Grantee Research Project Results
2003 Progress Report: 2001 South Carolina EPA/EPSCoR Program: Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP)
EPA Grant Number: R829424E01Title: 2001 South Carolina EPA/EPSCoR Program: Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP)
Investigators: Druffel, L. , Scrivens, W. A. , Little, T. Scott
Institution: South Carolina Research Authority , University of South Carolina at Columbia
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: October 1, 2001 through September 30, 2003 (Extended to September 30, 2004)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2002 through September 30, 2003
Project Amount: $101,701
RFA: EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) (2000) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: EPSCoR (The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research)
Objective:
The 2001 South Carolina U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPA/EPSCoR) consists of a Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) and two Science and Engineering Environmental Research (SEER) Projects. This report summarizes the activities of the SIP and management team. The objectives of this research project, which affect permanent improvements in the State’s capability to conduct nationally competitive environmental research, are to: (1) develop the intellectual capital; (2) build the physical infrastructure; (3) integrate research and education; and (4) promote state/industry/university partnerships. The SIP includes precollege enrichment activities for K-12 students, undergraduate and graduate research programs, and activities to promote public science. The management team is responsible for fiscal management of the SEER projects, project data collection, and implementation of the outreach programs. Other activities of the SIP are to secure non-federal cost-share support and to implement the self-evaluation program through management of the External Advisory Board.
Progress Summary:
Staff for the SIP component of the EPA/EPSCoR program has been successful in obtaining non-federal cost-share support for the 2001 South Carolina EPA/EPSCoR project from the General Assembly of South Carolina.
Educational and Outreach Activities
Six educational and outreach endeavors have been supported under the SIP, including extensive field exercises to the Okefenokee Swamp (April 2003) and the Everglades-Mangrove Swamp-marsh Complex (November 2002). Participants included 1 faculty member, 6 graduate students, and 20 undergraduate students. Support also was provided for a K-12 outreach program that provided 20 demonstrations on the fundamentals of chemistry to approximately 1,000 students. Summer internships by graduate, undergraduate, and high school students also were supported during this reporting period.
Future Activities:
This award has been granted a 1-year, no-cost extension until September 30, 2004. Educational and outreach activities will continue to be supported during this time, in addition to the award management responsibilities of the SIP.
Supplemental Keywords:
sediment contaminants, education and outreach, field exercise, undergraduate research, algal blooms, estuarine research, South Carolina, SC, aquatic ecosystems, bioassessment, bloom dynamics, coastal ecosystems, coastal habitats, coastal resources, environmental indicators, estuaries, marine biology, marine ecosystem, Strategic Improvement Plan, SIP., RFA, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Scientific Discipline, Geographic Area, Water, algal blooms, Aquatic Ecosystem, Aquatic Ecosystems & Estuarine Research, Ecological Risk Assessment, State, estuarine research, Oceanography, Biochemistry, Ecology and Ecosystems, coastal resources, environmental indicators, marine biology, water quality, estuaries, coastal ecosystems, bioassessment, South Carolina (SC), strategic improvement plan, bloom dynamics, coastal habitats, aquatic ecosystemsRelevant Websites:
http://www.scepscor.org/programs/epa Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.