What is Ohio Sea Grant?

The Ohio Sea Grant College Program uses research, education, and outreach efforts to enhance use and improve management of this nation's ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. Ohio Sea Grant College Program, a statewide program based at The Ohio State University, funds Education, Research, Extension, and Communication activities, in multiple disciplines, to enhance the use, development, and wise management of our Great Lakes and coastal resources. Two programs affiliated with Ohio Sea Grant are Franz Theodore Stone Laboratory and the Great Lakes Aquatic Ecosystem Research Consortium. Critical environmental and resource issues affecting the Great Lakes are addressed by faculty, staff, and students supported by the Ohio Sea Grant College Program. Ohio Sea Grant is one of 32 State programs in the National Sea Grant College Program in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Research

Ohio Sea Grant identifies and prioritizes research issues with input from state and federal agencies, top scientists in the state, and through its extension specialists and their private sector advisory committees. This private sector input assures that the program will remain focused on real-world issues. Research preproposals are solicited from every college and university in the state. Using a competitive review process, Ohio Sea Grant has awarded grants to investigators at 15 Ohio universities, and annually supports approximately 40 graduate students.

Education

The Ohio Sea Grant Education Program is considered one of the best in the country. The program has focused on the development of curriculum materials to enhance the quality of science education, the infusion of these materials into the classroom, and teacher training. Materials developed emphasize real-world issues including the impact of global climate change on the region.

Outreach

The Ohio Sea Grant Extension and Communication Programs, with six extension specialists (located in Toledo, Port Clinton, Put-in-Bay, Elyria, Cleveland, and Painesville) and a small but outstanding communications staff, give Ohio Sea Grant its contact with the private sector and the general public. Each year thousands of technical reports, bulletins, guides, posters, fact sheets, news releases, brochures, and fliers are prepared and distributed. Each specialist has also developed a local volunteer advisory committee (Ohio's are considered the best in the country) to identify and prioritize issues and to help in the planning and completion of projects.