[SEMCO] RFP: Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute

[Sheri Derosa]

Hello. I am writing to notify you of an open Request for Proposals from
the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI), a collaboration
between the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission  and Rutgers University
Center for Information Management, Integration and Connectivity
(CIMIC).  I  invite you and your colleagues to submit a proposal to our
competitive Research Grant Program.

MERI conducts and sponsor research in ecology, environmental science and
information technology relevant to the Hackensack Meadowlands in
Northeast New Jersey.   The program funds about $300,000 per year with
most grants in the range of $25,000 to $75,000 per year. The full
Request for Proposals is attached, available on our website
(http://cimic.rutgers.edu/meri) and summarized below.  The next round of
proposal review begins October 1.

In addition to formally funded projects, faculty are also invited to
take advantage of MERI's facilities to conduct education and research in
the Meadowlands. Facilities include office space, chemical and
biological laboratories, a geographic information systems laboratory, a
library, field research sites and a planned experiment station.

Finally, I ask that you please distribute this announcement to
interested colleagues. Thanks for your time and I invite you to me if
you'd like to discuss anything about MERI or a potential proposal.

Regards,
Dr. Kirk R. Barrett, P. E., P.W.S.
Research Assistant Professor and Research Director
Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute (MERI)
Rutgers University CIMIC
180 University Avenue, Room 200L
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Telephone 973-353-5026 Fax 973-353-5808
Email: kbarrett@cimic.rutgers.edu Web: http://cimic.rutgers.edu/meri

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MERI Request for Proposals -- Summary
full RFP available online at
http://cimic.rutgers.edu/meri/request_for_proposals.htm
Proposal submission deadlines are the 1st of February, April, June,
August, October and December of each year.
The Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute sponsors environmental
research of significance to the Hackensack Meadowlands District in
northeastern New Jersey. Just a few miles from Manhattan, the
Meadowlands District is a complex and ecologically important area
comprising much of the Hackensack River estuary; wetlands and
waterbodies comprise about 40% of the District’s 32 square miles. A long
history of municipal and industrial waste discharge before the New
Jersey Meadowlands Commission assumed land use regulation has left a
legacy of abandoned landfills, degraded landscapes and contaminated land
and sediment. Today, as the ecosystem continues its recovery, the
Meadowlands supports abundant fish and wildlife communities.

Researchers are invited to submit short proposals for research projects;
proposed research must be relevant and significant to the Meadowlands.
Proposals will be first reviewed for significance and relevance.
Proposals acceptable on those grounds will undergo scientific peer
review. An additional, more detailed proposal or supplemental material
may be requested in some circumstances.

Problem-oriented research with a strong field or MERI-lab presence is
preferred. Chemical analyses are encouraged (and may be required) to be
performed in the HMDC environmental laboratory, if the capability exists
there. (Researchers and students may work in the lab.) Contact MERI to
learn about the lab's analytical and workload capabilities.

We will typically fund salary for principal investigator,
project-related travel, equipment, supplies and students (usually
part-time, with a few full-time research assistantships including
stipend and tuition). Student stipends should be conform to standard
guidelines set by the student's institution. All durable equipment will
revert to MERI's control after completion of the project. MERI does not
pay overhead costs, also known as facilities & administrative costs.

MERI will support projects by a variety of mechanisms: 1. Matching
funds; 2. Seed money; 3. Direct, full funding; 4. Non-monetary support
(e. g., office space, lab space, chemical analyses, access to sites,
boat transportation, use of sampling equipment, data processing
support); 5. Coordination of collaborative, multi-disciplinary
proposals.

For more information visit the MERI web site
(http://cimic.rutgers.edu/meri) or contact Dr. Kirk R. Barrett, Research
Director, at 973-353-5026 or kbarrett@cimic.rutgers.edu.

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