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BIDDEFORD, Maine

UNE joins the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit Network

The University of New England has become a partner of the North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystems Study Unit (CESU) Network.

The North Atlantic Coast CESU is part of a national network of biogeographic programs being established to provide research, technical assistance and education to federal land management, environmental and research agencies.

Under this agreement, UNE will work on marine/coastal issues of direct interest to New England and the Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, and Department of the Army.

The University will also develop cooperative programs with 12 marine universities and centers, namely, Stony Brook University, Rutgers University, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts, the Maryland Coastal Bays Program, the University of Maine, City University of New York, the College of the Atlantic, the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Columbia University, the University of Rhode Island, and Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass.

"Our selection as a formal member of the CESU allows federal natural resource agencies to contact us directly with their needs in our bioregion, and then funnel funds directly to support UNE scientists to work on priority coastal/marine issues with federal and university partner institutions," said Barry A. Costa-Pierce, Ph.D. FAAAS, UNE Henry L. & Grace Doherty Professor and chair of marine sciences.  "Plus, it opens many opportunities for UNE professionals to develop partnerships with the many university/institutes in the new network."

The North Atlantic Coast Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit was established in June 1999 by a cooperative agreement between agencies of the Department of the Interior (National Park Service and USGS Biological Resources Division) and the University of Rhode Island, with its partner institution, University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

The objectives of the North Atlantic CESU are to:

  • Provide research, technical assistance and education to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies, and their potential partners;
  • Develop a program of research, technical assistance and education that involves the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences needed to address resource issues and interdisciplinary problem-solving at multiple scales, and in an ecosystem context at the local, regional, and national levels; and
  • Place special emphasis on the working collaboration among federal agencies and universities and their related partner institutions.

The CESUs generate collaborations among federal managers and policy-makers, federal researchers and the academic community. Each partner contributes a different perspective and wealth of technical knowledge allowing for the development of new, innovative and creative solutions to the myriad of environmental and social issues that confront our nation's ecosystems. Host universities are selected by a highly competitive process insuring that each CESU is founded on scientific excellence.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.