G23AC00548

Project Title: Hosting the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC)
Project Dates: 8/1/2023 through 7/31/2028
Award Purpose: The purpose of this proposal is to host the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC). The SE CASC consortium consists of eleven institutions spanning six land grant universities, three historically black minority serving universities, a nationally recognized science policy center, an environmental justice center, and an intertribal organization representing Southern Eastern tribal nations. This consortium offers unparalleled expertise in coproducing actionable adaptation science across the physical, natural, and social sciences.

Activities to be Performed: The consortium will address the science priorities of the region through research and synthesis projects co-produced with a diversity of partners and conduct formal evaluation of products and their utility. A governance committee will lead science, capacity building, and communication across the Southeast and Caribbean footprint. Recipient staff will meet with federal partners in weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual meetings. Regional dialogue will be fostered through two regional climate adaptation science symposia and regular participation in meetings of partners, including the HBCU Climate Change Conference. The recipient will build a robust portfolio of resources and activities to build capacity for climate adaptation for natural and cultural resource partners, graduate students, and other early career professional researchers, with targeted efforts to foster engagement of tribes, indigenous peoples, and other communities historically underrepresented in climate science and adaptation. The SE CASC communications strategy will use multiple forms of media engagement to reach across multiple sectors of end users and across a diverse footprint. Finally, the host university will manage the large and complex funding of subaward partners associated with this federal-university partnership, including the host (prime) award and directed project funding.

Deliverables and Expected Outcomes: The recipient will: (1) develop a consortium that reaches across the Southeast and Caribbean footprint, and facilitate conversations among decision makers, scientists, and managers; (2) conduct co-produced and actionable research and synthesis through projects that provide decision-focused, research-based information meeting regional science priorities; (3) build capacity of natural and cultural resource professionals, graduate research students, science communications interns, and other young professionals in how to frame, understand, and support climate adaptation decisions, via research engagement efforts; (4) communicate the products created for climate adaptation through diverse media and venues and for many audiences; (5) engage tribes, indigenous peoples, and other historically underrepresented communities in climate research, synthesis, and capacity building; (6) provide fiscal management of award funding.

Intended Beneficiary(ies): Target audiences include relevant federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, tribal nations and indigenous peoples, local communities including historically underrepresented and underserved communities, non-governmental organizations, businesses, researchers and educators, and the general public.

Subrecipient Activities: Subrecipients will be fully integrated into all consortium activities including leadership, research and synthesis, capacity building, and communications. Subaward partners include: Auburn University, Duke University, Savannah State University, University of Florida, University of South Carolina, University of Tennessee, and University of the Virgin Islands.

North Carolina State University

15.820 - National and Regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers

USGS Office of Acquisitions and Grants [DOI - USGS]

North Carolina United States

State-Wide

National Climate Adaptation Science Center Program (NCASC) (G23AS00651)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 227% from $1,309,005 to $4,275,744.