With core funding from The David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation , the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) is a research consortium involving marine scientists from four universities along the U.S. West Coast:

Oregon State University
Stanford University
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Santa Cruz

PISCO scientists at these universities collaborate on integrated studies of the nearshore ecosystems of the West Coast. By conducting these large-scale studies over many years and at many sites, PISCO is developing a comprehensive understanding of how coastal marine ecosystems function. Involving scientists with a diverse array of specialties, PISCO takes an interdisciplinary approach to answering key research questions. A major goal of PISCO is to train students in the marine sciences and to communicate accurate scientific knowledge about coastal ecosystems to policy makers, environmental managers, the media, and the general public.

The Consortium is designed with the following goals in mind:

1. initiate a novel program in interdisciplinary training and research to
2. determine the processes underlying the dynamics of the coastal ecosystems along the U.S. West Coast, and thereby
3. establish the scientific basis for the effective design, monitoring and evaluation of marine reserves and other conservation measures, and
4. begin to integrate this knowledge into the public and policy arenas.

For more information about why PISCO was formed, click here.