INSPIRES Annual Reports

Cover for Yr 3 Annual ReportYear 3 (report pdf)

Key Achievements

    • The primary goals for Year 3 were to continue visiting field research sites, strategically  deploying wireless sensors for climate data acquisition across the four jurisdictions, targeting remote sensing acquisitions, completing ecological model parameterization and
      calibration for predicting regional forest dynamics, and refining mentoring and student participation. Project leaders continue to directly engage stakeholders and project partners to gain input and feedback on research objectives, to identify opportunities for leveraging existing long-term data collections, and to develop collaborative relationships around the four INSPIRES research themes.
    • In addition, an  important focus of Year 3 was strategically evaluating project sustainability efforts and assessing key project wrap-up needs, particularly potential synthesis outcomes. This was mostly centered around focused efforts on synthesis publications, future proposals, and stakeholder engagement.
    • The INSPIRES team began a strategic partnership with the Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University (AAMU), an Historically Black College and University (HBCU). AAMU’s long-term research field site at Paint Rock will be a key focal area of collaboration and leverage numerous ongoing INSPIRES efforts and has already led to a new  collaborative proposal submitted to NSF.
    • In Year 3 (through May 2022), 8 research proposals requesting $23,733,100 were submitted with 2
      awarded ($818,197) and $22,714,987 pending. Outcomes include 12 (8 published; 3 in press; 1 under review) peer-reviewed articles, 1 conference proceedings, 3 data/model/technology products, and 10 presentations (3 by early-career faculty, 2 by trainees).

pic of INSPIRES year 2 progress report coverYear 2 (report pdf)

Highlights

  • First-wave deployment of Mayfly-based sensor suites at 5 locations
  • Collection of field data for physiological variables needed to parameters models
  • Data Sharing Subcommittee (DSS) established
  • 21 (16 published; 3 in press; 2 under review) peer-reviewed articles, 14 presentations, 3 data/model/technology products, and 14 presentations (7 by early-career faculty, 2 by trainees)
  • In Year 2 (through March 2021), research proposals requesting $41,132,273 were submitted with 12 awarded ($11,035,918) and $35,043,997 pending
  • Preliminary completion of an integrated ecological model resulting from the merger of the PnET-CN and LANDIS models
  • Established regular graduate student meetings with early career faculty and mentors
  • Establishment of Twitter and Instagram accounts to share and highlight team news and project developments
  • Eight high school teachers in Maine and nine teachers in Vermont were selected to participate in the project with active recruitment for additional teachers in New Hampshire ongoing

EPSCOR Year 1 Annual Report coverYear 1 (report pdf)

Highlights

  • INSPIRES website created and launched in partnership with the New England Sustainability Consortium (NEST)
  • Project kick-off meeting in September 2019
  • Development and completion of project implementation plan, which included a project governance agreement, evaluation plan, communications strategy, strategic assessment, and identification of key stakeholders
  • Financial and communications support team established
  • Theme 1 prototype of wireless low power soil moisture sensor ready for calibration
  • Recruitment and hiring of 2 Post-docs, 8 graduate students, and 3 undergraduate students across the three institutions
  • Development of living document for project jargon and acronym dictionary
  • Engagement with wide range of regional stakeholders on project objectives and potential applications to regional forest conservation issues
  • New interjurisdictional collaborations initiated through INSPIRES led to new collaborative proposals for future work