Marine Science Affairs 



and government which are not being developed through programs ; 



— to initiate and support applied research, in predevelopment stages, 



particularly related to recovery and utilization of marine resources ; 



— to disseminate knowledge and information about marine resource 



development to all interested and concerned sectors of the nation. 



The Sea Grant Program includes two categories of support — Institutional 

 and Project. 



Institutional-type Sea Grant Programs are intended to strengthen marine 

 science programs of colleges and universities engaging in multi-faceted 

 activities that embrace education, research, and advisory services. Institu- 

 tions are selected on such factors as ability to perform special studies of dif- 

 fering marine ecologies or resource problems, or for specialized experience 

 in other fields. Institutions thus have an opportunity to concentrate research 

 on problem areas of greatest regional interest and concern. Following a trial 

 period, an institution may be designated a Sea Grant College. 



The Sea Grant College provision is intended in the first instance to en- 

 large the base of funding but it should be especially valuable in providing 

 longer term, broader based support to academic institutions than is gen- 

 erally possible through the project grant system. It should also encourage 

 inter-disciplinary approaches to broad 'problems and enhance communi- 

 cation between classical disciplines so often isolated within a university. 



Under the second type of support. Sea Grant Projects are intended to 

 advance scientific, engineering, and technological know-how, especially 

 at the stage where scientific discovery first blends into a possible social ap- 

 plication, but also where practical economic benefits are still uncertain. 

 This mechanism also provides a means for responding to varied and chang- 

 ing research needs of the Federal Government and is of particular im- 

 portance in complementing programs of agencies not having broad extra- 

 mural programs, or supporting research on topics that cross missions of 

 various agencies and fail to gain the interest of any one. In the future, the 

 Government may express such interest through announcements by the 

 National Science Foundation, to invite attention and participation of the 

 non-Federal research, study and industrial community to meet these needs. 



Support in this category will encompass more than research projects. The 

 legislation intended support for symposia and conferences, for the develop- 

 ment of innovative educational curricula and for new programs needed for 

 training of critical or specialized technological skills. 



Thus, the Sea Grant legislation provides for grants and contracts to pub- 

 lic or private institutions of higher education, institutes, or laboratories — 

 for education, applied research and information transfer aimed at marine 

 resource development. Matching funds equal to one half the Federal grant 



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