Read the Introduction to the Science Plan that describes the purpose, need, and sets forth an organizing framework.
The purpose of the Science Plan is to assist the RWSC Steering Committee in implementing the RWSC mission by:
The four RWSC Sectors are engaging with scientific experts in several taxa-based Subcommittees (see below) to develop the Science Plan by mid-2023.
The RWSC has the capacity to manage and administer research funds. This includes:
The RWSC Steering Committee recognizes that it is a challenge to track the evolving research landscape as offshore wind development advances. The RWSC builds and maintains awareness of ongoing and pending research activities through regular engagement with and collaboration among the four RWSC Sectors and expert Subcommittees. The RWSC provides support to funders and project teams in planning research activities to:
This support role includes establishing and convening a project-specific advisory board or work group comprised of stakeholders from the four RWSC Sectors and six Subcommittees to advise project teams throughout all stages of research activities (study design, data collection, data management, analysis, communication). Smaller projects may benefit from targeted engagement with individual RWSC Subcommittees and/or Sector Caucuses.
In this role, RWSC provides support to project teams to ensure adherence to the minimum data standardization requirements and data sharing and transparency conditions that are under development by the RWSE Steering Committee and each of the Subcommittees as components of the RWSC Science Plan.
RWSC maintains public resources and tools that characterize pending, ongoing, and completed wildlife and offshore wind research activities. RWSC works with funders and project teams to disseminate information about research activities and ensure any data and results are discoverable by other researchers, stakeholders, and decision makers. This role ensures that the value of individual and collaborative research efforts is communicated and understood by the general public.
The foundation of the Science Plan is the RWSC database of ongoing and pending offshore wind and wildlife research and data collection activities. Investigators and funders can email us to add project information to the database.