As Vermont’s climate becomes warmer and wetter, and in the wake of extreme weather events like Tropical Storm Irene, elected officials and policy-makers are increasingly asking for predictive tools to inform policy and land-use decisions.
At a press conference held Oct. 7 at the University of Vermont, U.S. Senator Patrick J. Leahy joined UVM president John Bramley to announce a new grant from the National Science Foundation to Vermont EPSCoR that will bring innovative, cutting-edge research to decision-makers, placing Vermont at the forefront of states focused on skillful, informed public policy creation and judgments in a changing world.
The $20 million competitive grant, the largest in UVM history, centers on the Lake Champlain Basin and brings together Vermont higher education institutions, state agencies, non-profit groups and the private sector through Vermont EPSCoR, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
The project will be undertaken by a diverse group of scientists and stakeholders working together with Vermont EPSCoR, directed by Judith Van Houten, University Distinguished Professor of biology at the University of Vermont, and co-directed by Kelvin Chu, professor of physics at UVM. In addition to UVM, the lead partner on the grant, other partner institutions include Johnson State College, Middlebury College, Saint Michael’s College and the Community College of Vermont. Also participating in the project will be key stakeholders, including the Lake Champlain Basin Program, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and the Nature Conservancy.
“The research is designed to take into account the many factors that affect the lake such as the land use, streams and rivers of its watershed and the dynamics of the lake itself,” said Van Houten. “Ultimately these many factors contribute to algal bloom, fish die-offs, and other changes in the lake. We wish to bring a holistic view to the Lake Champlain Basin, the lake and its watersheds, and through modeling provide tools to predict outcomes for the basin.”
Data gathered on both lake processes and human impacts
Over the course of the five-year grant, interdisciplinary teams of scientists will use monitoring devices to gather data on the chemical, physical, geological and biological processes in the lake. In winter, the monitoring will be done under the ice.
Scientists will continually collect and analyze these data and, in an iterative fashion, fine tune models that will be useful to test scenarios for policy makers in the Lake Champlain Basin.
The research teams, which will include social scientists, will also conduct extensive surveys of lake users and landowners in the basin to gather data on external factors impacting the lake. They will also survey public officials to understand how decisions affecting lake health are made. This information will be used to model the importance and consequences of those decisions.
“This project builds on existing data and aims to gather new information through scenario testing and sensors placed in the lake to help predict and better understand how the watersheds and the in-lake processes interact to affect the health of the lake,” said Van Houten. “We are very fortunate to have the level of expertise and track record of success the assembled team has to move forward with this important work.”
Scenario testing will make valuable contribution
Once the information from all the sources is gathered, a cutting edge, overarching modeling platform will be developed through which a variety of decision-making scenarios can be tested.
“The scenario-testing feature of the project is one of its most valuable features,” said Chu. “If we want to know the impact of wider roads, zoning mandating smaller lawns, pesticide control or new targets for total nutrient loading in agriculture, those data can be fed into the model, and their outcome can be determined in advance of any action. That sort of advanced capability will not be available anywhere but in Vermont.”
NSF awarded the grant to Vermont EPSCoR partly because both natural and social scientists working on the project will utilize complex systems approaches in creating their predictive models. An earlier NSF grant to Vermont EPSCoR focused on using complex systems – a branch of science that uses sophisticated mathematics to analyze the emerging interactions and patterns within a system – to understand the interaction of pollution from the watershed with the dynamics of Lake Champlain.
"The federal government is investing in research here in Vermont with the hopes that the research translates into practical solutions to protect and restore Lake Champlain and the Lake Champlain Basin," said Senator Leahy. "The EPSCoR program stimulates research not only at the university, but also in innovative businesses across the state and at partner institutions, like my alma mater, Saint Michael's College."
“We’re thrilled that Vermont EPSCoR has received this important grant enabling Vermont policy makers to use advanced tools to ensure that the Lake Champlain Basin remains healthy now and in the future,” said A. John Bramley, interim president of the University of Vermont.
“Vermont EPSCoR is one of the best examples of higher education, government and the private sector working together to support research and to stimulate students to work in the fields of science, mathematics and engineering. This is the future of our economy,” said John Evans, president of the Vermont Technology Council, the statewide board for Vermont EPSCoR.
Workforce development a key part of grant
A key element of the grant will be the work performed by the Vermont EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development and Diversity, which will offer research opportunities to all Vermont high schools, middle school teachers, college faculty and undergraduate students interested in working on the project. New scholarships will be available to Abenaki students, first-generation college entrants, students with disabilities and veterans who are seeking science, technology, engineering or mathematics majors. Economically disadvantaged children will attend the Governor’s Institutes with CWDD support. Small businesses will also be able to participate through internships and funding from the Small Business Innovation Research Phase program and the Innovation Fund.
The Emmy-award winning television series, Emerging Science, produced in partnership with Vermont Public Television will air 20 episodes and multiple web casts for viewers to stay in touch with the progress of the study and learn about Vermont advances in high technology, engineering and mathematics. Corresponding curriculum guides are developed in cooperation with the Vermont Department of Education for all high schools in Vermont.
For further information about the Vermont EPSCoR program, visit www.uvm.edu/EPSCoR.