Project: Chief Scientist Training Cruise (Barbados-Bermuda, May 2014)

NSF Award Abstract:
Overview:
This grant will support a CST cruise on the R/V Atlantic Explorer from Barbados to Bermuda in May and June 2014. Chief Scientist Training (CST) cruises are part of an educational initiative designed for young US oceanographers, from senior graduate students to junior faculty, to increase their participation in seagoing research by educating them about the capabilities and opportunities provided by the UNOLS research fleet. In addition to providing sampling opportunities for individual research, a CST cruise is specifically organized to teach cruise participants how to successfully plan and execute a research cruise, from proposal to post-cruise reporting. Cruise participants will be selected based on the feasibility of their proposed Intellectual Merit: The ship track covers a oceanographically important transitional area in the western subtropical Atlantic, and thus the participants will be able to obtain scientifically valuable data in addition to gaining valuable skills and training that will help them to plan and execute successful cruises in their future careers.

Broader Impacts:
The CST cruise will help develop future expertise in the US oceanographic community by reducing the barriers to participation of young scientists in seagoing research, particularly those scientists from non ship-operator institutions. The activities proposed will help to disseminate information about the research opportunities that are provided by NSF and the UNOLS research fleet. The training and workshop activities are projected to increase the number and breadth of future proposals requesting ship support as well as to improve the quality of execution and success of funded cruises. The CST cruise opportunity will also help to broaden the geographic representation of the research community that is involved in ship-based scientific studies as well as increase the diversity of this community.