Cooperative Agreement for CESU-affiliated Partner with Great Lakes Northern Forests Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit

Background
The US Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center is offering a funding opportunity to a CESU Partner to engage in collaborative research on new and experimental biological assessment tools that improve the spatial coverage, accuracy, precision, and usefulness of USGS’s Great Lakes science program and the quality of information provided to partners. The primary responsibility of the US Geological Survey (USGS) is to assist natural resource and land managers by providing them with sound biological information and assistance in applying the information to their needs.

Grant Details
The overarching goal of this project is to engage in collaborative research on new and experimental biological assessment tools that improve the spatial coverage, accuracy, precision, and usefulness of USGS’s Great Lakes science program and the quality of information provided to partners. The cooperator will work collaboratively with USGS scientists to engineer, coordinate, and deploy robotic technologies to autonomously collect data about fisheries and lake ecosystems; assist with the delivery of annual survey results for benthic fishes from USGS’s AUV imagery; develop automated solutions for interpretation and processing of biological and physical features in underwater imagery, video, and acoustic data; advance techniques for large-scale underwater mapping of physical habitat and geomorphology using acoustic technologies; automate the interpretation of satellite and aerial remote sensing data for physical and biological features of the lake environment; develop computational technologies, workflows, and software to accelerate data processing, analysis, and delivery to partners; assist with production of open source tools and data that can be easily assimilated by the public and USGS’s partners.

Eligibility Requirements
This financial assistance opportunity is being issued under a Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program. Eligible recipients must be a participating partner of the Great Lakes Northern Forests (CESU) Program.

Period of Performance
It is anticipated that one award will be made with one base year and four renewal years. The total estimated funding for this project is $5,000,000. Funding in the amount of $474,094 is available for FY 2022. Additional funding will be based upon satisfactory progress and the availability of funding.

Grant Value
$5,000,000

Place of Performance
Great Lakes region