PUBLIC UTILITY RESEARCH CENTER Florida's Public Utility Research Center (PURC) was organized in 1972. Its Executive Committee includes representatives of public utilities, the University, the Florida Public Service Commission, and the Florida Pub- lic Counsel. PURC's primary objectives are (1) to increase student and faculty awareness of the utility industry and its problems, (2) to undertake research designed to help solve problems faced by the energy and communication industries, and (3) to train students for employment by utility companies and regulatory authorities. PURC seeks to accomplish these goals by providing student fellowships and assistantships, by supporting fac- ulty research, by holding conferences and seminars to discuss both major policy issues and current faculty research, and by serving as a contact point between business, government, and the academic community. PURC's research is disseminated in working papers, journals, and books, as well as in professional meetings and governmental hearings. Major areas of interest in- clude measurement of the cost of capital; financing utility construction programs; the restructuring of the telecom- munications industry; rate design for telephone, gas, and electric utilities; and other timely issues which are impor- tant to utility companies, consumers, and regulators. Contact the Executive Director, Public Utility Research Center, 205 Matherly Hall, for information. REAL ESTATE RESEARCH CENTER The Real Estate Research Center was established in 1973 to facilitate the study of business and economic problems related to real estate. Faculty members in the field of real estate serve as the core staff members of the Center, with research assistance provided by several graduate students. Faculty members in other departments and colleges participate in projects requiring multidisci- plinary inputs. Graduate students also conduct their own research for theses and dissertations in the Center. The Center also sponsors or cosponsors a number of continuing education programs in real estate each year. Courses and seminars typically are presented in the areas of mortgage banking, financial institutions, real estate appraisal, and real estate investment analysis. Most of these courses and seminars are open to full-time under- graduate and graduate students in real estate at the University of Florida. Many types of research projects are conducted in the Center. They range from economic and social issues in land use planning to analysis of the managerial process and ratesof return in varioustypesof real estate businesses and properties. The Center has developed textual materi- als for organizations such as the Florida Real Estate Commission and the Appraisal Institute. Contract research projects in the Center have been sponsored and funded by various agencies of the Florida state government, city governments, the Florida Real Estate Commission, and the Appraisal Institute Founda- tion. For information contact the Director, 337 Business Building. CENTER FOR RETAIL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH The Center for Retail Education and Research (CRER) sponsors and facilitates faculty and student research on INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH CENTERS /49 retailing issues and problems. Recent topics include models to aid management decision making, effects of compensation plans on sales-associate motivation, man- agement of part-time employees, relationships between suppliers and retailers, and elderly consumers in the retail environment. In some cases, the Center provides stipends to graduate students conducting retail research. For information, contact the Director, 200 Bryan Hall. CENTER FOR STUDIES OF ADVANCED STRUCTURAL COMPOSITES The Center for Studies of Advanced Structural Compos- ites in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Me- chanics, and Engineering Science was established in 1979 within the Center for Excellence Program in New Materials. The purpose of the Center of Excellence Program is to aid in the development of high technology industry in Florida by conducting research and engineer- ing development of new materials, and by preparing master's and doctoral candidates in this field for later employment in Florida industries. The Center was orga- nized to conduct research inthe host department and also to provide a focal point for interaction with other depart- ments, other universities, research institutes, government laboratories, and industries in research related to prob- lems involving design, fabrication, and analysis of struc- tural composites. CENTER FOR WETLANDS AND WATER RESOURCES The Center for Wetlands merged with the Florida Water Resources Research Center in August 1991 to become the Center for Wetlands and Water Resources. As a team, the two centers address today's environmental problems and issues with greater expertise and pooled resources. To begin to perceive the future direction of this new center, a brief history of each center as a separate entity follows. The Center for Wetlands is an intercollege research division dedicated to understanding wetlands and their roll in the partnershipof humanity and nature. TheCenter encourages interdisciplinary research on ecology prob- lems, management, and reclamation, and effective use of wetlands. The Center advances knowledge through spe- cial research approaches such as systems ecology model- ing and simulation, energy analysis and planning, field experiments on vegetation response to water control, reclamation of wetlands and surrounding watersheds, and regional planning. The Center fosters campus and statewide communication through a central workshop activity, organized research projects of county and state concern, wetlands publications, conferences and short courses, research data collections, and proposals for curricula. Support of faculty and graduate students is provided by active projects. The Center has projects with several state and federal agencies (the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, the Florida Institute of Phosphate Research, and others). The Florida Water Resources Research Center, funded by the Department of the Interior, was established in 1964 as a result of the passage of Public Law 88-379-The Water Resources Research Act of 1964-"to stimulate, sponsor, provide for, and supplement present programs for conduct of research, investigation, experiments, and the training of scientists in the fields of water and of resources which affect water." Under the administration