How To Fund The Florida Institute Of Oceanography

Transcription

1 State University System Education and General Legislative Budget Request Form I University(s): Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO) Hosted by the University of South Florida (USF) Issue Title: Support for FIO s marine lab facility, Keys Marine Laboratory (KML) Priority Number Recurring Funds Requested: 475,000 Non-Recurring Funds Requested: 600,000 Total Funds Requested: 1,075,000 Please check the issue type below: Shared Services/System-Wide Issue Non-Recurring Issue New Issue for I. Description 1. Describe the service or program to be provided and how this issue aligns with the goals and objectives of the strategic priorities and the 2015 Work Plan established by your institution (include whether this is a new or expanded service/program). If expanded, what has been accomplished with the current service/program? 2. Describe any projected impact on academic programs, student enrollments, and student services. The Florida Institute of Oceanography (FIO), an Academic Infrastructure Support Organization (AISO) established by the Board of Governors (BOG), serves as the State University System (SUS) coordinating body for research vessels, equipment, marine laboratories and other shareduse facilities and services. Shared use of resources, expertise and infrastructure will maintain Florida as a leader in oceanographic and coastal education and research. Currently 21 staff members provide services to the 30 member institutions and agencies across the State of Florida. FIO enables the SUS to provide a virtual intellectual and physical hub for the mature and diverse marine science enterprise that exists in Florida. Entities across academia, government, and the private sector have been collaborating for many years to meet the expectation of the FIO members and the BOG as defined by the AISO Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The BP Deepwater Horizon Disaster has created a much greater demand for research and monitoring of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystems to better understand the potential long-term impacts

2 to the Gulf marine resources. FIO continues to play a key role in documenting and disseminating information to Florida s citizens on the potential long term impacts of the oil spill and other natural disasters, this LBR is critical to achieving success in this endeavor. The Florida Keys Marine Laboratory (KML) in Layton, Florida is a platform that provides unique opportunities for short and long term field and laboratory experiences and research for undergraduate and graduate students, academia and non-academia faculty and researchers from throughout the U.S. and internationally. The KML through a Federal grant recently has installed the most advanced saltwater system to expand the capacity to conduct laboratory experiments and manipulate water quality and hence allow on-site research not previously possible. The Gulf of Mexico contains the world s third largest oil and gas reserves. Whether or not drilling takes place in Florida s water, the drilling could seriously impact the multi-billion dollar tourist and fishing industries. Additional, 2 million acres for lease sales for the hydrocarbon industry with water depths down to approximately 3,400 meters as well as off the Gulf and Cuba will drill: both of these activities could have dramatic impacts on Florida s economy. In fact, the latest drilling trends are in much deeper waters and closer to the moratorium lines. If an accident occurs, Florida s beaches and marine resources could be significantly impacted along Florida s gulf coastal waters flowing down to the Keys. The work of FIO researchers is critical for monitoring activities in order to protect Florida s economy. The FIO has the resources at the KML to provide reliable information and forecasts about many such concerns, but cannot be achieved without critical staff and state of the art equipment. The receipt of requesting recurring funds will allow FIO to: FIO plans to introduce a certification course to state certified K-12 teachers to a 2-week field intensive course designed to engage and provide teachers with marine science teaching techniques that keeps them current in emerging ocean research and technologies. These teachers will also have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the biodiversity, geochemistry and human impact of Florida s coastal and offshore ecosystems through a round-robin trip around Florida and applying it back in the classrooms. Ensure the KML s fleet maintains its Research Vessel designations to meet the new technical standards, and comply with safety provisions. Standards set by the U.S. Coast Guard are not optional and are expensive all requirements for ensuring the safety of researchers, students and staff. With new regulations set by the USCG, we must provide and maintain credentials of our staff in order operate the research vessels. Establish high standards of safety throughout marine operations to prevent and minimize occupational injuries/illnesses aboard the vessels. The Keys Marine Lab has been visited by over 121 different user groups around Florida, nationally and internationally; including countries like Germany and Poland. The KML currently serves as the fifth location during the FIO s summer course and will be the field station to serve teachers in future course. KML affords the SUS members an opportunity to teach undergraduate and graduate students in one of the most unique marine ecosystems (coral reefs, mangroves, seagrasses etc.) to the State of Florida. With FIO now the sole operator of the KML, the need for critical personnel to support not only the increasing demands and usage trends at the Keys Marine Lab and maintaining the newly installed of the seawater system requires having experienced,

3 highly skilled crew, science and support staff to accommodate all the requests for vessel and personnel usage year round at the KML. Experience personnel and the necessary emergency resources at the facility needed will assure that faculty, researchers and students are safe and resources are readily available while performing their research along the waters of the Florida Keys. The receipt of requesting non-recurring funds will allow FIO to: Upgrade and maintain its state-of-the-art marine facility at a reasonable cost to member institutions. Procuring advanced satellite communication (e.g. Mondo pads for Skyping abilities) and equipment systems, students will be able to follow daily updates from their faculty remotely, as well as being able to interact directly with the other classmates from ship to shore or remotely from the Keys Marine Lab to classrooms, will enhance the faculty and students experience conducting courses or research. Day to day operation costs associated with the purchases would be covered through normal accounts and through grants received by the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF). Increase inventory of scientific equipment availability. Having specialized equipment such as the Multicorer that satisfies sediment sampling goals that can be crosscompatibility with larger-format multicorers; Acoustic Equipment to record fish location to coordinate with habitat and supplement stock assessments; Dynamic Position System to control propulsion systems for precision station keeping abilities. With the new unique salt water system at the KML, demand is increasing to conduct controlled experiments on various measure species. Purchasing holding tanks and other necessary equipment to address the demands of the salt water system is essential. The holding tanks can control temperature, light, monitor water quality, and capacity for water recirculation are needed to conduct research and meet requests to utilize the KML. A Remote operating vehicle (ROV) is essential to provide the faculty, students and researchers the ability to have a more complete data collection access to Florida s environmental parameters are essential as well providing a competitive platform for science and educational programs in the Gulf of Mexico. Currently FIO does not own an ROV and to continue to be competitive and provide state of the art equipment to conduct research and teaching an ROV is required. The ROV enables real-time observations without disturbing habitat and can be used to assess stocks, broadcast back to classrooms, public areas and streamed online for outreach purposes. II. Return on Investment - Describe the outcome(s) anticipated, dashboard indicator(s) to be improved, or return on investment. Be specific. For example, if this issue focuses on improving retention rates, indicate the current retention rate and the expected increase in the retention rate. Similarly, if it focuses on expanding access to academic programs or student services, indicate the current and expected outcomes. The FIO connects Florida s academia, public, private sectors and resources between the health and sustainability of the state s economy while supporting Florida s major engine of economic activities ocean science. FIO, as a designated AISO provides shared resources, knowledge, laboratory space and equipment that has positioned the State of Florida as a national leader in

4 academia ocean science discovery allowing faculty, researchers and students the opportunity to better understand our oceans. With Florida s economy largely based on tourism and agriculture, and with ever-growing coastal populations and associated development, it can be said that no aspect of Florida s economic health goes untouched by Florida s oceans. In 2012, oceaneconomics.org estimated over 500,000 jobs are being supported by ocean resources contribution of $24.5 billion to Florida s ocean economy; $16.4 billion from recreation and tourism industry. Florida s fisheries contributes approximately $30 billion to the economy, much greater than citrus, cattle, ranching and space industry combined ($14.5B). FIO will continue to be positioned to support systems-wide SUS scientific leadership in an area unique to the State of Florida. Expanded access to share-use shore based facility (Keys Marine Lab) with peer researchers throughout the SUS will enhance the recruitment and retention of talented professors--more than 30 faculty members and researchers are currently working at an SUS institution where they graduated and have utilized FIO s resources; FIO has exposed over 5,500 undergraduate and graduate students to STEM based field experiences representing real world research opportunities; attract more high ability Bachelor s, Master s and PhD students resulting in more degrees awarded in related high demand, high skilled and high wage targeted areas; increase interface with public and private employers of marine scientists leading to new job creation and economic growth; and foster cooperation and collaboration which will produce more publications (assisted over 475 journal publications have been produced by the SUS s faculty), awards, and recognition for the SUS as a national leader in coastal oceanographic education and research. Most importantly, the FIO have significantly strengthened the SUS competitive position in securing higher levels of R&D investment from the federal government, foundations and industry (i.e. Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is expected to release approximately $80 million in competitive grants for consortia in late 2017; FIO as the named Gulf coast entity under the RESTORE Act will operate the Centers of Excellence Grants Program pumping approximately $4 million in the coming fiscal year; pending more funding to be released by Treasury with the recent settlement. The RESTORE Act funds cannot be utilized for operate dayto-day operations; these funds can only be used to provide competitive, peer review scientific studies. FIO s platforms have enabled over $110 million in grants over the years and it is anticipated that the creation of FIO will continue to elevate the SUS status as a global hub of world-class oceanographic education and research. III. Facilities (If this issue requires an expansion or construction of a facility, please complete the following table.): Facility Project Title Fiscal Year Amount Requested Priority Number 1. 2.

5 State University System Education and General Legislative Budget Request Form I University(s): Issue Title: Priority Number Recurring Funds Requested: Non-Recurring Funds Requested: Total Funds Requested: Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida $5.65 Million $5.65 Million Please check the issue type below: Shared Services/System-Wide Issue Non-Recurring Issue New Issue for X I. Description Approved by the Board of Governors in 2013 and officially established by the Florida Legislature in , the Florida Center for Cybersecurity will position Florida as the national leader in cybersecurity and its related workforce through education, research and community engagement. It will assist in the creation of jobs in the state s cybersecurity industry and enhance the existing cybersecurity workforce. It will facilitate strategic partnerships across the State University System and among other education, government and business stakeholders in Florida. Members of every State University System institution have been involved in the center s formation. Already, the Center has entered partnerships with Florida cybersecurity companies, defense agencies and research entities across the country to build a national reputation. Of note is the Center s selection as the Southeast academic partner for the U.S. Army Reserve s Cyber P3i initiative. It is one of only eight academic partners across the U.S. The Center has and is continuing to submit proposals for Grants and Contracts from U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the Defense Technical Information Center, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM), the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency (IARPA) and others. The successful launch of the Center s

6 Collaborative Seed Grant Program has increased collaboration from SUS members of the Cybersecurity Advisory Council in pursuit of these opportunities. Since establishment, the Center has achieved significant returns aligned with our mission. The Center assisted faculty at the University of South Florida in developing and launching a first of its kind Master s program in cybersecurity achieving the designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cybersecurity by the National Security Agency (NSA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Launched in the fall of 2014, the program has exceeded enrollment goals to-date by 125% and is well on its way in achieving goals set for academic year The Center is taking a market-oriented approach in building a statewide cybersecurity network. Having solicited input from government and industry partners, the Center has laid the foundation for the FC 2 Cyber Academy to train returning veterans and others for jobs in the cybersecurity field. Taking a hire to retire approach, the Cyber Academy will focus on rapidly fielding cyber practitioners for specific, in-demand job roles as well as provide for a centralized workforce development capability. Funded by a generous $300,000 grant from J.P. Morgan Chase, the Cyber Academy is currently developing its initial offering slated for launch in the spring of Programs developed under the Cyber Academy umbrella will be launched with sustainability as a focus and will provide proven models that can be scaled across the SUS. The Center launched the Collaborative Seed Program in the fall of 2014 with a goal of incentivizing collaborative research across the SUS. More than 20 proposals were received with 12 selected for funding, representing 10 SUS institutions. To date, Center programs have generated more than $830,000 in grants, sponsorships and matching research dollars. Since establishment, the Center has hosted six community events and conferences with more than 1,500 attendees from more than 20 states and five countries exceeding our stakeholder engagement goal by 164%. These events included Center collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Secret Services (USSS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), among others. The Center is working with former Vice Admiral Mike McConnell to create a Board of Advisors. Mr. McConnell, former Director of National Intelligence and former Director of the National Security Agency, has agreed to serve as Board Chairman. We request additional funding for Phase II of this initiative ($5 million plus $650,000 not yet funded in Phase I), as detailed in the Board of Governors

7 report calling for the Center s establishment (pg. 13) to: expand and accelerate capacity for education and training of the high-skilled, high-paid cybersecurity workforce through increasing access to affordable degree, certificate, and professional certification programs; extend the seed/matching-grant program for Florida s universities and research entities to yield strategic returns on investment through growing federal and industry R&D expenditures, patents and licensing revenues, startup companies, etc. Serving as a steward for this initiative, USF is dedicated to the Center s success. Cybersecurity is prioritized by USF as one of the university s top three key initiatives in its Work Plan for II. Return on Investment USF awards more than 10,000 degrees each year, a quarter of which are in STEM fields. The projected addition to workforce development in cybersecurity, as estimated by USF, includes increasing the number of new professional cybersecurity certifications to be awarded annually (550, each with earning potentials of approximately $100,000) by USF Innovative Education through online and face-to-face courses, which launched in spring of Additionally, the Center aims to draw at least $50 million in research dollars to the state of Florida over five years. Less quantifiable, yet just as important, will be the Center s training and outreach initiatives with: Florida companies seeking to bolster cybersecurity defenses; consumers, K-12 students, parents and older adults looking for practical cybersecurity knowledge; and military and government entities in need of innovative research partners.

8 State University System Education and General Legislative Budget Request Form I University(s): Issue Title: Priority Number Recurring Funds Requested: $9 million Non-Recurring Funds Requested: $0 Total Funds Requested: $9 million Please check the issue type below: USF System STEM/Health Workforce Development for the 21 st Century Shared Services/System-Wide Issue Non-Recurring Issue New Issue for I. Description 1. Describe the service or program to be provided and how this issue aligns with the goals and objectives of the strategic priorities and the 2015 Work Plan established by your institution (include whether this is a new or expanded service/program). If expanded, what has been accomplished with the current service/program? 2. Describe any projected impact on academic programs, student enrollments, and student services. Recognizing the competitive advantage the USF System provides as an economic driver of the greater Tampa Bay region, there exists a unique opportunity to boost workforce development specifically in STEM and health fields (notably in bioengineering and drug discovery areas). Already a state leader in these fields, the USF System is poised to strengthen linkages with the business communities in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee by (1) boosting its STEM/health educational preparation programs and (2) expanding STEM/health entrepreneurship and research. The $9 million requested would be shared among the main USF campus in Tampa, USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee in ways that will meet each institution s individual needs while maximizing shared strengths, goals and opportunities to meet the distinctive needs of the local community.

9 This request aligns with the USF System Work Plan s mission to coordinate initiatives that develop global citizens, prepared for 21 st century careers, while engaging our communities across the Tampa Bay region for mutual benefits. It specifically supports our goal of enhancing academic program quality that prepares students for leadership jobs which calls for strategic hiring of high-quality, productive faculty; support for interdisciplinary programs that expose students to critical problems of today s world and innovative solutions; and development of partnerships across the USF System and in the larger Tampa Bay community. STEM Preparation The USF System admits between 3,500 and 4,000 first-time-in-college (FTIC) students each academic year, with more than 40 percent selecting STEM majors, with many of those in the biological science areas reporting a goal of entering graduate studies in medicine and other health disciplines. This is higher than the national average of 28 percent FTIC STEM majors, as reported by the National Center for Education Statistics. At USF, USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota-Manatee these students are highly diverse both in terms of ethnicity and socioeconomic status, with many who are the first in their families to attend college. This reflects the diverse metropolitan population of the Tampa Bay region. With the right preparation, these students who select STEM and health fields will leave the USF System poised to take jobs in top-paid fields, such as nursing, computer sciences and IT, electrical engineering and industrial engineering helping to support our local workforce while contributing to the overall economic development of the state. Enhanced preparation strategies would include with revision of USF s introductory gateway STEM courses to more actively engage students and make direct connections with career opportunities, as well as engaging with business and industry in curriculum planning and development to best meet workforce needs. Supporting these efforts would be hiring of key faculty increasing the number of productive STEM and health faculty by approximately 10 percent in the next five years. This will add to the already strong ranks of faculty across the USF System. In 2012 alone, 15 USF faculty members were named as fellows of the prestigious American Association for Advancement of Science, putting the university fifth of 245 organizations that named fellows that year. In 2013, six more fellows were elected, and in 2014, five more were added. STEM Entrepreneurship The STEM Collaborative will not only focus the USF System s efforts internally on student preparation, but also strengthen the university s relationships with STEM and health businesses in the Tampa Bay region.

10 Those new faculty hired at USF, USF St. Petersburg and USF Sarasota- Manatee will come with a track record of working with industries in their fields, and have experience developing patentable devices or products helping to boost the USF System s already recognized prowess in research productivity. Recognizing the USF System s strengths in both health and engineering, support for the STEM/Health Workforce Development initiative would also enable the development of a highly entrepreneurial Department of Bioengineering. Here, teams of faculty and researchers would work with students to develop new medical devices or prosthetics. This experience, alone, will give our students an advantage in the job market after graduation. But the effort will also facilitate relationships among USF researchers and local industries, providing novel discoveries or devices that will make a real impact on the medical field including for Tampa Bay s large veteran population. Similarly, support for the initiative would strengthen USF s Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation, a multidisciplinary education and research center that focuses on the early phases of drug discovery and development. Faculty hired to work in this center will also have existing relationships in private industry, notably with pharmaceutical companies who can help bring USF System discoveries to market with the help of the USF Research Park s expertise. II. Return on Investment - Describe the outcome(s) anticipated, dashboard indicator(s) to be improved, or return on investment. Be specific. For example, if this issue focuses on improving retention rates, indicate the current retention rate and the expected increase in the retention rate. Similarly, if it focuses on expanding access to academic programs or student services, indicate the current and expected outcomes. Investment in STEM Preparation will increase our retention rate in STEM fields from 40 percent to 50 percent in the next five years. This will result in at least 300 additional STEM graduates earning degrees each year (a 25 percent increase) helping to meet the statewide goal 30,000 bachelor s degrees in STEM and health per year by 2025, as outlined in the Board of Governors Strategic Plan. Investment in STEM Entrepreneurship will strengthen our relationship with Tampa Bay area business and industries. By hiring additional research faculty with translational experience, USF will continue to grow its technology profile and increase licensing partnerships. Additionally, this will leverage

11 USF s recent designation by NSF as an I-Corps Site one of only 36 in the nation and one of two in Florida. In conjunction with this designation, the STEM entrepreneurship program will lead to an increase in technology startup creation by USF students and faculty. All of these efforts combined will strengthen the reputation of the USF System as a national and international leader in STEM and health, while contributing to the economic engine of the Tampa Bay region and the state of Florida. III. Facilities (If this issue requires an expansion or construction of a facility, please complete the following table.): Facility Project Title Fiscal Year Amount Requested Priority Number 1. n/a 2.