University of Delaware R/V HUGH R. SHARP / Oceanographic Instrumentation

A request is made by the University of Delaware to fund the acquisition of Oceanographic Instrumentation for the R/V Hugh R Sharp, a 146-foot regional research vessel owned and operated by the University of Delaware as part of the U.S. Academic Research Fleet (ARF). The vessel can accommodate up to twenty scientists on cruises up to eighteen days in duration in support of projects from all disciplines of oceanography. The vessel is a regional asset, serving researchers from many institutions throughout the mid-Atlantic and typically operates in the coastal waters from Long Island, New York, to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, as well as the Delaware and Chesapeake Bay. With the funds provided, R/V Sharp will replace its scientific laboratory-grade water maker with a new unit from Millipore. This acquisition will provide the scientists aboard Sharp access to a reliable source of pure water for laboratory purposes and will bring Sharp's facilities to the standards required for the U.S. Academic Research Fleet. The principal impact of the present proposal is under Merit Review Criterion 2 of the Proposal Guidelines (NSF 23-525). It provides infrastructure support for scientists to use the vessel and its shared-use instrumentation in support of their NSF-funded oceanographic research projects (which individually undergo separate review by the relevant research program of NSF). The acquisition, maintenance and operation of shared-use instrumentation allows NSF-funded researchers from any US university or other organization access to well-maintained, high-quality, calibrated instruments for their research. It ensures the collection of high-quality oceanographic data in support of science, reduces the cost of that research, and expands the base of potential researchers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.