OASLC-Funded Research and Education Projects

Since 2004, the Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center has provided over $4,800,000 in direct financial support to research and education projects in Alaska's eleven coastal parks.

View a complete list of funded projects since 2004, organized by FY cycle, below.

2022-2024

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Building bridges, connecting landscapes climate change youth internship program Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve $26,000
Indigenous voices and traditional ecological knowledge Kenai Fjords National Park $58,351
Where the land meets the sea Lake Clark National Park & Preserve $30,631
National Wetlands Inventory support All Coastal Parks $10,000
Support for seabird mortality and marine debris surveys on Katmai coast Katmai National Park & Preserve, Aniakchak Natl. Monument & Preserve $11,401
SCA interns (Media and Education) for FY24 All Coastal Parks $34,855
SeeBird: High school citizen scientists monitor seabirds (Alaska SeaLife Center/Seward High School) Kenai Fjords National Park & Preserve $27,703
Floating teacher workshop (Alaska Geographic/OASLC) Kenai Fjords National Park & Preserve and Coastal Communities $60,000
Threatened coastal archeological sites Bering Land Bridge National Preserve $11,539
Targeted archaeological survey of topographical anomalies in Chinitna Bay and Shelter Creek Lake Clark National Park & Preserve $11,993
Mysids in coastal Arctic lagoons Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve $46,204

2021

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Where the land meets the sea: A case study of bear use of intertidal invertebrates during a period of sea otter recovery Lake Clark National Park & Preserve $177,014
SeeBird: High school citizen scientists monitor seabirds Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska SeaLife Center $31,894
Determination of significance of threatened coastal archeological sites Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Western Arctic National Parklands $91,584

2019-2020

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Citizen science for cluing into the health of Alaska’s coastal parks: Engaging local communities in tracking seabird mortality Sitka National Historic Park, Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument $53,557
Bringing the outside in: Using controlled studies to inform results from coastal monitoring in national parks Katmai National Park & Preserve, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve $97,751
Using stress and stable isotope signatures to infer environmental conditions linked to the unprecedented die-off of common murres wintering in national park waters Kenai Fjords National Park, Katmai National Park & Preserve, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument $122,391

2017-2018

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Changing Tides virtual field trip Katmai National Park & Preserve, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve, Alaska SeaLife Center $47,000
Paleo- Sea level and glacier extent as related to human occupation of outer coast of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve $36,070
Near-term biological consequences of ocean acidification in Arctic coastal parks Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve $95,000
Climate change impacts on access to coastal resources by subsistence harvesters in Arctic National Parks: Implications for NPS management Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve $68,913
Observing climate change in Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve $67,851

2016

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Collaborative investigation of the October 2015 Icy Bay landslide and tsunami Wrangell-St. Elias Park & Preserve $28,950
Developing standards of care for cruise tourism in the Bering Strait Region Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve $84,710
Obtain digital surface models and aerial orthophotos along Lake Clark National Park & Preserve and Katmai National Park & Preserve coast in Cook Inlet and Kamishak Bay Katmai National Park & Preserve, Lake Clark National Park & Preserve $50,000
Assessing the influence of cruise ships on harbor seal activity budgets in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve, Alaska Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve $17,000

2015

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Reconnecting to Homeland and Sharing Yakutat Tlingit Traditional Knowledge about Coastal and Marine Resources Wrangell-St. Elias Park and Preserve $14,830
Interpreting Western Arctic Coastal Science in the Digital Age Western Arctic Parks $39,330
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Sockeye Outreach Lake Clark National Park and Preserve $800
Coastal Subsistence Lifestyle Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park $5,000
Arctic Impressions: A Photo Book and Exhibit Alaska Regional Office $4,000
Shared Interpretive Park Ranger Position with OASLC Lake Clark National Park and Preserve $38,000
Understanding the Primary Production Foundation of Glacier Bay’s Marine Food Web: Phase 1 (internal waves) Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve $14,310
Collaboration with University of Alaska Southeast and ESRI to Increase Humpback Whale Data Accessibility Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve $10,000
Breeding and Foraging Ecology of Coastal Raptors in Alaska Kenai Fjords National Park $5,000
Determining genetic relatedness among KEFJ coho salmon Kenai Fjords National Park $15,000
Wrangell-St. Elias Coastal Atlas Project Wrangell-St. Elias Park and Preserve $2,320

2014

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Changing Tides - The convergence of intertidal invertebrates, bears, and people Alaska Regional Office $880,000
Study the Effects of Vessel Traffic on Marine Mammal Vocalizations in Glacier Bay Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve $320,000
Remove marine debris from five parks and involve schools and local communities Kenai Fjords National Park $229,000
Rescue & Protect Irreplaceable Archeological Sites on Eroding Coasts at Two Parks Kenai Fjords National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve $281,000
Estimating the natural range of abundance of pink salmon in the Indian River Sitka National Historical Park $149,000
Assess Kotzebue Sound Whitefish Ecology and Seasonal Dynamics Western Arctic National Parklands $365,000
Population status and spatial distribution of breeding and post-breeding waterbirds Western Arctic National Parklands $208,500
Community Integrated Coastal Incident Preparedness Western Arctic National Parklands $250,000

2013

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
8th Annual Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance Watershed and Beach Cleanup Series-2012 Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance $7,400
Mentoring Ocean Connections 2: A Growing Cohort Alaska SeaLife Center $15,000
Estimate Coho Salmon Escapement at Silver Salmon Creek Lake Clark National Park $11,015
Nearshore Ecology of Juvenile Salmon in Katmai National Park Katmai National Park and the Southwest Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program $15,400
Monitoring Ocean Acidification in Southwest Alaska Alaska Regional Office $18,000
Determining Seasonal Arctic Lagoon Biophysical Dynamics Bering Land Bridge and Western Arctic Parklands $30,000

2012

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Monitoring Beluga Whales in Yakutat Bay and the Waters of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park City and Borough of Yakutat $9,900
Determination of Standards of Resource and Visitor Experience Conditions to Protect Sensitive Coastal Resources in Kenai Fjords National Park Utah State University $7,427
Foraging Ecology of Black Oystercatchers in Alaska: Then and Now University of Alaska, Anchorage $9,994
8th Annual Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance Watershed and Beach Cleanup Series-2012 Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance $7,400
Evaluation of Ashy Storm Petrels at Bird Rock, Point Reyes National Seashore California Institute of Environmental Studies $9,974
Development of a Long-Term Monitoring Protocol for Bald Eagles Nesting in Kenai Fjords National Park Kenai Fjords National Park $9,000
Marine Protected Area Education Resources Development Channel Islands National Park $6,000
Whales in Kodiak: Connecting Science and History Baranov Museum $9,525
Mentoring Ocean Connections Alaska SeaLife Center $10,000

2011

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Measuring Change in Estuarine Acidification and
Consequences for Native Olympia Oysters
Point Reyes National Seashore $9,988
Estimating Coho Salmon Escapement and Harvest Lake Clark National Park $9,775
Mapping Social Values of Marine Wildlife Alaska SeaLife Center $9,570
Ocean and Climate Change (Teacher to Ranger to Teacher Program) Wrangell-St. Elias National Park $9,200
Provide Publicly Available Weather Data for Aialik Bay Kenai Fjords National Park $10,000

2010

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Seabirds and Rats: An Interpretive Exhibit Alaska SeaLife Center $9,988
Host a Cruise Ship Science Meeting to Determine Criteria and Impacts to Marine Resources in Glacier Bay Glacier Bay National Park $10,000
Seward Storm Drain Stenciling Project Resurrection Bay Conservation Alliance $3,845
Marine Observational Surveys in the Kenai Alaska SeaLife Center $9,998
Time Lapse Photography of Coastal Resources Kenai Fjords and Lake Clark National Parks $5,278
Prey Availability and Seabird Productivity: Missing Links in the Kenai Fjords Ecosystem Alaska SeaLife Center $9,996
Identifying Local Whales: Public Education and Enhancement of the Viewing Experience North Gulf Oceanic Society $1,850
Identifying Indicators of Visitor Experience and Resource Conditions to Protect Sensitive Coastal Resources in Kenai Fjords National Park Kenai Fjords National Park $9,804
Updating the Resource Guide for Coastal Backcountry Users in Kenai Fjords National Park Kenai Fjords National Park $4,300
Winter and Nest Distribution of Black Oystercatchers along Coastal Waters near the Yakutat Ranger District The Wildlifers $10,000

2009

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Resource Allocation in Sugar Kelp University of Alaska, Fairbanks $9,988
Archaeological Survey of the Southern Coast of Adak Island University of Alaska, Anchorage $9,750
Increase Technical Capacity to Conduct Coastal Campsite Impact Assessments Kenai Fjords National Park $3,631
Seward Monofilament Line Collection Project Resurrection Bay
Conservation Alliance
$5,900
Monitoring for Invasive Species at the Gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park Alaska SeaLife Center $9,974
Collect and Analyze Sediment Samples for Geomorphic Timeline on the Coast of Lake Clark National Park Lake Clark National Park $9,830
Using Fatty Acids to Infer Diets of Threatened Spectacled Eiders in Alaska Alaska SeaLife Center $10,000
Purchase Glacier Mass Balance Monitoring Supplies Kenai Fjords National Park $10,000
Cetacean Sighting Network North Gulf Oceanic Society $1,435

2008

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Seward Elementary School's Plankton Comparison Study between Resurrection Bay and Kachemak Bay Kenai Peninsula Borough
School District
$4,100
Enhancing Stewardship of Marine and Coastal Resources through Ocean-Based Community Education Programs Prince William Sound Science Center $8,500
Evaluating Nutrient Acquisition and Allocation in Captive Breeding Spectacled Eiders using Stable Isotope Analyses Alaska SeaLife Center $9,985
Understanding the Impacts of Cruise Ships to
Coastal Ecosystems and Communities: A Seminar Series
Glacier Bay National Park $10,000
Observance without Disturbance Alaska SeaLife Center $9,987
Protecting Sensitive Coastal Resources from Backcountry Visitor Impacts Kenai Fjords National Park $8,955
Digitization of Video Archive from Aialik Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park Alaska SeaLife Center $9,665
Resource Allocation in Sugar Kelp Under Varying
Environmental Conditions in Kachemak Bay, Alaska
University of Alaska, Fairbanks $7,872
Workshop to Identify Harding Icefield Research and Management Priorities Kenai Fjords National Park $10,000
Monitoring Trends in a Declining Harbor Seal
Population in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park $10,000

2007

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Alaska Park Science Journal Alaska Regional Office $25,000
The Sea Train: Coastal Education in Motion Alaska SeaLife Center $9,531
Characterization of Viral Immune Response in Alaska's Sea Ducks Alaska SeaLife Center $6,548
Evaluating Nutrient Acquisition and Allocation in Captive Breeding Spectacled Eiders using Stable Isotope Analyses Alaska SeaLife Center $6,923
Seward Area Coastal Observation and Seabird Team Science Program Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team $1,000
Best Practices in Marine Wildlife Viewing University of Alaska, Fairbanks $9,990
Connecting Youth of Upper Copper River Watershed with the Coastal Marine Ecosystem through the Copper River and the Copper River Delta through firsthand experience Wrangell-St. Elias National Park/Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment $10,000
Invasive Plant Control in Coastal Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Glacier Bay National Park $10,000
Comparing Primary Vegetation Succession in Two Recently Deglaciated Environments: Identifying Differences in Successional Pathways in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and Kenai Fjords National Park United States
Geological Survey
$10,000
Seward Elementary School's Plankton Comparison Study between Resurrection Bay and Kachemak Bay Kenai Peninsula Borough School District $4,015
Understanding Successional Dynamics in Streams in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Glacier Bay National Park $6,000
Assessing Containment Loads and Health Status in a Declining Harbor Seal Population in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Glacier Bay National Park $9,800
Opening Our Ears to Underwater Sound in Glacier Bay to Protect Marine Mammals Glacier Bay National Park $18,000
Facilitating Remote Bear Viewing at the Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska Lake Clark National Park $7,200
Reprint Alaska Region Bear Safety Brochure for Visitors and Resource Protection Kenai Fjords National Park $10,000

2006

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Arranged for Change in the Educational Display and Coastal Implications of Climate Change National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Alaska Regional Office $8,784
Efficacy of Temporary Electric Fencing to Deter Brown Bears Alaska Regional Office $7,860
Facilitating Remote Bear Viewing at Pratt Museum in Homer, Alaska Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks $9,750
Documenting Tlinglit Traditional Ecological Knowledge of Coastal Areas Wrangell-St. Elias National Park $9,990
Short and Long Term Coastal Erosion, Arctic Network Inventory and Monitoring Program Antioch New England Graduate School $10,000
Outreach Kayakers in Marine Mammal Protection and Bear Safety Kenai Fjords National Park $1,750
Silver Salmon Creek Coho Population and Harvest Estimates Lake Clark National Park $10,000
Is the Declining Population of Kittlitz's Murrelets Experiencing Low Productivity United States Geographical Survey $9,689
Alaska Sea Kayaking Symposium Wrangell-St. Elias National Park $2,500
Educating Public about Wild Birds and Coastal Habitat Bird Treatment and Learning Center $8,012
Determining Visitor Bear Use Patterns in Geographic Harbor Katmai National Park $9,975
Multimedia Glacial Change Landscape Evolution Website United States Geological Survey $5,000
Identifying Critical Foraging Habitat of a
Declining Harbor Seal Population
Glacier Bay National Park $9,900
Opening our Ears to Underwater Sound in Glacier Bay to Protect Marine Mammals Glacier Bay National Park $25,000

2005

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Complete Digital Coastwalking Glacier Bay National Park, Klondike Gold Rush and Sitka National Historical Park $1,900
Backcountry Human Waste Management Kenai Fjords National Park $10,000
Current Research Coastal River Otters Kenai Fjords National Park $9,750
Designing Monitoring Protocol for Kittlitz's Murrelets Wrangell-St. Elias National Park $4,550
From the River to Classroom to the Sea and Back Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment $10,000
Hubbard Glacier Closing University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park $9,813
Incorporating Coastal Marine Science in National Park Service, Alaska Alaska Regional Office $5,000
In the Wake: Footsteps of Grant and Higgins Kenai Fjords National Park $9,991
Land/Water Appreciation Lectures, Shishmaref Shishmaref Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) Council $4,953
Obtain Baseline East Alsek Water Quality Glacier Bay National Park $10,000
Quantifying Coastal Vegetative Succession United States Geological Survey
and Glacier Bay National Park
$10,000
Tikigaq Townsite Re-visited: Point Hope Native Village of Point Hope
Indian Reorganization Act (IRA)
$10,000
Vessel Grounding Training Glacier Bay National Park $6,400
Yakutat Beluga Whales Traditional Ecological Knowledge Yakutat Salmon Board $7,000

2004

PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION AMOUNT
Identifying Habitat Use by a Declining Harbor Seal in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Glacier Bay National Park $7,000
The Life of a Glacier: An Exhibit Kenai Fjords National Park $8,000
Improvement of Research Collections for Coastal Archaeological Studies Alaska Consortium of Zooarchaeologists $6,000
Shishmaref Subsistence Area Clean Up Shishmaref Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) Council $8,548
Cruise Ship Sound Measurements Enable Marine Mammal Protection in Alaska Coastal Waters Glacier Bay National Park $7,000
Digital Coastwalking at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Klondike Gold Rush and Sitka National Historical Parks: Limited Seasonal Technician Support for Completion of Coastal Resources Inventory and Mapping Databases Southeast Alaska Network Inventory and Monitoring Program $4,176
Marine Education in Coastal Villages Western Arctic National Parklands $7,190
Partners for Leave No Trace Kenai Fjords National Park $5,092
Establishing Monitoring Protocol for Western Toads in Southeast Alaska National Parks: Documenting Regional Distribution and Habitat Occupancy, Baselines for Detection for Future Changes Southeast Alaska Network
Inventory and Monitoring Program
$9,993

Last updated: April 19, 2024