to be eligible to apply. Airfare (within the USA) and hotel accommodation will be provided. Applicants need not be US citizens or residents of the USA.

Temperature stress is the single largest threat to coral reefs globally and is the focal topic of the newly established Coral Bleaching RCN. In July 2016, coral scientists from across the US participated in a workshop and recognized that in order to most effectively improve the rate of coral bleaching discovery, we would need to explore ways to increase efficiencies in how we conduct research, bring together researchers that do not traditionally work together, and create an interdisciplinary collaborative network. To increase efficiency, we need to develop some recommendations in experimental protocols and in sample archiving so that (i) comparisons can be made across studies, species, and locations, and (ii) so that experiments will not need to be unnecessarily repeated, provided sufficient coral material is appropriately archived and made available to the research community. Our ability to determine how corals may or may not survive this century will be enhanced by implementing systematic methods and experimental protocols, and coordinating and integrating interdisciplinary research efforts. These activities alone should help increase the rate of discovery in the field of coral bleaching.

To this end, the goal of the first Coral Bleaching RCN workshop are as follows:


        *   Develop recommendations for experimental designs, so that results are comparable among studies
        *   Develop recommendations for baseline variables that all studies should strive to include, to facilitate cross-study comparisons
        *   Develop recommendations for common units
        *   Collate a list of ongoing experiments so new researchers can propose collaborations to make additional measurements within or contributions to existing studies
        *   Provide a platform for the formation of multi-PI interdisciplinary teams to address the most pressing themes in coral-bleaching research (i.e., bleaching mechanisms, bleaching-recovery processes, and bleaching resistance and refugia)

Workshop participants agree to fully attend all three days of the workshop, to complete the pre- and post-workshop activities, and to potentially host an Early Career Trainee through the Coral Bleaching RCN program.

If you are interested in receiving application materials to attend the first workshop on developing coral bleaching experimental design protocols on 22-24 May 2019 at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, please email the Coral Bleaching RCN Director Andrea Grottoli at grottoli.1 at osu.edu<mailto:grottoli.1 at osu.edu> by 3 December 2018. Additional information available at http://u.osu.edu/grottoli.1/coral-bleaching-rcn/ or by contacting Dr. Grottoli directly.



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Andrea G Grottoli, PhD
Professor
Director of the Coral Bleaching Research Coordination
Chair of the Promotion and Tenure Committee
The Ohio State University
College of Arts and Sciences  School of Earth Sciences
329 Mendenhall Laboratory, 125 South Oval Mall, Columbus, OH 43210
614-292-5782 Office / 215-990-9736 Mobile / 614-292-7688 Fax
grottoli.1 at osu.edu
  <https://email.osu.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=oWguHzhpukiUsDXRf8ShYpi7ezoXb9EIOBBNRTVvayuJ3Txd_wjxY68tpod9W5jxkfvjy-ZM3i0.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.earthsciences.osu.edu%2f%257Egrottoli.1.osu.edu>

Webpage: u.osu.edu/grottoli.1<https://u.osu.edu/grottoli.1/>
Fieldwork Micro-blog: twitter.com/CoralResearch<https://twitter.com/CoralResearch>
Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry Laboratory (SIB Lab):
u.osu.edu/grottoli.1/stable-isotope-lab
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