Seven leading U.S. academic institutions recently released announcements about their new NOAA Research awards for cutting-edge projects to tackle coastal flooding, changing marine resources and drought. The releases highlight the importance of the federal funding, received from the NOAA Research Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) Program, for the universities and NOAA’s services advancement, as well as the potential significant societal and economic impacts of their new projects.

NOAA’s Climate Program Office (CPO), a part of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), has awarded $38.8 million for 78 new projects* in FY 2017. The projects — ranging from advancing the understanding and prediction of drought to building resilience in coastal communities — will expand the breadth and scope of NOAA’s current climate research and offers opportunities for NOAA to collaborate with outside experts and new stakeholders.

This research proposes a heat early warning system that could save thousands of lives in Bangladesh and beyond.