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SERC Facilities and Resources
Research facilities
SERC's general facilities include: a 34,000 square foot laboratory and office building; a 5,000 square foot
shop equipped for precision machining, woodworking, and mechanical repairs; specialized storage and office
buildings; a 6,200 square foot conference and dormitory center; a fleet of vehicles for field work; and a
1,600 square foot library operated for SERC by the Smithsonian Institution Libraries. SERC has a private
dock providing access to the Rhode River and mainstem of the Chesapeake Bay, with a wet lab adjacent to
the dock.
SERC owns or controls over 1000 ha of the Rhode River watershed; specialized field laboratories for
research are situated in their prime investigative landscape.
These include:
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SERC Branch of Smithsonian Institution Libraries:
SERC Branch library is one of the twenty branches in the Smithsonian Institution Libraries system. It
supports both education and research at SERC in both the laboratory and the field, with collections of
books and periodicals in global change, environmental biology, estuarine land/water interactions,
landscape ecology, the dynamics of terrestrial and aquatic biological populations, and environmental
education.
The library houses a collection of approximately 12,500 monographs and bound journals, and approximately
110 current journal subscriptions. All monographic materials (including a substantial percentage of
grey literature) related to the Chesapeake Bay and its surrounding areas comprise a separate "Chesapeakiana" collection. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries homepage, packed with informative
links, can be found at http://www.sil.si.edu and the
SERC Branch homepage at
http://www.sil.si.edu/Libraries/serc
Most materials are in hardcopy format, though, increasingly, journals' back issues and dissertations
are being collected in film or fiche formats. Appropriate videos and monographs accompanied by CDs are
also collected.
The library staff provides reference services (including intralibrary and interlibrary loans) and
consultation in the use of the online catalog and remote databases and employs all appropriate
technologies for finding and disseminating information in response to queries from Smithsonian
scientists, scholars, and staff as well as others with research needs. The SI Library also features a Tools for the Researcher page.
For more information, contact Angela Haggins, our branch
librarian, or call 443.482.2273.
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Computer facilities and services:
SERC's computer facilities include a 100-MB network, linking all office, visitor, and laboratory facilities, as well as two data collection sites, on the main campus. A DS3, and backup T1s, provide connection to internet through the Smithsonian Institution's main campus. Central Windows 2000 servers support file and print services, data storage and backup, e-mail, calendaring, and web services.
Nearly 200 workstations, including perhaps ten Macintoshes, are connected to these services. Fourteen black and white printers (many with 2-sided capability), three color laser printers (with 2-sided capability), and a large-format plotter for maps and posters are available, on the network. Most computer equipment is replaced on a four-year cycle.
The Computer Center includes three workstations that include capabilities such as flatbed scanning, slide scanning and CD mastering. One of these is specially equipped for image processing. A server, dedicated to storage and organization of images will be installed soon.
Concurrent user licenses allow SERC researchers to use Absoft C and Fortran; SigmaPlot; and ProCite as needed free of charge. A limited number of PC SAS and Systat licenses are assigned on request. SI site licenses provide access to all modules of ESRI ArcGIS Geographic Information System software and Leica's Geosystems ERDAS Imagine Professional Image Analysis and Remote Sensing. Unlimited site licenses allow all staff to install the current Microsoft Windows Operating System and Microsoft Office.
For more information, contact Suzan Gunsalus, 443-482-2220.
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Geographic Information Systems: Spatial analysis and ecological modeling facility
Since much of our research involves modeling and geospatial analysis, we have a fully-equipped geographic
information systems facility.
For acquiring data, we can use a Motorola LGT1000 hand held GPS system, or a georesearch vehicle-based
GPS system with GeoLink software, and a CSI receiver for real-time differential correction of GPS using
Coast Guard beacons.
For laboratory analysis, our main server is a WindowsNT server with 18GB disk space 8mm tape supporting:
ArcInfo GIS software (with GRID module for raster modeling and TIN module for surface modeling) and
ArcPress for map composition, ArcView Desktop GIS system with Spatial Analyst; and ERDAS Imagine
Professional Software for Remote Sensing and Image Analysis.
We have six WindowsNT workstations configured for spatial analysis.
To produce maps and presentations, we use a Calcomp digitizing tablet and a Hewlett Packard 650C large
format color plotter.
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Vehicles and boats:
SERC has a variety of vehicles available for field use both on and off of our research site. We also maintain a fleet of research vessels and small open boats for research and education programs on the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries.
| Qty |
type |
| 2 |
42' research vessel |
| 6 |
16' to 18 Whalers' |
| 6 |
14'-16' open skiffs or Jon boats |
| 6 |
canoes |
Only designated individuals are authorized to operate the 42' research vessels, and their time must be scheduled for use of these vessels. Operation of whalers and skiffs may require a boating safety course and check-out ride. Use of all boats for research or educational program purposes must be arranged with the lead scientist of the lab owning the vessel or with the director of education. Contact the facilities manager, Paul Tavel, for more information. 443.482.2279
Visitors who need to SCUBA dive for their work should visit the
Smithsonian Scientific Diving Program web site.
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Accommodations:
SERC maintains two houses for Visiting Scientists and Fellows, and plans are underway to increase that
number to six cottages each capable of housing either a family of four, two couples, or four students.
Visitors may also rent from within the local community.
Interns may choose to stay in a dormitory on campus or rent an apartment in the nearby community. There are two dormitories on site. The first
consists of six bedrooms (each with two loft beds, dressers, and desks), a communal kitchen, communal
living and dining areas, and three bathrooms with showers. The second dormitory is in construction and it will house 18 visitors in 8 double rooms and two singles.
The rate for the dormitory is $75 per week. Cottage housing rates vary with lenth of stay.
Contact the Dan Gustafson for details 443.482.2217.
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Conference and meeting information:
SERC has limited facilities available for meetings and conferences of Smithsonian groups and some groups engaged in certain environmental science or environmental education activities. For more information, please contact the Director's office, 443.482.2400.
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