Educational Partnership Program

 

To continue development of education, research, policy and natural resource management programs aimed at increasing education, training and graduation rates in NOAA mission STEM disciplines at Minority Serving Institutions. All EPP/MSI program components are awarded through national competitive processes. Partnerships and capacity building are achieved through collaboration with NOAA scientists and managers and with the use of NOAA facilities and resources in atmospheric, oceanic, environmental sciences, and remote sensing technologies.

Active 11.481 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 The Graduate Sciences Program is no longer administered by the EPP. 136 number of students trained in NOAA mission research; 86 number of collaborative research projects conducted with NOAA scientists & managers; 1 number of peer reviewed research publications by EPP supported students and faculty; Increased social science integration in EPP-supported research projects.
Fiscal Year 2018 91 number of students trained in NOAA mission research; 75 number of collaborative research projects conducted with NOAA scientists & managers; 7 number of peer reviewed research publications by EPP supported students and faculty; Increased theses developed with social science integrated in the student's projects at EPP supported academic institutions.
Fiscal Year 2019 Eleven EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarships were awarded in 2019. Scholarships include 2 summer internships hosted by various NOAA offices and programs.
Fiscal Year 2020 The Cooperative Science Center awards expanded higher education access for students from communities historically excluded from careers in the NOAA-mission enterprise. They supported 363 students of which 63 graduated with undergraduate degrees (39) or graduate degrees (20 Master's and 4 doctoral). In addition, 3 CSC graduates entered the NOAA mission enterprise workforce as Federal employees or contractors - others are pursuing higher degrees and or in the workforce in academia, private sector and state agencies. The CSCs increased the number of post-secondary students trained with core competencies relevant to the NOAA-mission workforce, including: increased quantitative and analytical skills; increased competence in applying STEM to decision making, policy, and management; and increased skills to use large data sets, geographical information systems and statistical analysis, computer modeling, and algorithm development. Although the COVID-19 pandemic impacted access to NOAA offices, CSC graduate students completed virtual graduate internships with NOAA scientists and other professionals serving as mentors. CSC students and faculty published 59 refereed journal articles, 4 books, 6 book chapters and made over 100 presentations at national and regional meetings, on campuses. All presentations, after March 2020, were in virtual settings.
Fiscal Year 2021 In fiscal year 2021, The EPP/MSI program supported 4 Cooperative Science Centers and 24 institutions. The program provided them financial assistance, through competitive processes, to train over 250 graduate students to conduct research in NOAA mission sciences (the program aims to increase the number of students, particularly from underrepresented groups, who are trained and earn degrees in sciences directly related to NOAA's mission). Additionally, the program provided two-year academic scholarships to 32 undergraduate students; the program also supported them as they completed two 10-week internships at NOAA facilities.
Fiscal Year 2022 In fiscal year 2022, the EPP/MSI program provided financial assistance to 4 Cooperative Science Centers comprising 24 institutions. The program provided financial assistance, through competitive processes, to train over 87 graduate students to complete coursework and conduct research in NOAA mission-aligned sciences. (The program aims to increase the number of students, particularly from underrepresented groups, who are trained and earn degrees in sciences directly related to NOAA's mission.) Additionally, the program provided two-year academic scholarships, which included two 10-week internships at NOAA facilities, to 32 undergraduate students.
Fiscal Year 2023 In fiscal year 2023, The EPP/MSI program provided financial assistance to 4 Cooperative Science Centers comprising 24 institutions. The program provided financial assistance to support the training of over 88 graduate students to complete coursework and conduct research in NOAA mission-aligned sciences. This future workforce STEM program aims to increase the number of students, particularly from communities underrepresented in NOAA mission-aligned sciences, who are trained and earn degrees in science, resource management, engineering, and policy directly aligned to NOAA's mission. Additionally, the program provided two-year academic scholarships, which included two 10-week internships at NOAA facilities, to 44 undergraduate students. 13256, 13230, 13021 and 13339
15 U.S.C. 1540
33 U.S.C. 893a Applicants are designated as minority serving institutions by the United States Department of Education list of minority serving institutions. Non-minority institutions may also participate in this program when partnered with a minority serving institution. Lead institutions applying to become Cooperative Science Center must have a Ph.D. degree program in the science or technology disciplines (ocean, marine and environmental sciences and remote sensing technology) that directly supports NOAA mission. The benefits to the Nation are an increased number of academic institutions capable of providing services and products in support of the agency's mission to describe and predict changes in the environment, and to conserve and manage the nation's coastal and marine resources to ensure sustainable economic opportunities. Collaboration among NOAA and academic institutions will increase the number of trained professionals in NOAA-related sciences and will also lead to a larger number of institutions participating in collaborative research and co-management of the nation's natural resources with State, local and tribal governments. Applicants are required to satisfy all DoC/NOAA standards and regulations, including routine and special terms and conditions, for financial assistance programs application and conduct. Costs will be determined in accordance with 2 CFR, Part 220 for educational institutions. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Submission of an application package which includes the Standard Form SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424A Budget Information Non-Construction Programs, SF-424B Assurances Non-Construction Programs, statement of work, budget and supporting details, and CD-511 Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters, Drug Free Workplace Requirements, and Lobbying must be used when applying for Federal funds. This program is subject to the provisions of 15 CFR Part 14. Awards are made on the basis of an initial administrative review followed by an evaluation of proposals by an external panel of STEM, education and management experts. 2 CFR, Part 200 applies to all awards. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Approval time is anticipated to range from 90 to 150 days, which includes processing of the award through NOAA Education, NOAA and DoC financial assistance functions. Not applicable. Cooperative activities are generally approved on an annual fiscal year basis, but may be continued for up to ten years, subject to approved time frame, program development plan, satisfactory progress, and availability of funds. Proposals are subject to an internal administrative review and an external panel review process taking into consideration the applicant(s) performance plan, research plans, scientific merit, investigator's qualifications, cost and available funds. Proposals undergo a rigorous technical review and comply with all OMB, DOC, and NOAA grant policies and procedures. Specific information about the selection process will be included in the solicitation. Funds may be used to support student tuition assistance, stipends, course development, research, faculty and program enhancement and students undertaking course work and/or research in NOAA related sciences at minority serving institutions. No less than 50% of a total award may be used for direct student support at all Center institutions. Not applicable. Recipients will be subject to the provisions of the Single Audit Act Amendments of l996 and revised OMB Circular A-133, "Audits of States and Local Governments and Nonprofit Organizations". Financial records and supporting documents and all other records, i.e., property, performance, work products, patents etc. pertinent to the agreement shall be maintained for a period of three years from the date on which the final expenditure report is submitted. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Subject to availability of funding, financial assistance awards may be made from one to ten years with funding approved annually. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Lump. None/Not specified. Jacqueline Rousseau
NOAA Office of Education, Educational Partnership Program
Silver Spring, MD 20910 US
jacqueline.j.rousseau@noaa.gov
Phone: (301) 628-2905 https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/epp-msi 13-1450-0-1-306 (Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$16,840,650.00; FY 23 est $17,523,807.00; FY 24 est $20,750,000.00; FY 21$16,485,232.00; FY 20$14,661,032.00; FY 19$13,775,362.00; FY 18$14,080,000.00; FY 17$12,000,000.00; - $45 K in Undergraduate Scholarships; $3.5 - $4.0M annually to Cooperative Science Centers For cost principles, see OMB Circular No. A-21, "Cost Principles for Educational Institutions". For grants administration requirements, see 15 CFR Part 14, "Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations". Fiscal Year 2017 - Implementation of Center-wide Core Competency training for all EPP supported students. - Center-wide evaluation plan developed by an external expert to ensure award goals and objectives are achieved. - Design and initial implementation of "Big Data" training for EPP supported students - All EPP-supported students required to complete internship at a NOAA facility under mentorship of NOAA employee.
Fiscal Year 2018 - Development of Environmental and Coastal Quality Indicators; - Coastal Ocean Observing Systems; - Heat Stress and Urban Modeling; - Discard mortality of sublegal black sea bass in the commercial trap fishery: Impacts of air exposure and acute temperature changes; - Refining stock structure of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) through photo-identification and genetic analysis; - The Impact of Increasing Sea Surface Temperatures on Piscivore and Planktivore Species Dynamics: An Ecosystem-Based Modeling Approach
Fiscal Year 2019 - Comparing the diet and microbiome of Atlantic menhaden and Eastern oyster using DNA barcoding; - Assessing the impacts of harmful algal species and Vibrio spp. on oysters; - Habitat suitability model for Black Sea Bass; - Fieldwork for bio-optical properties to characterize coastal/oceanic waters in Guanica La Parguera area after hurricane Maria.
Fiscal Year 2020 1. An ecosystem assessment framework for Florida’s coastal and aquatic managed areas. 2. Utilizing Social Marketing Tools and Theories to Support Protected Species Management. 3. Exploring Oyster Aquaculture Potential and Investigating Economic, Ecological, and Legal Barriers. 4. Fin whale trends in the Bering Sea and Unimak Pass 5. Development of a Maryland Coastal Bays Ecosystem Model to Assess the Influence of Climatic Factors on Biomass Distributions of Fish and Macroinvertebrates, Food Web Linkages and Community Structure. 6. Developing methods to detect the effect of CO2 on the physiology of Dungeness crab.
Fiscal Year 2021 The EPP/MSI program supports postsecondary education of students, particularly from underrepresented communities, in NOAA sciences, collaborates on research, and builds institutional capacity at select institutions. For example, a scholar completed a summer internship with the National Marine Fisheries Service, West Coast Regional Office. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the schola’s internship project on the challenges associated with measuring salmon and steelhead recovery was adapted to a virtual research project. The scholar conducted a literature review and completed informational interviews about several species of salmon and steelhead to answer the research questions.
Fiscal Year 2022 The EPP/MSI program supports: postsecondary education for students from communities underrepresented in NOAA mission-aligned sciences; collaborates with MSIs on research; and builds institutional capacity at institutions designated as NOAA Cooperative Science Centers.
Fiscal Year 2023 The EPP/MSI program supports postsecondary education of students from communities underrepresented in NOAA mission-aligned sciences, collaborates on research, and builds institutional capacity at select institutions. For example, one research project focuses on the ability of climate models to capture extreme weather hazards. The research focuses on temperature and precipitation extremes that impact North America. Leveraging on existing climate model integrations and using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) climate model, the project consists of analyzing 6-hourly model output for the present climate and a projected future climate. In addition to focusing on the statistical assessment of extreme events, the work will examine some atmospheric dynamics details, to show the role of atmospheric blocking in association with the extreme events. The research will contribute to better understanding of persistent extreme weather events. The expected deliverables for this project are: (1) An analysis of the distribution of temperature and precipitation produced by the model; (2) Identification of the extreme events based on statistical analysis; (3) An analysis of the time-evolution of the extreme events generated by the model; and (4) An assessment of the association between the extreme events and atmospheric blocking. A second research project focuses on holistic Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM), which is being advocated in lieu of single-species stock assessment approaches. EBFM is informed by ecosystem models that include trophic relationships, as intense fishing, habitat alterations, and other factors that impact food web connectivity in marine systems ultimately impact predator and prey populations. Powerful modeling tools have been developed to depict food webs and evaluate fishing policy or climate change scenarios, among other ecological or management questions. This study will: (1) Develop field sampling protocols to collect diet information that integrate non-intrusively with current survey operations; (2) Examine preservation techniques that will enable samples to be used for a variety of analyses (i.e., visual, metabarcoding, stable isotope); and (3) Provide detailed diet descriptions for a broad range of fish species by identifying stomach contents, using both traditional and molecular techniques.
Fiscal Year 2024 The EPP/MSI program will continue to support postsecondary education of students attending minority serving institutions and from communities underrepresented in NOAA mission-aligned sciences, as well as collaborate on research, and build institutional capacity at the Cooperative Science Centers.