Coral Reef Research Facility Opens in Florida
The new center is the only facility in the country completely dedicated to the ecosystem science of coral reefs.
The new Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research at Nova Southeastern University in Hollywood, Fla. was dedicated Oct. 4 by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, under secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The new research center is the only facility in the country completely dedicated to the ecosystem science of coral reefs.
The ceremony was attended by state and local officials including former Vice President Al Gore, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Senior Science Advisor to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Dr. Paul Sandifer. During the celebration, guests were offered a media tour and a snorkel visit to one of the coral nurseries.
NIST funded the new facility with a $15 million grant under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which supports the addition of new scientific research facilities across the country.