North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit
URI serves as host for the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (NAC-CESU), with the CI director serving as NAC-CESU director. The NAC-CESU is one of 17 CESUs across the US that provide research, technical assistance, and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies. The NAC-CESU has grown significantly since its founding in 1999 and today there are nine federal agency partners, one tribal partner, and 28 non-federal partners. The non-federal partners (universities and non-profit research organizations throughout the northeast) conduct studies in cooperation with federal scientists and managers and provide a scientific foundation for federal agencies to address their multiple coastal resource management challenges.
As host of NAC-CESU, the CI and URI both benefit as federal scientists (from NPS and USGS) are duty-stationed at URI, providing numerous funding and experiential opportunities for students and faculty. The NAC-CESU fosters collaborations among universities and supports URI graduate students in transitioning to federal agency positions with USGS, USFWS, NPS, and EPA. Requests for proposals are focused on adapting and planning for climate change, aligning the directives of the NAC-CESU with the imperatives of the CI.
Learn more about the NAC-CESU:
