To: NURP Investigators and Science Community

1)  New Director on board

2)  Update on proposal opportunities

1)  We are very pleased to announce that Dr. David Christie is the new Director of the West Coast & Polar Regions Undersea Research Center.  Dr. Christie is a geologist, and comes to us from the oceanography faculty of Oregon State University.  Many of you may know him from his previous work in the RIDGE program and ODP/IODP.   Dr. Jennifer Reynolds, who served as Interim Director, has returned to her position as Science Director in the Center.  Please feel free to contact either of them with any questions you may have.

2)  Normally by mid-summer you would have received the annual Request for Proposals from the West Coast & Polar Regions Undersea Research Center (NURP).  This year is an exception, for two reasons.  

First, all projects funded in 2007 will be selected from those that have already undergone review.  In 2006, the Center has been funded at 45% of the 2005 level (and 34% of the average in 2000-2005).  In response, the Center has concentrated on supporting continuing projects.  Most new projects that were approved to start in 2006 have been postponed to 2007.  Projects that were highly ranked by the Fall, 2005 panel are still pending, and funding decisions will be made once the Center has a firm indication of the 2007 budget. 

Second, the Center’s program for 2008 will focus on a special expedition of the manned submersibles PISCES IV and V and their support ship R/V Ka`imikai-o-Kanaloa (also known as the KOK).  These vehicles are operated by NURP’s Hawaii Undersea Resesarch Laboratory  (http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/HURL/hurl.html), and have a depth capability of 2000 meters.  The expedition will run in a circuit around the Northeast Pacific, including the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, Alaskan waters, and the U.S. West Coast.  The expedition will be run jointly by four NOAA programs:  the two NURP Centers, NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration, and the National Marine Sanctuary Program.  A joint Request for Proposals will be issued in early Fall, 2006. 

Because of the Center’s commitment to this expedition, and ongoing uncertainties about the budget, the Center will not issue a general call this year for proposals for field work in 2008.  It is possible that new proposals for 2008 field work may be considered next year, depending on the expedition plans and budget situation.  If so, the call for proposals will probably focus on the Center’s ongoing Pacific Northwest Initiative.

Please watch for the upcoming Request for Proposals for the 2008 Northeast Pacific expedition.  Full details will be available by September.

Contacts
WCPR Center Office:  907-474-5870, westnurc@guru.uaf.edu

Dave Christie, Director:  dchristie@guru.uaf.edu

Jennifer Reynolds, Science Director:  jreynolds@guru.uaf.edu