Last week, the NCCOS Charleston laboratories hosted a workshop to develop linkages between the National Ocean Service (NOS) and NOAA's Environmental Cooperative Science Center (ECSC) that will increase science capacity for both entities and create student training opportunities.

The goal of the ECSC is to train a new generation of environmental scientists, particularly from under-represented minority groups, and to develop ecosystem health assessment tools in support of coastal environmental decision making. The ECSC was established in 2001 as part of NOAA's Educational Partnership Program to address ecological and coastal management issues at specific National Estuarine Research Reserves and National Marine Sanctuaries.

Over 50 scientists from NOS line offices, participating ECSC universities (Florida A&M, Jackson State University, the University of Texas -Corpus Christi, and the University of Texas -Rio Grande Valley), and the NOAA Office of Education participated in the two-day workshop. The workshop gave participants an opportunity to develop science connections that support both ongoing and potential future NOS efforts, with special emphasis on integrating student training with NOS priority activities.

For more information, contact Lonnie.Gonsalves@noaa.gov or Steve.Morton@noaa.gov.

Some of the participants of the 2015 NOS -ECSC Workshop held in Charleston, South Carolina. Credit: NOAA.