Go to NPRB
Go to NSF

at a glance

bering sea project at a glance

This program summary (updated January 2010) provides a sense of its scope, focus, and partner communities, as well as education, outreach, and communication efforts.

Download (PDF) or contact us for a hard copy.

Program Overview

What is this program?

NSF's BEST program is the Bering Ecosystem STudy, a multi-year (2007-2010) project funded by the National Science Foundation.

NPRB's program, BSIERP, is the Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (2008-2012), funded by the North Pacific Research Board.

The overlapping goals of the these projects led to a partnership that brings together some $52 million worth of ecosystem research over six years, including important contributions by NOAA and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

From 2007 to 2012, NPRB, NSF, and project partners are combining talented scientists and resources for three years of field research on the eastern Bering Sea Shelf, followed by two more years for analysis and reporting.

Who is involved?

Approximately 100 federal, state and university scientists are studying everything from atmospheric forcing and physical oceanography through humans and communities, including the attendant economic and social impacts of a changing ecosystem. Learn more

Governance

Science Advisory Board

Go to SAB Workspace
(password protected)

The Science Advisory Board (SAB) meets regularly and provides scientific leadership, encouragement and oversight in program integration, data exchange and synthesis, and for providing scientific input to the respective program offices, as well as dispute resolution.

Any recommendations for program revisions made by the SAB are given to the NPRB and NSF program officers, who meet following the annual review meetings to assess the program and take action as appropriate.

In April 2009, the three initial one-year SAB terms ended and we held an election for the one open BEST seat and two open BSIERP seats. Mike Lomas and Jeff Napp were elected, and Phyllis Stabeno was re-elected.  Thanks to Kerim Aydin and Rolf Gradinger for all of their hard work as SAB members during 2008!   In April 2010, seats held by Carin Ashjian, Mike Sigler, and Rodger Harvey became open; Carin, Mike, and Rodger were all re-nominated for those seats and no other nominations were received, rendering an election unneccessary.  In April 2011, seats held by Mike Lomas, Jeff Napp, and Phyllis Stabeno became open; again all three were willing to serve another term and were re-nominated, with no election neccessary.

Current SAB members:

The Bering Sea Project “Advisory Group”

One of the most exciting aspects of the groundbreaking, six-year Bering Sea Project is the partnership between two major ocean research projects -- the BEST and BSIERP programs.  The integration of such a large group of scientists in the two different research programs is no small task and is the ultimate responsibility of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).  To assist the SAB, an external group of individuals (not funded as part of the BEST or BSIERP programs) provides advice to the SAB and reports back to NPRB’s Board on the progress of the overall integration and synthesis of the Bering Sea Project.

This “Advisory Group” consists of three NPRB Science Panel members (Vera Alexander, Seth Macinko [chair], one vacant seat), two NPRB Advisory Panel members (Helen Chythlook and Vera Metcalf), and one Ecosystem Modeling Committee member (Dan Goodman).  George Hunt is currently part of the group as an ad-hoc member while the third Science Panel seat remains vacant.  These individuals attend PI meetings as observers and bring diverse perspectives from both scientific and local communities to the SAB’s managerial efforts.  The Advisory Group’s work provides integral help to the Board in ensuring that the ultimate goals set forth by the combined BEST-BSIERP program will be met.  View the Advisory Group's Terms of Reference.

Project Management Plan

The BSIERP-BEST Project Managment Plan identifies the responsibilities and intentions of each organization regarding key program elements.

Requirements and responsibilities

The Plan has been signed by all investigators participating in BEST-BSIERP (hard-copy signatures are on file at the NPRB offices). It outlines participant responsibilities in 10 major areas:

  1. Project leadership and program responsibilities | See also Science Advisory Board
  2. Meeting and activity schedules
  3. Field season planning
  4. Communications among field programs and with modelers
  5. Data sharing protocols
  6. Education and outreach
  7. Coordination with other programs
  8. Annual reviews and progress reports
  9. Reporting and synthesis of results
  10. Dispute resolution science advisory board individual principal investigators ecosystem modeling committee data management community advisory bodies education and outreach