Mission and Vision
CMOP, a Science and Technology Center led by partner institutions Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Oregon State University (OSU), and the University of Washington (UW), will facilitate interdisciplinary research, technology development, education, and knowledge transfer in order to achieve a better understanding of physical, chemical, and biological processes regulating river-to-ocean ecosystems.

Coastal margins – which are among the most densely populated, productive, and economically developed regions in the United States – are subject to complex and intense stresses from natural events and human activities.

Our vision is to enable a nearly ubiquitous, river-to-ocean observation of physical and ecological processes and to further our understanding of these processes in order to manage, operate, and sustain coastal resources and ecosystems effectively – while fostering technological innovation, and training a diverse, scientifically literate and technologically savvy workforce.

We will focus our efforts on the Columbia River and the adjacent Pacific Northwest (PNW) estuaries and coastal ocean as a prototype for similar systems worldwide.

Core Funding
The core funding for CMOP is provided by the National Science Foundation. The initial award by NSF was of $19M for five years, with possibility of extension to $39M over ten years. An additional $5.6M over five years is provided by the partner institutions.

In addition, CMOP secures project-specific funding from a diverse range of sources, primarily state and federal agencies.

Location
CMOP is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, in the campus of the OGI School of Science & Engineering, at OHSU. Activities also take place at the campus of partner institutions. Extensive video conferencing capabilities are being developed to address barriers to collaboration created by distance.

Leadership and Management
CMOP is administratively a unit of the OGI School of Science & Engineering. The Director of CMOP, Dr. António Baptista, is a Professor in the departments of Environmental and Biomolecular Systems and of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. He responds to the Dean of OGI. Dr. Baptista leads a Senior Management Team that also includes two co-Directors (Drs. Jack Barth, OSU; and David Martin, UW), an Executive Director (Phil Barrett, OHSU, an Education Director (hiring in progress), and an Associate Director for Pre-College Education (Karen Wegner, OHSU).

Over 40 senior researchers, educators and engineers contribute to the activities of CMOP. A cadre of external advisory boards is being created to broaden the presence and impact of CMOP, regionally and nationally.

Besides the lead partners, Saturday Academy, University of Utah, Portland State University, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Studies, Intel, IBM, and WET Labs play an important role in CMOP. Several other industry partners have committed to be progressively involved.