Oregon State University has received funding for a new class of research vessel for the U.S. Academic Fleet. The $122 million grant from the National Science Foundation is the largest in the university’s history.
OSU will spearhead construction of the first of three research ships- which will explore the ocean off the west coast. Project scientist Claire Reimers says the OSU vessel will enable researchers to better understand what’s happening off shore.
"Where we see earthquakes, earthquakes that lead to tsunamis, it’s an area for resource extraction." Reimers says, "And it’s undergoing a lot of change due to climate change. So there’s a lot to keep track of and to try to understand.”
The OSU vessel will be built at a Louisiana shipyard. It will have advanced equipment to help scientists better understand rising sea levels, ocean acidification, declining fisheries and other issues. The OSU vessel is expected to be operational in 2021. Two other vessels will be built to research the U.S. east and gulf coasts.
