Regional institutions unite, establishing the
Monterey Bay Crescent as a major
May 18, 1998
MOSS LANDING, CA—The shores of Monterey Bay host one of the
largest and most diverse assemblages of ocean-related research,
teaching, and policy organizations in the country. This week, building
on a long history of informal collaborations, the higher education and
research institutions of the Monterey Bay region formalize their ties
for ocean-related activities by creating the Monterey Bay Crescent
Ocean Research Consortium (MBCORC).
The first member institutions will sign a memorandum of
understanding in Moss Landing on Wednesday, May 20, establishing a
framework and mechanisms for new collaborations and joint activities.
Almost 20 major ocean sciences facilities line the crescent-shaped
rim of Monterey Bay. Collectively, they employ some 1,700 people, have
an annual budget of more than $138 million, and have expertise
comparable to that of other major oceanographic centers such as Woods
Hole, San Diego, and Honolulu.
The formation of MBCORC was spearheaded by the University of
California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research
Institute (MBARI) in Moss Landing, and the Naval Postgraduate School
(NPS) in Monterey. So far, 13 organizations have joined or expressed
interest in joining the consortium. They include public and private
colleges, universities, and institutes, civilian and military
organizations, and state and federal government agencies.
"The formation of this consortium demonstrates a commitment to
common goals and progress toward minimizing barriers and maximizing
the flow of ideas and resources between institutions. As a result, I
foresee a highly productive period of collective planning and activity
in the Monterey Bay Crescent," said UCSC Chancellor M.R.C.
MBCORC will coordinate joint activities and create new
opportunities to undertake large-scale projects. By joining together,
member organizations may become eligible for certain funding programs
for which no single institution would be competitive on its own. In
addition, some member institutions have access to funding sources not
frequently used by other members yet not fully exploited due to
insufficient personnel, facilities, or partners.
"The consortium is intended to further engage Monterey Bay
institutions in order to accomplish marine research and education that
cannot be effectively undertaken by one organization alone," said
MBARI President and CEO Marcia McNutt.
Many consortium members have interacted for decades, often
collaborating on major endeavors. One recent example is an innovative
project called REINAS-the Real-time Environmental Information Network
and Analysis System. Begun in 1992, REINAS gathers data on the
Monterey Bay coastal environment from an extensive network of remote
sensors, stores it in a distributed database, and uses powerful
graphics techniques to display the information. REINAS has been funded
by the Office of Naval Research and involves MBARI, the NPS
meteorology department, and UCSC's Jack Baskin School of Engineering.
Other ongoing joint projects include marine biodiversity studies of
Monterey Bay involving UCSC, MBARI, and California State University's
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, and various marine geology
investigations involving researchers at UCSC, MBARI, and NPS.
"This agreement establishes an important framework to support
collaboration among our faculty, research staffs, and students. Our
future joint programs will help address critical national needs and
will advance the area's reputation as a world leader in oceanographic
research, education, and public outreach," said NPS Provost
Joint educational opportunities are expected to include the
movement of students between member institutions, joint faculty
appointments, distance learning programs, and sharing of library
resources. The consortium will emphasize the needs of graduate and
professionally oriented undergraduate education, including teacher
There may also be coordination of technology transfer activities,
broader access to specialized facilities, and support of a regional
technology business incubator.
"Bringing these dynamic institutions together will allow them
to maximize their research potential and will foster diverse
collaborations in ocean science," said Congressman Sam Farr, who
has been instrumental in facilitating regional collaborations.
Institutions that have joined or are invited to join MBCORC