The Environmental Studies Program (ESP) of the BOEM is offering a cooperative agreement opportunity through the University of Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) to units within the University of Alaska system that have the ability to conduct research in topics that serve the public interest of safe and environmentally sound energy production and meet the goals of the BOEM.BOEM seeks studies from the University of Alaska that will provide public benefit in several ways.The most relevant studies will supply information to support analysis of the potential effects of offshore development, including oil spill risk analysis and mitigation of potential impacts to the human and biological environment.The general types of studies that may be funded include scientific studies for better understanding marine, coastal or human environments affected or potentially affected by offshore oil and gas or other mineral exploration and extraction on the outer continental shelf;The most relevant geographic areas are potential Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease areas in the Beaufort Sea, the Chukchi Sea and Cook Inlet including Shelikof Strait.Following the submission of letters of intent (LOI) from the University of Alaska, the BOEM, in discussion with representatives from the State of Alaska, have selected several LOI topics