NGI Activates Gulf of Mexico BP Research Projects

January 10, 2011

NGI research is underway to address regional impacts from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative awarded funds to NGI, the only multi-state regional research institution to receive funding from BP for independent university research. Quickly allocating part of its ten million dollar award, NGI funded fast-track high-priority studies with researchers who were in the field to continue critical monitoring and assessment activities in areas affected in the Gulf region. NGI will distribute the remaining initial funds using a peer-reviewed selection process for collaborative research with a focus on observing and understanding regional impacts on coastal ecosystems and society.

The initial award funded nine research institutions who adapted existing activities and resources for oil impact studies. Research activities focus on sampling, assessment, and modeling of oil and dispersants and the organization and distribution of data to support on-going and future research needs. Links to the details for these nine studies are available below.

Research institutions receiving initial funding were Mississippi State University, University of Mississippi, University of New Orleans, Harte Research Institute, Louisiana State University, The University of Southern Mississippi, Jackson State University, Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory, and Florida State University.