R/V Rachel Carson Ship Operations NSF 2023-2028

UW uses the vessel as a conduit for student engagement in research and education activities on board the ship in support of a variety of NSF, NOAA and institutionally funded programs. The vessel also supports engagement with the public through tours and open houses. The oceanographic research vessels of the Academic Research Fleet (ARF), operated by the academic institutions within the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) framework, funded by NSF and other agencies, have been the traditional multi-use facilities required to expand human knowledge of the ocean environment.

These ships working from the ocean surface are complemented by human-occupied, remotely operated, and autonomous undersea vehicles (HOV, ROV, AUV) and sensors provide vital tools in our understanding of the role of the oceans in determining our climate and studying and accessing the living and non-living resources of the world’s seas and sea-beds.

In addition to technology, the national ocean endeavor requires a diverse cadre of trained researchers possessing sound science, mathematics, and technical education: a critical mass of individuals are required who will collect and analyze data, as well as design the tools, models and applications. These seagoing research and educational facilities enable scientists and students from UW and other institutions nationwide to study natural phenomena and to instruct the future scientists and stewards of our marine ecosystems while on board state-of-the-art oceanographic research vessels utilizing high-quality instrumentation.

Essential to UW’s School of Oceanography’s mission is to provide post-secondary educational opportunities for students of the marine sciences by introducing them to seagoing research, collecting data for student developed research projects,

and having them participate in other funded research; these include programs like UW undergraduate courses (OCN 200, 201, 220), MATE internships, and the VISIONS outreach component of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI-RCA). In addition, education of K through 12th grade students nationwide - through outreach programs such as REVEL, NOAA’s “Teacher at Sea”, and the NSF-funded Geosciences - Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric Sciences (GEOPAths) are supported on the vessels of the Academic Research Fleet.

Finally, there are additional outreach programs, such as the NSF-funded STEMSEAS, UW GEODUC, and the ONR-supported DINO-SIP program which specifically use the UW research ships to provide educational opportunities for non-traditional STEM students;

Proper stewardship of ocean resources and their wise use, and data-driven decision making for future ocean- and coastal-related issues are not possible without an interested and engaged scientific community and well-informed public. So, periodically, UW holds open houses and outreach events to provide a learning experience for local students and the public including tours through the ship facilities and hands-on demonstrations of marine science research guided by faculty, students and ship crew members. In 2018, the UW School of Oceanography teamed

with scientists from Everett Community College to take students out for ORCA cruise on Earth Day on the Rachel Carson. Annually, around 200 people tour R/V Rachel Carson each May as part of the UW Aquatic Sciences Open House.

The University of Washington, with the support of the National Science Foundation and with coordination by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System, remains dedicated to, and focused on, furthering our understanding of the world ocean, the living and non-living resources therein, and their interactions with the approximately fifty percent of our citizens who live within fifty miles of the shoreline

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.