Collaborative Research: Conference: NAIRR Pilot Expansion: FA1:Utilizing NAIRR Pilot Resources for Building Sustainable Blue Economy

The Blue Economy consists of research focused on the sustainable use of ocean resources to drive economic growth. It covers areas such as marine resource management, ocean energy, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, and maritime transportation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds transformative potential to advance Blue Economy research by enabling data analysis and predictive modeling. The targeted areas include the Mid-Atlantic region, Gulf coasts, and Hawaii. This conference proposal aims to tackle these regional issues through coordinated efforts that enhance Blue Economy research, expand funding opportunities for innovative projects, and strengthen cross-sector partnerships. The conference will bring students, faculty, and researchers from four academic institutions, along with participants from various fields such as geoscience, computer science, biology, and civil engineering. A core objective is to promote Artificial Intelligence (AI) education and workforce development to support the Blue Economy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.