Ohio Colleges and Universities Invited to Submit Pre-Proposals for Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative

Sea Grant researcher Justin Chaffin in his lab.

COLUMBUS – Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University, and The University of Toledo are requesting pre-proposals for one- to two-year research projects from Ohio colleges and universities as part of the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative (HABRI).

Pre-proposals must be submitted online by Thursday, February 18, 2021, at 5 p.m. EST.
 
The funding focuses on agency priorities aimed at reducing nutrient loading to Lake Erie via wetland design, identifying agricultural management practices that are both efficient and cost-effective, learning about algal toxin formation and human health impacts, and informing water treatment technologies.

Addressing these priorities will help support agencies’ management decisions and Governor Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio Initiative. Specific detailed priorities can be found online at go.osu.edu/habripriorities. Approximately $3.8 million is available for this grant competition, likely funding 15-20 projects.

The application and use of research results, as well as their societal and economic impacts, are important considerations for this funding opportunity. Successful proposals must include research and/or development in support of Ohio industry, commerce and business (e.g., water treatment plants, agricultural producers, healthcare providers, etc.). Further, collaboration among university researchers in Ohio, industry, and state agencies is strongly encouraged.

Research priorities detailed in the submission guidelines are a result of consultation with key agency personnel that are working on harmful algal bloom related issues: Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the Ohio Lake Erie Commission.

“The Harmful Algal Bloom Research Initiative demonstrates how successful we can be when our colleges and universities collaborate to tackle real issues facing Ohioans,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner. “It is encouraging to see our higher education institutions working together with state and local partners to provide answers to critical operational and policy questions so state agencies can protect the public and keep Ohio waters clean through these research projects.”

Visit ohioseagrant.osu.edu/research/funding for proposal guidelines, required forms, and to submit your documents.

If invited to submit a full proposal, that deadline will be 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, 2021 via the same submission process.

Information about HABRI projects, partner organizations, and background on the initiative is available on the Ohio Sea Grant website at go.osu.edu/habri. HABRI is overseen by The Ohio State University and The University of Toledo, with Ohio Sea Grant providing proposal coordination and ongoing project management.

 The Ohio Sea Grant College Program is part of The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and NOAA Sea Grant, a network of 34 Sea Grant programs dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources. For more information, visit ohioseagrant.osu.edu.

 

Writer(s): 
CFAES News Team
614-292-2270
For more information, contact: 

Kristen Fussell
fussell.10@osu.edu
614-292-8949