ABOUT THE CITIZEN MONITORING PROGRAM (con't)

One of the unique features of the Citizen Monitoring Program is its close association with the University of Delaware Sea Grant Program, which provides a direct link to university outreach and research staff and the facilities at a highly regarded marine research institution.

The Citizen Monitoring Program provides a wonderful opportunity to leverage limited outreach and research dollars by creating partnerships that truly benefit all partners.

The program also benefits from its close tie to the College of Marine and Earth Studies. The College provides the Citizen Monitoring Program with its own laboratory space and access to analytic tools including an autoanalyzer to measure nutrients, spectrophotometer for chlorophyll measurements, microscopes and all the other amenities available at a leading marine research institution. We have close working relationships with College faculty, lab coordinators, research associates and students who, despite their own commitments, are regularly willing to lend a hand. College faculty staff and students provide seminars at our Quality Assurance Workshops to share research results on related topics.

The College benefits as well. Since the primary purpose of the graduate program is to develop well- rounded marine research scientists, educators and managers, the opportunity to be involved with the Citizen Monitoring Program has enriched graduate student education and experience.

The Citizen Monitoring Program is all about connections. In these days of belt-tightening, none of our institutions have the resources to do it alone, yet we all have unique talents, resources, and niches. Working together, we have been able to accomplish much more than we could by working alone. Our relationship with the College of Marine and Earth Studies, the Sea Grant Program, DNREC, the Center for the Inland Bays and others have benefited all institutions, but perhaps most importantly, have benefited the citizens of Delaware