IOOS® was present in full force at this year's MTS/IEEE Oceans '15 conference, held right in our backyard in Oxon Hill, Maryland October 20-22. We welcomed lots of familiar faces and quite a few new ones as well - and we hope to work with you all soon!

The IOOS group at the Oceans '15 Conference.

The IOOS group at the Oceans '15 Conference.

The IOOS exhibit booth right at the entrance to the hall joined forces - and spaces - with the NOAA booth next door to create a large, open, cooperative space filled with hands-on exhibits and knowledgeable staff. Of particular interest were the Slocum glider (thanks, MARACOOS!) and the HF Radar demo unit (thanks, CODAR!), two of the primary tools IOOS relies on for data in ocean observing. The IOOS experience was rounded out by a data portal at the front giving instant access to the IOOS catalog and our regional, national, and global data portals.

Zdenka addressing the crowd at the Oceans '15 Conference about the new IOOS logo design.

Zdenka addressing the crowd at the Oceans '15 Conference about the new IOOS logo design.

On Tuesday morning, IOOS proudly unveiled its new logo in an exciting event at the booth. Packed with guests and spectators, IOOS Director Zdenka Willis offered remarks to the crowd and officially released the design. Many people stopped by then and over the next few days to tell us how much they liked the design, and how impressed they were with the ideas that drove it.

Tuesday afternoon was spiced up by a lively IGNITE talk. Co-sponsored by IOOS and the Marine Technology Alliance, this fast-paced session on Blue Tech invited experts and hands-on users to sprint through the newest advances, real-world marine applications, and how they’re propelling marine intelligence to the next level. Moderated by NOAA's Dr. Holly Bamford, Acting Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Management, this session was a huge success and played to a standing-room-only crowd. See below for a full listing of presentations.

Ignite! Blue Tech session.

Ignite! Blue Tech session.

On Wednesday, IOOS and MTS teamed up once again to host a Town Hall session, this time exploring how marine economy and technology influence the development of a "Blue Voice." Moderated by Consortium for Ocean Leadership president Sherri Goodman, the audience rallied behind the presentations, all agreeing that the development of a Blue Voice was essential for growing the Blue Economy.

Ignite! Blue Tech Presentations

Seeing What You Have Only Heard About in the Ocean: The Mediterranean Overturn
David Murphy, Director of Science, Sea-Bird Electronics
video | presentation (pptx)

Marine Schemes, Ocean Machines
Dr. Carol Janzen, Director of Operations and Development, AOOS
video | presentation (pptx)

SmartOcean Ireland: Where Innovation Meets the Sea
Dr. Edel O'Connor, National Coordinator, Irish Marine Institute
video | presentation (pptx)

Ocean Tracking Network: Since the Technology is Working, the Hypothesis Must Be Wrong
Dr. Fred Whoriskey, Executive Director, Canada's Ocean Tracking Network
video | presentation (ppt)

Attention Innovators: IOOS is Giving Out Free Lunches!
Dr. Gerhard Kuska, Executive Director, MARACOOS
video | presentation (pptx)

How the Flow Makes Cents: Ocean Current Information and the Blue Economy
Dr. Gregory Dusek, NOAA, NOS, Co-Ops
video | presentation (pptx)

Arctic 2020: How Technology is Going to Change Observing
Dr. Jeremy Mathis, Director, NOAA Arctic Research Program
video | presentation (pptx)

Integration to Innovation: IOOS and Beyond
Dr. Margaret Davidson, Acting Chair, NOAA Office of Coastal Management
video

Catching the Next Wave
Dr. Ralph Rayner, Senior Director of Energy and Environment, BMT Group
video | presentation (pptx)

So, What's an Oceanographer Doing in Economic Development?
Laurie Jugan, Program Coordinator, Mississippi Enterprise for Technology
video | presentation (ppt)

Town Hall: Blue Tech & Blue Economy Presentations

Maryanne Burke
Global Team Leader, International Trade Administration, Marine Technology Team, U.S. Department of Commerce
Marine Technology and Services Sector Role in the Blue Economy (ppt)

Harlan Doliner
President, Marine & Oceanographic Technology Network
MOTN and the Marine Cluster in New England (ppt)

Laurie Jugan
Program Coordinator, Marine Industry Science & Technology Cluster
Marine Industries Science & Technology (MIST) Cluster (pptx)

Frederic Terral
President/CEO, Brand Architecture, Inc.
Creating the New Blue Voice (pptx)