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From the Director:

Dear IOOS Community,

For Veterans Day today, I’ve invited some reflections from two IOOSians who served in the U.S. Military, Debra Esty and Becky Baltes.  

From Becky Baltes: 

I appreciate the opportunity to talk about Veterans Day. Veterans Day is held on November 11 to coincide with Armistice Day which commemorates the end of World War 1 on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. It is intended to honor those who have served in the military. I think it is unique and special that the country continues to celebrate the military as it is an entirely volunteer force. Time in the military is also often referred to as service and that is something that I think connects all of us that are part of IOOS as well. We meet the IOOS mission and serve our country by providing high quality ocean, coastal and Great Lakes information and all the work that goes into that. I was able to serve in the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer and now bring those skills and dedication to service to my current role at NOAA with all of you. 

From Debra Esty:

Veterans Day holiday is a day of reflection on the service, honor, courage and commitment to all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Each military veteran who served - whether it was for a minimum of twenty-four months or for a maximum of thirty plus years - leave the service with a set of valuable skills that they can apply in their personal and civilian work life. Skill sets such as team collaboration, attention to detail, organizing complex and routine tasks, meeting short-fused deadlines and most importantly a “can-do spirit”. We have several former and present IOOS team members who use these traits in support of this Nation’s ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. Take the time to thank all who have served and successfully transition these much-appreciated qualities that consistently meet the safety, economic, and stewardship needs of the Nation.

Many thanks to Becky and Debra for their thoughtful contributions to the newsletter and my deepest appreciation goes out to our IOOS veterans, Debra Esty, Mequela Moreno, Erick Lee, and Becky Baltes, to our former IOOSian veterans Zdenka Willis and Jack Oliva, and to all veterans for your service and dedication to our Nation. 

Thanks,
Carl

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • IOOS Advisory Committee Public Meeting, November 29th and December 6th (Virtual): The next meeting of the IOOS Federal Advisory Committee will take place November 29th and December 6th, 2021. This meeting is open to the public. To register for the meeting and/or submit public comments, email Laura.Gewain@noaa.gov. Refer to the U.S. IOOS Advisory Committee website at https://ioos.noaa.gov/​community/​u-s-ioos-advisory-committee/​for the most up-to-date information including the agenda and dial-in information. 
  • From the IOOS Association: 
    • Caraid Award nominations now open: The IOOS Association has opened the nomination process for outstanding contributions to coastal and ocean observing. The IOOS Association created the Caraid Award in 2020 as an annual award to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to observing and understanding our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes through vision, leadership, friendship and collaboration. Candidates can be an individual, a group, or an organization that has contributed to observing and understanding the oceans, coasts, and/or Great Lakes through collaboration, innovation, and/or a commitment to working with stakeholders. For more information and how to make your nomination, see the poster here.  

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

  • UG2 Updates:
    • UG2 Webinar Series #6: Glider Operations: Piloting Panel: The following glider pilots participated on a panel discussing their missions and experiences in piloting their gliders. The group geographically covered operations that included waters around Alaska, Great Lakes, Atlantic (from Canada to Florida), and Mediterranean Sea as well as automated piloting of gliders.  The panel included: 
      • David Aragon, Rutgers University; Glider Technician and Operator/Pilot-Mid Atlantic Region
      • Brita Irving, University of Alaska Fairbanks, International Arctic Research Center
      • Catherine Edwards, University of Georgia, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography-South Atlantic Region
      • Cailin Burmaster, Real-Time Aquatic Ecosystem Observation Network (RAEON), University of Windsor; ON AUV Technician 
      • Dan Hayes, Cyprus Subsea Consulting and Services C.S.C.S.; Managing Director 
      • Mélany Belzile, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography; Physical Scientist
      • If you were not able to attend you can go to watch the webinar in its entirety at: https://transcripts.gotomeeting.com/#/s/e43a7a4ec404883590f1cc4fa77838f3a444d946956fb0d06d5c5b0a95cc20e8 or you can go to https://underwatergliders.org/index.php/webinars-and-events/ to select and view this and all other previous webinars. Next scheduled webinar is December 16th with topic(s)) TBA. If you have a suggestion, please email info@underwatergliders.org
    • UG2 Membership: Membership continues to grow with 17 new members (since October webinar) now totaling 206 members.
  • Job Announcement: Rutgers University: Laboratory Researcher III for the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences: The Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (COOL) is a large field going research group.  It conducts research around the world using novel autonomous technologies.  These technologies provide large environmental data sets that are analyzed for a range of theoretical and applied data products. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is seeking a Laboratory Researcher III for the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences.. The position supports The Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (COOL) mission in the field and in the laboratories on campus.  The focus will be supporting externally funded research programs. For more information or to apply, please visit: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/146711. Among the key duties of this position are the following:
    • Maintains, prepares and deploys autonomous underwater gliders.
    • Anchor field deployments of ocean gliders and other instruments in the ocean.
    • Works on the Glider Team on maintaining all aspects of the glider AUV fleet to ensure continuous operability.
    • Inspects, diagnoses and repairs all hardware issues related to AUVs including internal and external operational systems, emergency systems, all attached acoustic, optical and electrical instrumentation and internal electrical systems. 
    • Supports the deployment of profiling equipment used for the data quality control and assurance procedures required for glider operations.
    • Conduct data analysis on oceanographic data collected at sea.  The candidate will be able to use various software packages for the independent analysis of large data sets. 
    • The candidate will be proficient in the use of Python to allow for data synthesis of large environmental data sets. 
    • The candidate must be familiar with oceanographic equipment, autonomous underwater gliders, and Python.  Preference is given to candidates who have experience in supporting large field expeditions. The candidate should have experience querying ocean models, ERDDAP, THREDDS,  Flask, PHP, MySQL (or similar), and have worked with NetCDF datasets. MatLab experience is a plus.

Marine Life - Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) (IOOS PO POC Gabrielle Canonico, Gabrielle.Canonico@noaa.gov) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) (National Coordinator Bill Woodward, Bill.Woodward@noaa.gov):

  • “Establishing the Foundation for the Global Observing System for Marine Life” Paper Published: The paper has been published in Frontiers in Marine Science - Front. Mar. Sci., 25 October 2021 |https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.737416. Maintaining healthy, productive ecosystems in the face of pervasive and accelerating human impacts including climate change requires globally coordinated and sustained observations of marine biodiversity. Global coordination is predicated on an understanding of the scope and capacity of existing monitoring programs, and the extent to which they use standardized, interoperable practices for data management. Global coordination also requires identification of gaps in spatial and ecosystem coverage, and how these gaps correspond to management priorities and information needs. We undertook such an assessment by conducting an audit and gap analysis from global databases and structured surveys of experts. Read the GOOS Press release regarding the study and find the full paper here. 
  • AniBOS paper, "Animal Borne Ocean Sensors – AniBOS – An Essential Component of the Global Ocean Observing System": A paper has been published in Frontiers in Marine Science - Ocean Observation.  Front. Mar. Sci., 05 November 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.751840. Marine animals equipped with biological and physical electronic sensors have produced long-term data streams on key marine environmental variables, hydrography, animal behavior and ecology. These data are an essential component of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The Animal Borne Ocean Sensors (AniBOS) network aims to coordinate the long-term collection and delivery of marine data streams, providing a complementary capability to other GOOS networks that monitor Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), essential climate variables (ECVs) and essential biodiversity variables (EBVs). AniBOS augments observations of temperature and salinity within the upper ocean, in areas that are under-sampled, providing information that is urgently needed for an improved understanding of climate and ocean variability and for forecasting. AniBOS was formally recognized in 2020 as a GOOS network. This improves our ability to observe the ocean’s structure and animals that live in them more comprehensively, concomitantly improving our understanding of global ocean and climate processes for societal benefit consistent with the UN Sustainability Goals 13 and 14: Climate and Life below Water. Working within the GOOS OCG framework ensures that AniBOS is an essential component of an integrated Global Ocean Observing System
  • Funding Opportunity! FY2022 US Marine Life Observations: Coordinated Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Activities to Ensure Resilient, Productive Ecosystems and Human Communities in the Face of Change: On behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), NOAA and partner agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Office of Naval Research request proposals that: (1) build upon the foundation established by the US Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), the US Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), and the US IOOS Regional Associations to work across sectors and disciplines towards an integrated, sustained marine life observing capability for the U.S. ocean, coasts and Great Lakes, from estuaries to the deep ocean; (2) advance technologies for efficient and/or automated collection of species and associated habitat observations; (3) enable open access to biodiversity data and information; and (4) utilize these observations, technologies, and data to address place-based (e.g., sanctuaries, reserves, protected areas, leasing blocks, etc) management, conservation and restoration needs. For more information and to apply: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335886. The deadline for applications is December 17, 2021.  

Data Management and Cyberinfrastructure (DMAC) Subsystem and Tools Built on IOOS data (DMAC System Architect Micah Wengren and IOOS Data Management leads: data.ioos@noaa.gov, or the 'ioos_tech' listserve: https://groups.google.com/g/ioos_tech):

  • SAVE THE DATE: 2020 DMAC Code Sprint April 26-28, Chicago: We're pleased to announce that IOOS plans to host the 2022 DMAC Code Sprint in Chicago with our partner GLOS! Save the dates of April 26 - 28, 2022 for the second DMAC community code sprint. We're tentatively planning to host an in person event in Chicago, with the option for virtual participation for those who are unable to travel to be there in person. We'll be reaching out in the near future with more details about meeting logistics, sprint/activity planning, technologies we hope to use for the virtual component of the sprint, and all the rest. If you have any suggestions or input about the sprint, please post them in the #dmac channel in the IOOS Slack - https://ioos.slack.com. Use this link to join our Slack workspace.  As we did two years ago, we expect to use Slack heavily during the sprint.   
  • QARTOD (National Coordinator Mark Bushnell, mark.bushnell@noaa.gov):
    • QARTOD 2022-2026 Work Plan: We continue drafting the QARTOD 2022-2026 work plan. The working group that was established for this effort has reviewed the draft twice, it was discussed during the quarterly Board of Advisors meeting on 01 November, and BOA members are now providing valuable feedback. We welcome your thoughts about our intentions to expand the scope of QARTOD to make it relevant to a broader range of communities.
    • Ocean Best Practice System Update: The OBPS Steering Group will hold their annual meeting, virtually and in person at the IODE offices in Oostende, Belgium during 7-9 December 2021. While feedback to OBPS is welcomed at any time, now is a particularly good time to contact any SG member – find them in the OceanExpert listing at https://www.oceanbestpractices.org/about/governance/ 

Modeling and Analysis Subsystem (IOOS PO and IOOS Coastal and Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) POC – Tracy Fanara, Tracy.Fanara@noaa.gov):   

  • No update.

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

  • UN Decade of Ocean Science For Sustainable Development Updates:  
    • A Clean Ocean Predicted Laboratory - Nov 17-19, 2021: The next UN Ocean Decade Laboratory will be held November 17-19, 2021. This laboratory is focused on the Decade goal of a clean ocean. Stakeholders will collaborate to identify pollutants and their sources to the ocean by 2025, remove contaminants from the ocean by 2030 and support society’s transition to a pollutant-minimizing circular economy. Learn more here: https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/a-clean-ocean.html  

    • Join the Ocean Decade Kick-off in the Western Pacific! 25-26 November 2021: You are cordially invited to join the UN Ocean Decade Kickoff Conference for the Western Pacific and its Adjacent Areas! The Conference will mark the launch of the UN Ocean Decade in the Western Pacific and its adjacent areas, and represent the beginning of the region-wide efforts in a substantive development and implementation of Decade Actions. It aims to catalyze partnerships among various ocean stakeholder communities in the region, and initiate co-design of transformative ocean science solutions to the Ocean Decade Challenges in order to achieve the Ocean Decade Outcomes. Learn more here: https://www.ioc-westpac.org/decade-kickoff-conference/ 
  • Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) News:
    • Ride Along with Pioneer 17 Bi-Annual Recovery and Deployment Mission: Equipment becomes fouled as marine life makes it home. Batteries run out. Wind and waves take their toll. That’s why every six months, teams head to OOI arrays to recover and redeploy ocean observing equipment to keep them collecting and sharing data. Here, we will be sharing news about what’s happening aboard the R/V Neil Armstrong as a team of scientists and engineers recovers and deploys equipment at the Pioneer Array for the 17th time. Follow along with the mission here: https://www2.whoi.edu/site/pioneer17/ 
    • Workshop: OOI Data in Project EDDIE Materials: Project EDDIE and the SERC (Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College) have an exciting workshop coming up that you won’t want to miss! It offers opportunities to build teaching modules using OOI data. TheProject EDDIE Module Development & Community Building Experience will be held online via Zoom as half-day meetings on January 20, 27, and February 10. This workshop will facilitate participants developing teaching modules that pair scientific concepts and quantitative reasoning with teaching with data. The teaching modules follow a tested design rubric developed by Project EDDIE and resulting materials will be published as part of a growing collection of modules. Learn more here: https://oceanobservatories.org/2021/11/workshop-ooi-data-in-project-eddie-materials/ 
  • DARPA Forecasting Floats in Turbulence (FFT) Challenge: As part of the Ocean of Things program – which uses low-cost distributed drifters for maritime situational awareness – the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is hosting a challenge called Forecasting Floats in Turbulence, or FFT. The challenge is designed to spur development of algorithms to better predict where free-drifting floats will travel over time. Starting with a training data set, DARPA will provide 20-days’ worth of historical drift data from a field of commercially available Spotters produced by Sofar Ocean, a performer on Ocean of Things. With roughly 90 Spotters circulating in the Atlantic, and 20 days of data, participants will need to train their algorithm or technique to predict where these spotters will be in 10 days. DARPA will award a total of $50,000 in the FFT challenge: $25,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place. To learn more about the competition, seehttps://web.cvent.com/event/501b761d-7e68-4fc8-b0bb-53b8c7f79f34/summary 
  • GIS Tool Enhances Diver Safety and Operational Planning: The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) is pleased to share NOAA’s Diving and Small Boat Operations Safety (DASBOS) Tool, a geographic information system (GIS) mapping application that enables users to plan safer water activities and assess localized contamination risks. The concept originated with a NOAA Corps Officer assigned to CO-OPS, as a way to help staff plan water level station maintenance. The CO-OPS GIS team developed the tool with GIS map layers, including data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), NOAA, and U.S. states and territories. DASBOS is currently in its beta testing phase and has gained interest from the NOAA Dive Program, NOAA Small Boat Program, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and EPA. DASBOS is a powerful example of how GIS can inform critical decisions and mitigate health risks.
  • Cross-NOAA Outreach Enhances Coastal Flooding Information: CO-OPS and OCM are collaborating across line offices, including with the National Weather Service’s Office of Water Prediction, to launch a year-long outreach campaign for the NOAA Water Initiative (NWI). NWI strives to transform the development and delivery of water information, products, and services through new partnerships and stronger interoffice collaboration. As part of the campaign, CO-OPS and OCM will host five listening sessions to understand needs for high tide flooding and sea level rise tools and services. The first listening session is on November 8 and focuses on coastal planners. Four additional sessions over the rest of the fiscal year will focus on different sectors' needs, including energy and transportation; health and human services; realtors and insurers; and natural resource use and management. NWI will ensure stakeholders can better address the increasingly complex challenges of coastal flooding, therefore reducing risk, and improving resilience of vulnerable coastal communities.
  • 2021 Lake Erie Algal Bloom was More Severe than Predicted: October marked the end of the summer 2021 harmful algal bloom season on Lake Erie. The 2021 Microcystis bloom had a final severity index (SI) of 6.0, much higher than in 2020 when the severity was 3.0. NOAA forecasted a bloom severity only between 2.0 and 4.5. The SI is based on the amount of bloom biomass over the peak 30 days of the bloom. The largest blooms, 2011 and 2015, were 10.0 and 10.5, respectively. The models used to create the seasonal forecast incorporate phosphorous levels from the spring and early summer. A large amount of phosphorous in July 2021, the third highest since 2008, may have led to the larger-than-forecasted bloom. NOAA scientists will examine the differences between observed and predicted bloom severity in comparison with previous forecasts to evaluate the models.
  • Sanctuary Team Retrieves Ocean Mooring Data: Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary staff and partners traveled to Cape Elizabeth, Washington, aboard the sanctuary’s new R/V Storm Petrel to successfully recover the final oceanographic moorings from the sanctuary’s mooring array. This data, which has been collected along the Olympic Coast for more than two decades, allows sanctuary researchers and partners to document changing ocean conditions within this dynamic region and advance collaborative research, assessment, and monitoring. NOAA collects mooring data to monitor water quality, plankton blooms, upwelling, and low-oxygen events. Sanctuary staff were joined by partners from NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and Quileute Nation’s natural resources staff.
  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:
    • NEW! Section has been moved to the end of the newsletter.

Delivering the Benefits:

Congressional:

  • No update.

Communications/Outreach/Education:

  • Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System in collaboration with Lisa Auermuller at Rutgers University is conducting a short survey on the CA HAB Bulletin as part of a NOAA Use Case - a way for NOAA to document the use(s) of its tools, services, and products by its users. Use Cases illuminate what is working well and what needs additional effort to ensure the product effectively meets the users’ needs.What is "in it" for the respondents? Your feedback will be presented back to NOAA Water Initiative and U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System leadership for consideration in designing future products and services. This survey will take 10 minutes or less. CA HAB Bulletin - NOAA Stakeholder Survey - Closes Monday, November 22, 2021.
  • Elections were held to fill six seats on the PacIOOS Governing Council. PacIOOS is welcoming the following new and returning members: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands seat: Richard Salas, Bureau of Environmental and Coastal Quality. Federated States of Micronesia seat: Bertha Reyuw, Micronesia Conservation Trust. Guam seat: Dr. Jason Biggs, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources. Hawai‘i seat: Jennifer Conklin, U.S. Coast Guard, District 14. American Samoa seat: Scott Burch, National Park of American Samoa. Regional seat: Captain Mike Roth, U.S. Navy, United States Pacific Fleet. Elected for three-year terms, the incoming members will join our diverse council with representation from across the Pacific Islands region.
  • GCOOS Fall Meeting: The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System seated the organization’s elected and reelected Board members recently during its Fall Members Meeting. GCOOS includes 55 data partners and more than 100 members representing governmental and nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions and private industry from around the Gulf of Mexico. The GCOOS membership elects new board members on a rotating basis each spring and newly elected or re-elected members take their seats during the Fall Meeting, which was held virtually on Oct. 26. Read more here. 
  • NANOOS Presentation for NOAA West Watch: NOAA's most recent West Watch was held on 26 October 2021. The webinar summarized coastal environmental conditions and impacts in the Western Region. The webinar included contributed slides from the NANOOS, CeNCOOS, and SCCOOS regions, who regularly report on their local coastal ocean conditions. The next webinar date is 27 January 2022. Contact NANOOS if you want to participate and please let us know if you have any comments. 

Upcoming Meetings with IOOS Participation (Please check links as we move forward as things may change quickly for planned events):

  • Southeast Ocean & Coastal Acidification Network, 1 December 2021, virtual: Join SOCAN for the free SOCAN 2021 Virtual Meeting! The meeting topics will include: 
    • Reviewing the state-of-the-science.
    • Understanding of current and future levels of acidification.
    • Examining the adaptive capacity of organisms and ecosystems.
    • Evaluating how acidification of our coastal waters impacts communities. 
    • Exploring social vulnerabilities in the Southeast US.

The tentative meeting schedule will include a morning session from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm ET.  The afternoon session will include various breakout sessions from 1:00 - 5:00 pm ET. Registration is now open.

  • SECOORA Annual Meeting, 2 - 3 December 2021, St. Petersburg, FL & virtual: Join SECOORA for an in-person meeting on December 2-3, 2021 hosted in St. Petersburg, FL. The meeting will focus on Harmful Algal Blooms, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), and new SECOORA observing projects. The deadline to register is November 15, 2021.  Click here for more information and to register for the free meeting. 
  • ESIP Virtual January Meeting (Jan 18-21). For over 20 years, ESIP meetings have brought together the most innovative thinkers and leaders around Earth science data, thus forming a community dedicated to making Earth science data more discoverable, accessible and useful to researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and the public. The theme of this year’s meeting is "Data for All People: From Generation to Use and Understanding." More information about the meeting can be found here: https://2022esipjanuarymeeting.sched.com/info 
  • AMS Annual Meeting, 23-27 January 2022, Houston Texas: Abstract submission for the 102nd American Meteorological Society’s Annual Meeting, 23–27 January 2022, Houston, Texas is open. Submissions close 1 September 2021. See https://annual.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/2022/call-for-papers/. Contact Tiffany Vance for more details.  
    • Cloud Computing for Big Data in Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate (Joint with 21st Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Science, 12th Symposium on Advances in Modeling and Analysis Using Python, and  the Eighth Symposium on High Performance Computing for Weather, Water, and Climate)
    • Developing Cloud-based Tools for Data Analysis and Archiving  (Joint with 21st Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Science, 12th Symposium on Advances in Modeling and Analysis Using Python, and  the Eighth Symposium on High Performance Computing for Weather, Water, and Climate) 
    • FAIR and Open Data and Software within the Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences to Support  Replicable Research and Reusable Tools for Climate Analysis  (Joint with 25th Conference of  Atmospheric Librarians International and the 12th Symposium on Advances in Modeling and Analysis Using Python)
    • Meeting Data Stewardships Needs for Heterogeneous Earth and Atmospheric Science Data via the Exploitation of Emerging Technologies   (Joint with 25th Conference of Atmospheric Librarians International and the 21st Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Science).
    • Sessions in the 38th Environmental Information Processing Systems (EIPT) Conference that might be of particular interest include:
  • Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022, Feb 27 - March 4, now Virtual: This year’s theme emphasizes the importance of working together. “Come Together and Connect,” focuses on strengthening the ocean sciences community through discussing both basic and applied research while making scientific and social connections.https://www.aslo.org/osm2022/  
  • Session Title: ME13 Marine Life 2030: Advancing Earth Observations and the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) to Measure and Interpret Marine Biodiversity for Global Sustainability 
    • Session Organizers:
  • Tiffany Vance and Tim Kearns [GLOS] are co-organizers for a session at the 2022 Ocean Sciences meeting entitled “IoT and Distributed Sensing in Ocean Science and Research” under the Ocean Technologies and Observatories topic.  
  • Tiffany Vance is a co-organizer of a session at the 2022 Ocean Sciences meeting entitled “Democratizing Data: Environmental Data Access and its Future” in the  Education & Outreach topic.
  • NANOOS Community Workshop - Save the Date - March 24-25, 2022: We are pleased to announce that NANOOS is planning a community workshop on March 24-25, 2022 in Astoria, OR. Please mark your calendars! Our goals are to galvanize Pacific Northwest users and stakeholders, connect with old and new partners, and forge new strategies. We want to hear directly from our users about what would strengthen NANOOS products and how to reach broader audiences. This is an opportunity to bring together industries, policymakers, scientists, data experts, tribes, and other interested parties in the region to interact with each other and refine the NANOOS vision. More details will be available soon, please let us know if you have any questions or workshop topic suggestions.
  • GlobalHAB Workshop: Modeling and Prediction of Harmful Algal Blooms, 9 - 13 May 2022, Glasgow, UK:This 4-day workshop will combine oral and poster presentations, round-table discussions, and tutorials in order to 1) increase awareness of the range of modelling and observational tools that are in our community toolbox (or should be); 2) help the HAB community speak with one voice regarding climate-change impacts on the global ocean; and 3) help scientists and technologists develop creative approaches to meeting the needs of coastal communities, governments, and industry worldwide. Sessions will include
    • Regional problem-solving: linking models, observations, and stakeholder needs
    • Emerging approaches and technologies: physical and ecological model methods and observational capacities that open up new directions in HAB prediction
    • Global patterns and global change: links between HABs and environmental drivers at large spatial scales and on long time horizons
    • Scalable solutions: applications of global models, remote sensing, and other communal resources to predicting HABs and managing their impacts in data- and resource-poor systems

A priority for this workshop is inclusivity and balance in terms of national origin and career stage. We are able to waive registration fees and cover travel costs for a number of participants in support of this goal. Since the workshop is focused on discussion and small-group, informal interaction, it will not be possible to join it remotely, but we hope to make a number of presentations and other resources freely available online afterwards.  Abstract submission is open now through November 14.  A companion webinar series is running monthly during the second half of 2021, please click here for information and free registration. 

  • RESCHEDULED! MTS 14th Buoy Workshop, September 19-22, 2022, Wilmington, NC: The MTS 14th Buoy Workshop has been rescheduled for October 25 – 27, 2021 and will be held in Wilmington, North Carolina.  This year’s theme is Moored Systems for the Future. Areas and topics will include, but are not limited to: Ecosystems Monitoring, Long-Term Observing Systems, Reliability & Harsh Environments, Power Systems, Data, Sensors & Instrumentation, Mooring Design and Synergy.  Registration opens and the call for speakers begins April 15, 2021, and abstracts are due September 1, 2021. Please see the Buoy Workshop homepage for more information.

 

Other Upcoming Meetings:

  • 14th Asia-Oceania Group on Earth Observations Symposium, Online Event, 10 – 12 November 2021: The Group on Earth Observations (GEO announced the 14th Asia-Oceania Group on Earth Observations (AOGEO) Symposium to be held virtually from 10 to 12 November 2021. The Symposium is being organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology-Japan (MEXT) with support from the GEO Secretariat. The theme of this year’s AOGEO Symposium is “Envisioning AOGEO in 2022 and beyond”. The agenda and details on registration are available on the Symposium website at https://aogeo.net/2021-14th/. Each thematic Task Group will share the achievements and discuss the next implementation plans for 2022 and beyond, in addition to following special sessions which highlight essential challenges and opportunities at regional and global scale:
    • Special Session 1: Biodiversity for Addressing Climate Change & Disaster Risk Reduction
    • Special Session 2: Satellite data for the Pacific Islands: Supplier and User perspectives
    • Special Session 3: Earth Observation for Climate Change
  • 9th annual Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) Symposium, 15 - 16 November 2021, virtual: The 9th annual Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) Symposium will take place on November 15-16, 2021. This free online event will feature presentations, panels and workshops. The Symposium is an annual event that brings together researchers from across the globe to collaborate, develop strategies and seek new opportunities for the sustainable management of aquatic animals in changing ocean environments. It's open to Network members, early career researchers, and those interested in aquatic species research. Abstracts are currently being accepted through August 16. You can find further information on the symposium webpage. https://oceantrackingnetwork.org/2021-otn-symposium/ 
  • Towards a Coordinated European Observing System for Marine Macroalgae, 23-25 November 2021, 10-12am, 2-4pm CET: Marine macroalgae are the most common macroscopic form of life flourishing on rocky reefs along the world’s temperate coasts. Macroalgae increase biodiversity by providing habitat and shelter to many other marine species. Sustained and coordinated observations are necessary to preserve macroalgae and their associated biodiversity and to ensure those systems will continue to deliver key ecosystem functions and services in a changing ocean. Registration is open here.
  • Save the Date - NOAA’s Science Advisory Board Meeting, 7 - 8 December 2021: The next meeting of the NOAA Science Advisory Board will be held on December 7 - 8, 2021. Meeting details and materials will be posted on the SAB website as they are finalized.
  • Abstract Deadline Extended! International Ocean Data Conference 2022: The Data We Need for the Ocean We Want, 14-16 February 2022, Sopot, Poland & virtual: The deadline for submitting abstracts has been extended to 15 November 2021.  The conference will be held as a hybrid event with a number of participants on-site while others will participate through video conference. The conference programme includes the following topic areas: Global Strategies and Policy, Implementing the Digital Commons, and Looking Forward. Learn more on theconference website. 
  • MTS TechSurge: Florida Estuary and Coastal Monitoring - Looking Ahead to 2030 - 12-14 April 2022: Join us for a TechSurge event with focus on transformative solutions for integrated coastal monitoring systems for Florida's estuaries and nearshore coastal waters. We welcome your revolutionary new technologies and system designs or those that can be adapted for coastal monitoring from other uses for significant impact in this focus area. Help meet the grand challenges and opportunities and guide the development for the future. In addition, guidance and outcomes from this meeting will directly influence Indian River Lagoon monitoring network planning and may feed into the Ocean Decade Implementation Plan (2021-2030).
    • WHEN: April 12 - 14, 2022
    • WHERE: FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (FAU/HBOI), Fort Pierce, Florida
    • Registration Information - Registration will open Tuesday, October 12, 2021
    • More info: https://mtsociety.memberclicks.net/fl-techsurge 
  • 5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5), 23 - 30 June 2022, Vancouver, Canada: From 23-30 June 2022, the world’s leading ocean conservation professionals will meet in Vancouver, Canada to chart a course towards protecting 30% of the global ocean by 2030. The call for proposals for the Congress program is open now until 20 September (23:59 PDT) 2021. For more information, see https://www.impac5.ca/congress-details/program/proposals/ 

 

Webinars: 

  • OA in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico, 18 November, 1-2 p.m. ET:  The next webinar in the GCAN series will be “Influences on Acidification in Northwestern Gulf of Mexico Estuaries,” presented by Ph.D. candidate Larissa Dias, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Her research focuses on carbonate chemistry of estuarine waters in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico and the factors influencing it. Dias is a recipient of the 2020 NOAA Graduate Research Fellowship and works with stakeholders to better understand and model the dynamic nature of alkalinity and ocean acidification in Texas estuaries. Zoom Link: https://tamu.zoom.us/j/93988736001
  • SERIES: National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Series: The National Marine Sanctuaries Webinar Seriesprovides educators with educational and scientific expertise, resources, and training to support ocean and climate literacy in the classroom. This series currently targets formal and informal educators, students (high school through college), as well as members of the community, including families. You can also visit the archives of the webinar series to catch up on presentations you may have missed here.
  • SERIES: EMB Third Thursday Science: The European Marine Board’s webinar series, #ThirdThursdayScience, focuses on the science underpinning the research and policy recommendations in EMB publications. The free webinars will take place on the third Thursday of each month, and will run for one hour between 13:00 - 14:00 CEST. Webinars will also be live-streamed on YouTube and will be made available to re-watch later on the EMB YouTube Channel. Upcoming webinars:
    • 18 November: Addressing underwater noise in Europe
    • 16 December: Marine Geohazards in Europe
  • SERIES: Mapping the Great Lakes: A virtual webinar series focused on priorities for building a comprehensive detailed bathymetric map of the Great Lakes. The events will engage the audience with presentations and discussions from leading scientists and researchers on the technologies and issues impacting the Great Lakes ecosystems.  Click here for more info and registration or catch up on what you’ve missed here. 
    • Nov. 18: Collaboration, 12:30 – 2 PM

Grants and Funding Opportunities:

  • AXA & IOC-UNESCO Call for Research Projects on Coastal Livelihoods: The AXA Research Fund and the Ocean Decade are launching a joint ‘Call for Proposals |Call for Decade Actions’ around the theme of “Resilient Coastal Livelihoods”. This call will simultaneously respond to the priorities of the AXA Research Fund and contribute to the fulfillment of several Ocean Decade Challenges. The call will predominantly contribute to Challenge 7: Increase Community Resilience to Ocean Hazards, but research proposals could also contribute to a range of other Challenges including Challenge 4: Sustainably Feed the Global Population; Challenge 5: Develop a Sustainable and Equitable Ocean Economy; and Challenge 6: Unlock OceanBased Solutions to Climate Change. This call aims at selecting and supporting 8 Postdoctoral researchers working on coastal livelihoods and the associated environmental, economic, social, geopolitical issues. We will look for innovative, transdisciplinary research topics, adopting either a global perspective or focusing on regional challenges with potential for replication. Fellowships are awarded for a period of 2 years with up to 125,000€ allocated for the full period. Candidates should be maximum PhD +5 years. Candidates must have already defended their PhD before applying for an AXA Fellowship. Expressions of interest due 8 November 2021 by 4pm CEST; full applications due 14 December 2021 by 4pm CEST. Click here for full information.
  • FY2022-2023 Margaret A. Davidson Fellowship Request for Proposals: NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management is pleased to announce the release of the FY 2022 - 2023 Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship request for proposals. This program offers graduate students admitted to or enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. program the opportunity to conduct estuarine research within a National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Davidson fellowship supports research projects that help scientists and communities understand the coastal challenges that will likely influence future policy and management strategies, and offers professional development opportunities geared to build the next generation of coastal professionals. NOAA is committed to reaching applicants from minority serving institutions, and to partnering with these universities for collaborative science initiatives and fellowship opportunities within the research reserves. NOAA will award one fellowship at each of the 29 reserves in the national system. Each two-year project will employ the tenets of collaborative research, including engaging end-users, incorporating multi-disciplinary perspectives, and ensuring outcomes are applicable to local coastal resource management needs and decision-making. The fellowship honors the legacy of Margaret A. Davidson, a true visionary and pioneer in the field of coastal resource management. Applications are due December 10th, 2021. A link to the request for proposals can be found here. Additional information about the program can be found on our website.
  • Nancy Foster Scholarship Program: The Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program provides support for master’s and doctoral degrees in oceanography, marine biology, maritime archaeology—these may include but are not limited to ocean and/or coastal: engineering, social science, marine education, marine stewardship, cultural anthropology, and resource management disciplines—and particularly encourages women and members of minority groups to apply. The application period for the 2022 Dr. Nancy Foster Scholarship Program has opened and complete applications are due December 14, 2021 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time. The Notice of Funding Opportunity can be found here.
  • FY2022 US Marine Life Observations: Coordinated Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Activities to Ensure Resilient, Productive Ecosystems and Human Communities in the Face of Change: On behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP), NOAA and partner agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the Office of Naval Research request proposals that: (1) build upon the foundation established by the US Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), the US Animal Telemetry Network (ATN), and the US IOOS Regional Associations to work across sectors and disciplines towards an integrated, sustained marine life observing capability for the U.S. ocean, coasts and Great Lakes, from estuaries to the deep ocean; (2) advance technologies for efficient and/or automated collection of species and associated habitat observations; (3) enable open access to biodiversity data and information; and (4) utilize these observations, technologies, and data to address place-based (e.g., sanctuaries, reserves, protected areas, leasing blocks, etc) management, conservation and restoration needs. For more information and to apply:https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=335886. The deadline for applications is December 17, 2021.
  • NEW! Funding Opportunity from Oregon: The Oregon Ocean Science Trust (OOST), in consultation with the Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH Council), are pleased to announce the Request For Proposals (RFP) for strategic research, monitoring, and communications to address ocean acidification and hypoxia. Subsequent to the passage of a funding bill (HB 3114) by the Oregon Legislature, the State of Oregon has provided about $1,000,000 to priority actions from the Oregon Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Action Plan 2019-2025. Proposals are due by 21 December 2021.  To review the request for proposals, including deadlines, forms, and other information, please visit https://www.oostoahrfp.com.  
  • Understanding multi-stressor impacts on marine ecosystems under climate change: NOAA/NOS/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS)/Competitive Research Program (CRP), the NOAA Climate Program Office (CPO), and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), in partnership with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) and the NOAA Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), are soliciting proposals to understand the combined impacts of multiple stressors on the function and health of marine ecosystems within the context of climate change. This information will be used to improve place-based management of marine protected areas and enable the proactive protection of these critical ecosystems under future climate scenarios. Applications are due January 18, 2022.  Click here for full details and how to apply.  
  • Integrated Research on Coastal and Ocean Acidification and Harmful Algal Blooms: and the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) are soliciting proposals for research that must address the interaction between coastal and ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms. Funding is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2022 Federal appropriations. It is anticipated that up to approximately $1,500,000 may be available in Fiscal Year 2022 for the first year for all projects combined. If funds become available for this program, 3-5 targeted projects are expected to be funded at the level of $300,00 to $500,000 per year per proposal (including ship time). Projects are expected not to exceed 3 years in duration. NCCOS/CRP will not accept any proposals submitted with an annual budget that is greater than $500,000 for any year. It is anticipated that projects funded under this announcement will have a September 1, 2022 start date.  Applications close January 19, 2022. View the funding opportunity here. 

Job and Internship Opportunities:

  • MTS Executive Director: Dr. Kathleen Herndon has been the MTS Executive Director for 3 years and her contract concludes in January 2022. As the Society continues to evolve, the MTS Board determined that the MTS ED needs significant marine technology experience and expertise to advance our goals.  As of 10 November we have opened up the search for the new Executive Director.  The position description and how to apply can be seen here:  https://mtsociety.memberclicks.net/assets/MTS%20POSITION%20DESCRIPTION_final2021.pdf. 
  • Rutgers University: Laboratory Researcher III for the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences: The Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (COOL) is a large field-going research group.  It conducts research around the world using novel autonomous technologies.  These technologies provide large environmental data sets that are analyzed for a range of theoretical and applied data products. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is seeking a Laboratory Researcher III for the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences.. The position supports The Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (COOL) mission in the field and in the laboratories on campus.  The focus will be supporting externally funded research programs. For more information or to apply, please visit: https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/146711. 
  • Post Doctoral Associate in acoustic tracking research, University of Miami: The successful candidate will work on a collaborative IOOS/SECOORA-funded project to integrate acoustic animal tracking data into biodiversity monitoring and conservation. The project will support a growing initiative between the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) and Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) to integrate, store, process, visualize and share data on marine biodiversity hotspots based on animal tracking data that is useful for conservation and natural resource management. The researcher will be mentored by Dr. Neil Hammerschlag (University of Miami) and will benefit from collaborations among the animal tracking community, MBON investigators, and ATN staff. The candidate will also be welcomed as a core team member of the Shark Research and Conservation Program and Hammerschlag Laboratory at the University of Miami. Open until filled. Click here for more info and how to apply.
  • Postdoctoral Research Fellow in bioinformatics and machine learning, Loyola Marymount University: A Postdoctoral Research Fellow position is available immediately with Demian Willette (Loyola Marymount University), in collaboration with Michael Vecchione (National Museum of Natural History) and Amina Jackson (Booz Allen). The postdoc will be based in the Vecchione Lab at the NMNH, Washington D.C. This position is part of a National Science Foundation Convergence Accelerator project aimed at developing use-inspired solutions to societal challenges in ocean-related resources. For more information please reach out to project PI Dr. Demian Willette at demian.willette@lmu.edu. 
  • Engagement & Research Associate, NERACOOS & New Hampshire Sea Grant: In partnership with New Hampshire Sea Grant, NERACOOS is co-hiring an Engagement and Research Associate. This position is based at NERACOOS. The successful candidate will work  with a regional team of engagement specialists, researchers, and stakeholders to identify shared goals, challenges, information gaps, and priorities that need to be addressed to enhance the blue economy of the Northeastern U.S., particularly as related to the development of ocean renewable energy (ORE). Open until filled, application review begins on September 1.  Click here for more info and how to apply. 
  • Ocean Visions Operations Manager: Ocean Visions seeks an Operations Manager to join our small but mighty team catalyzing solutions for critical ocean challenges. We need a person to manage "base camp", covering critical functions like HR, Finance, IT, and Admin. We are looking for a highly capable person with skills in a number of areas who is motivated by the mission of Ocean Visions. Learn more here: https://oceanvisions.org/job-announcement-operations-manager/ 

Click here to view the IOOS Association Calendar

Do you have suggestions for new things you would like to see in the Eyes on the Ocean IOOS Bi-Weekly? Contact us at: eoto@noaa.gov.

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