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Brookdale-Rutgers Ocean Center "BROC" As the State University of New Jersey, Rutgers is committed to serving the people and communities of New Jersey. As one of the center of excellence at Rutgers, the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences (IMCS) through its management of the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve provides a vehicle for delivering services throughout the state. Rutgers and the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR) has partnered with Brookdale Community College to establish the Brookdale-Rutgers Oceanic Center (BROC), grounded in nationally acclaimed science and education programs presently housed at Sandy Hook. The diverse setting that compromises Sandy Hook peninsula is a bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Raritan Bay on the other. The peninsula features diverse habitats ranging from beaches to wetlands, and offers easy accessibility to the metropolitan area. Of course, it provides an excellent venue for addressing the environmental and economic challenges faced by the entire NY/NJ Harbor region, especially Monmouth County and the National Park Service, and regional user groups (e.g., maritime history, environmental managers, pilots, County officials, and students). Vision: Brookdale Community College (BCC) and the Institute of Marine and Coastal Science (IMCS) at Rutgers University have formed a partnership combining the research, education, and service strengths of both institutions to serve Monmouth County and the NY/NJ Harbor region. The partnership is designed to improve coastal management through real-time sensing of the coastal environment, providing lifelong learning opportunities for residents and visitors to the Bayshore and NY/NJ Harbor region, promote sustainable coastal development in Monmouth County and create new economic activity comparable with the areas maritime heritage. This initiative capitalizes on the unique natural resources and reinvestment opportunities that exist at Sandy Hook with the National Park Service. Education: A key feature of the proposed cooperative agreement between Sandy Hook Partners and BROC will be to link information from the coastal ocean observatory to formal and informal training programs that prepare our youth to be the next generation of decision-makers. BCC undergraduates can take marine science courses at RU, receive RU credit for BCC courses and transfer directly into the Marine Science program at Rutgers upon completion of their Associate Degree. This partnership will also include development of student research opportunities for BCC and RU undergraduates, a program designed to enhance their competitiveness for advanced degrees and career opportunities. BCC maintains a strong precollege presence at Sandy Hook that includes field experiences for youth and a collaborative program with the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST), a vocational high school also located at Sandy Hook. Program Uses: BROC seeks to use facilities at Sandy Hook as the nucleus of a coastal “campus” for the environment. Informal programs will be directed at environmental stakeholders, coastal decision-makers and families. Science, education and coastal training programs offered by BROC will help to:
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