PAST PROJECT: Alliance for Coastal Technologies

Alliance for Coastal Technologies (program sunsetted)

***After 20 successful years, this program has been sunsetted***

ACT is a partnership of research institutions, resource managers, and private sector companies dedicated to fostering the development and adoption of effective and reliable sensors and platforms for use in coastal, freshwater and ocean environments. The team serves as a resource to provide technology users with an independent and credible assessment of instrument performance in a variety of environments. G. Jason Smith of EBL served as the ACT Pacific Coast Coordinator from its inception in 2000 (https://www.act-us.info/partners.php).

PRIORITIES
– Transition emerging technologies to operational use rapidly and effectively
– Maintain a dialogue among technology users, developers, and providers
– Identify technology needs and novel technologies
– Document technology performance and potential
– Provide a foundation for the US Integrated Ocean Observing System

In spring 2017, we assessed eight commercially available platforms developed to monitor fluorescence, a proxy for detection of phytoplankton and cyanobacteria. The instruments were rotated around to various sites (including MLML) and tested with a stringent protocol. The reports are now available: http://www.act-us.info/evaluations.php

During 2018, we put HAB toxin detection kits to the test in Long Island, the Great Lakes and Monterey Bay. The reports are now available: https://www.act-us.info/evaluations.php

Holly Bowers works with Tim Davis (Bowling Green State University) to concentrate samples at one of the Long Island sites (May 2018) where saxitoxin-producing dinoflagellates were being tested. (Photo Credit: Mark VanAsten).

Read more about ACT here: http://www.act-us.info