A Partnership for Modeling the Marine Environment of Puget Sound, Washington

Abstract : In 2002 National Oceanographic Partnership Program funded a partnership of a university, federal, state and local government agencies, and a private non-profit corporation who share a common interest and concern about a body of water -- Puget Sound, Washington. Designated as the Puget Sound Marine Environmental Modeling (PSMEM) partnership, the objectives of the partnership were to conduct scientific research aimed at developing fundamental understanding of the Sound's working, as well as addressing practical questions raised by the regional community concerning management of the Sound and its resources. The partnership is a new kind of collaborative effort between academia, government and a private nonprofit organization -- one that capitalizes on existing strength of each and respects the different mandate that each organization carries.