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The ABCs of Acronyms

Scientists love acronyms. Here’s a list to help decipher common acronyms and abbreviations you might hear on the VIMS campus.
A
  • ABC (VIMS’ Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Technology Center): International leader in developing knowledge and techniques for shellfish aquaculture
  • AERS (Atlantic Estuarine Research Society)
  • AFS (American Fisheries Society): VIMS Professor Mary Fabrizio is past president
  • AGU (American Geophysical Union): International scientific society with more than 50,000 members, VIMS researchers are frequent contributors to AGU journals
  • AHS: Aquatic Health Sciences (1 of 4 academic departments at VIMS)
  • ASLO (American Society of Limnology and Oceanography): VIMS Professor Deborah Bronk is past president
  • ASMFC (Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission)
  • AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle): Oceanographic instrument deployed by a number of researchers at VIMS
B
  • BASIR (Bar and Swash Imaging Radar): Developed by VIMS scientists, this system allows the study of the coastal zone during hurricanes and nor’easters
  • BCB (Blue Crab Bowl): Virginia’s lead-up to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, co-hosted by VIMS and Old Dominion University
  • BioSci: Biological Sciences (1 of 4 academic departments at VIMS)
  • BRIDGE: An On-line compendium of teacher-approved marine education resources, run by the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program at VIMS
C
  • CBH (VIMS’ Chesapeake Bay Hall)
  • CBNERR (Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve at VIMS)
  • CBO (Chesapeake Bay Office): NOAA’s component of the multi-agency Chesapeake Bay Program; NOAA’s CBO in Virginia is at VIMS
  • CBP (Chesapeake Bay Program): Regional partnership to restore the Bay; VIMS scientists are active in numerous collaborative projects with CBP partners
  • CCRM (VIMS’ Center for Coastal Resources Management)
  • CERF (Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation): VIMS Professor Linda Schaffner is past-president
  • ChesMMAP (VIMS’ Chesapeake Bay Multispecies Monitoring and Assessment Program)
  • ChesSIE (Chesapeake Science on the Internet for Educators): Run by the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program at VIMS
  • CIEE (Craney Island Eastward Expansion)
  • CHSD (VIMS’ Coastal Hydrodynamics and Sediment Dynamics laboratory)
  • COOL (Consortium for Ocean Leadership): Non-profit that represents leading ocean institutions, aquaria, and industry; VIMS is a voting member
  • CORSACS (Controls on Ross Sea Algal Community Structure): VIMS professor Walker Smith is co-PI
  • CROS Breed (Cooperative Regional Oyster Selective Breeding project): Collaboration among VIMS and four mid-Atlantic universities
  • CTILS (Chesapeake Bay Trophic Interaction Laboratory Services)
D
  • D&D: VIMS Dean and Director John Wells
  • Dermo: An oyster disease caused by the parasite Perkinsus marinus
  • DEQ (Division of Environmental Quality): Virginia state agency and frequent VIMS collaborator
  • DGIF (Department of Game and Inland Fisheries): Virginia state agency and frequent VIMS collaborator
  • DRAS: VIMS’ Director of Research and Advisory Services
E

  • ECOHAB (Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms): A multi-agency federal program that has funded a program at VIMS
  • ESL (Eastern Shore Lab): VIMS’ satellite campus in Wachapreague
F
  • FEMAP (VIMS’ Fisheries Ecosystem Monitoring & Assessment Project)
G
H
  • HEM-3D (Hydrodynamic Eutrophication Model): High-resolution computer model developed at VIMS
  • HREDA (Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance): Public-private partnership for business attraction and assistance; VIMS is an active participant
I
  • ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna): VIMS Professor John Graves is chair of U.S. Advisory Committee to ICCAT
  • ITNS (VIMS’ Information Technology and Network Services Dept.)
  • IVARS (Interannual Variations in the Ross Sea): NSF-funded project at VIMS to learn more about the biology, physics, and chemistry of Antarctica's Ross Sea.
J
K
  • KAC (Kauffman Aquaculture Center): VIMS’ aquaculture research facility on the Rappahannock River
  • KORDI (Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute): One of VIMS’ international partners
L
  • LTER (Long-term ecological research): An NSF-funded network that involves VIMS researchers at sites in Virginia and Antarctica
M
  • MAP (VIMS Marine Advisory Program)
  • MARGINS: NSF-funded program to study Earth’s continental margins
  • MAST (Minorities at Sea Together): Hampton University program that visits VIMS each summer
  • MEP (Virignia Sea Grant Marine Extention Program)
  • MMS (Mineral Management Service): Federal agency that manages the nation's gas, oil and other resources on the outer continental shelf; VIMS is a collaborator
  • MSX (Multinucleated Sphere Unknown): Oyster disease caused by the parasite Haplosporidium nelsoni
  • Myco (Mycobacteriosis): Bacterial disease affecting striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay
N
  • NIWA (New Zealand National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research): One of VIMS’ international partners
  • NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service): Federal agency responsible for the nation's living marine resources; VIMS faculty sit on several NMFS advisory committees
  • NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): Largest source of federal grant funding to VIMS
  • NSF (National Science Foundation): Second largest source of federal grant funding to VIMS scientists
O
  • OIE (Office International Epizooties): International advisory organization on infectious animal diseases; VIMS’ Shellfish Diseases Laboratory is an OIE Reference Laboratory
  • ONR (Office of Naval Research)
  • OSP (Office of Sponsored Programs): VIMS administrative department that manages grant applications and funding
P
  • PFD (Personal Flotation Device): Required of anyone on the deck of a VIMS vessel
  • PhySci: Physical Sciences (1 of 4 academic departments at VIMS)
  • PI (Principal Investigator): The lead scientist on a research grant
Q
R
  • REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates): NSF-funded program that allows colleges students to get a taste for graduate research; VIMS has operated its REU program since 1989. Also known as Summer Intern program.
  • RIDE (RefractIon and Diffraction of water waves using an Extended mild slope equation): A wave transformation model developed at VIMS.
S
  • SCUBA (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus): Used by members of VIMS Dive Team
  • SETAC (Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry): VIMS researchers are frequent contributors to SETAC journals.
  • SIP (Summer Intern Program at VIMS): aka as Research Experience for Undergraduates
  • SMS (The College of William & Mary’s School of Marine Science): VIMS’ graduate education component
  • SRL (VIMS’ Seawater Research Lab)
  • STRATAFORM (Strata Formation on Margins)
  • SAV (Submerged Aquatic Vegetation): Major research and restoration program at VIMS
T
  • TAFI (Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute): One of VIMS’ international partners
  • TBT (Tributyltin): Anti-foulant used in boat paint that has significant environmental side effects, a focus of significant research at VIMS
U
  • UWB (University of Wales—Bangor): The School of Ocean Sciences at UWB is one of VIMS’ international research partners
V
  • VCERC (Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium): Center for research in coastal energy resources; VIMS is a member
  • VECOS (Virginia Estuarine and Coastal Observing System): Local component of Chesapeake Bay Observing System
  • VFL (Virginia Fisheries Lab): Chiseled above the entrances to Maury Hall, this is the original name for VIMS
  • VIMS (Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
  • VMRC (Virginia Marine Resources Commission): Regulatory body for Virginia's marine and aquatic resources and frequent VIMS collaborator
  • VSC (Virginia Seafood Council): VIMS partner in field trials of non-native oysters and other seafood-related issues
W
Y
Z