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From the Director:

Dear IOOS Community,

It is Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 9-15, 2021) and now is a great time to start thinking about how you will prepare your home for the coming hurricane season. The National Weather Service has put together resources that can help you determine your personal hurricane risk, develop an evacuation plan for you and your family, assemble disaster supplies, get an insurance checkup, strengthen your home, and understand hurricane safety.  If you live in hurricane-prone areas, you are encouraged to complete these simple preparations before hurricane season begins on June 1. Are you ready? 

With Hurricane season approaching, the IOOS community is also gearing up for the 2021 season. Plans for hurricane glider deployments are underway. IOOS regions also provide excellent data resources and models throughout hurricane season that will help the public and decision makers prepare for and weather storms. Check out the IOOS Hurricane Season Resources page for links to these resources. 

Thanks,
Carl

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • IOOS Program Office Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: On April 26th, the IOOS Office sent a letter to all the Regional Associations addressing the IOOS Office’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The letter outlined our plans to make the work of environmental justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion core to what we do and how we operate within the IOOS enterprise. This will take consistent and intentional work and require steadfast commitment by the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Office, and the IOOS community. As IOOS strives to provide societal benefit every day, we also must strive to do it with justice, equity, and inclusion in mind and we will need to do that across our enterprise. As a first step in this effort, the IOOS Office is working with the Regions to build an approach for promoting equity and justice in our service delivery and diversity and inclusivity in our hiring and recruiting practices. We look forward to working together to improve the IOOS enterprise.

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

  • Surface Current Mapping: (IOOS Surface Currents Program Manager, Brian Zelenke, brian.zelenke@noaa.gov): 
    • Congrats to SECOORA HFR Operators! Congratulations to the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (SECOORA) HFR operators at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography (https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4398975), University of Miami (https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4441692), and University of South Carolina (https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=4441691) on their receipt of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) operational radio broadcast licenses for their Helzel WERA HFRs!  Now every all-WERA operator in the IOOS Surface Currents Program is operationally licensed for broadcast within the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) bands approved by the FCC for oceanographic HFR.  These FCC operational (as opposed to experimental) licenses were obtained in consultation with the IOOS Surface Currents Program and its contractor Freedom Technologies, Inc. (FTI).  Further guidance from the Program and FTI on FCC operational licensing and the transition to ITU bands is forthcoming for CODAR SeaSonde and University of Hawaii LERA HFR operators.
  • GPS Synchronization Testing of SeaSonde Radio Broadcasts Underway: Large-scale testing of the GPS synchronization of SeaSonde radio broadcasts is underway on the U.S. West Coast. This testing is evaluating whether an unlimited number of HFRs can operate on the same frequency band using CODAR Ocean Sensors’ SHARE technology (GPS-enabled modulation multiplexing).  The results of this testing are guiding our approach to meeting the FCC’s deadline to have all HFRs broadcasting within ITU-designated bands by next Spring.  Thank you to all those participating in this testing!
    • Hurricane Season Glider Deployment: MARACOOS, SECOORA, CARICOOS, GCOOS, and AOML along with their academic and industry partners have developed a glider deployment plan for the upcoming hurricane season which is predicted to be another active one. This effort is being coordinated with the Navy as well. The team meets bi-weekly and continues to adjust according to asset availability and funding.
  • Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) (National Coordinator Bill Woodward, Bill.Woodward@noaa.gov):
    • ATN Data Workshop: The U.S. Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Data Team and Network Coordinator hosted a two-hour ATN Data Workshop on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 for the Southeast & Gulf of Mexico Telemetry Community. The main purpose of the Workshop was to provide regional telemetry users with an introduction to the ATN and its Data Assembly Center (DAC) and included an overview of the DAC data management tools (i.e., Research Workspace, Project Registration App and the Data Portal), standards for both data and metadata, and the data curation process from ingestion through archival. 25 attendees participated in the webinar. Additionally, Dr. Megan McKinzie and Ian Gill of the ATN Data Team are available for 60 minute, one-on-one or small group virtual PI sessions between May 6 and May 14. These sessions can be used to develop individualized data management plans, address project specific questions or needs, and begin the data/metadata ingestion process. ATN PIs who may be interested in learning more about the advanced functionality of the Research Workspace or Data Portal are also encouraged to sign-up. Time-slots can be reserved using the ATN scheduler (link). The Workshop was recorded and can be accessed at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7973725809621659654
  • Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) (IOOS PO POC Gabrielle Canonico, Gabrielle.Canonico@noaa.gov):
    • Piloting Bio-GO-SHIP on US cruises to Study Plankton and Ocean Processes: IOOS and NOAA's Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program (GOMO), with NASA’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program, were successful in identifying $500,000 via the National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP) to support a “Bio-GO-SHIP” pilot project. Bio-GO-SHIP is proposed as an international collaboration to measure, understand, and predict the distribution and biogeochemical role of pelagic plankton communities. This two-year project is part of a larger multi-agency effort and will leverage the global-reaching NOAA- and NSF-led U.S. Global Ocean Ship-based Hydrographic Investigations Program (GO-SHIP) platforms to investigate the distributions and biogeochemical roles of plankton in the global ocean. Learn more about Bio-GO-SHIP at https://biogoship.org/

    • Save the Date! MBON Side Event at All-Atlantic 2021 Conference: Save the date for the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) side event at All-Atlantic 2021 (https://www.allatlantic2021.eu/) Ministerial High Level & Stakeholders Conference (Ponta Delgada, Azores, 2nd - 4th of June 2021). The session is designed for stakeholders to “cooperate, connect and act” as an MBON community of practice to observe life in the sea for operational and research purposes. More information is available at: https://www.allatlantic2021.eu/a/the-marine-biodiversity-observation-network-mbon-advancing-collaborative-biodiversity-observations/ 

    • Arctic MBON Updates: Learn more about Arctic MBON and the team’s efforts to develop operational forecasts of biodiversity in the most recent AOOS newsletter: https://aoos.org/arctic-marine-biodiversity-observation-network-ambon/

    • Paper on MetaZooGene Barcode Atlas and Database Published: The SCOR WG157 review paper introducing the MetaZooGene Atlas and Database (MZGdb - https://metazoogene.org/MZGdb) has now been published open access: Bucklin A, KTCA Peijnenburg, KN Kosobokova, TD O’Brien, L Blanco-Bercial, A Cornils, T Falkenhaug, RR Hopcroft, A Hosia, S Laakmann, C Li, L Martell, JM Questel, D Wall-Palmer, M Wang, PH Wiebe, A Weydmann-Zwolicka (2021) Toward a global reference database of COI barcodes for marine zooplankton. Marine Biology. Link is here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00227-021-03887-y 

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

  • Call for Abstracts! Frontiers in Climate Special Issue: We are still accepting abstracts for a new Frontiers in Climate special issue on Democratizing Data: Environmental Data Access and its Future.  We currently have 9 submissions across a fascinating range of topics. 
    • Description:
      • A community goal is to have improved data access with the aim of democratizing data by removing gatekeepers so that data are unrestricted and available in a meaningful way to all. Improved access to data also supports data equity - “The term “data equity” captures a complex and multi-faceted set of ideas. It refers to the consideration, through an equity lens, of the ways in which data is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and distributed.” By making data more easily accessed and used we also make the ability to use data more equitable.
    • We want to gather a set of papers that bring together all aspects of the data access process with a focus on improving data access for a wide range of users. We propose the following structure:
      • data discoverability
      • data access
      • data and service equity
      • data usability
      • user interface/engagement/input
      • visualization tools
      • reproducibility and tracing - after access
    • We have defined the topic rather broadly and would welcome submissions from the RCN folks or others. Details at: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/20014/democratizing-data-environmental-data-access-and-its-future 
    • Tiffany Vance [tiffany.c.vance@noaa.gov] is happy to talk with anyone who has any questions about the special issue.  
  • Save the Date! 2021 IOOS DMAC Meeting, 15 – 17 June 2021, Virtual: We are pleased to announce that the 2021 DMAC Meeting will take place virtually on the afternoons (1:00 - 5:00 PM ET) of Tuesday, June 15 through Thursday, June 17. Please save these dates in your calendars.  We will reach out for agenda input for presentation and breakout discussion topics soon. Further information on event logistics will be coming out soon as well. Questions or suggestions about the agenda should go to Mathew Biddle (mathew.biddle@noaa.gov), Micah Wengren (micah.wengren@noaa.gov), Tiffany Vance (tiffany.c.vance@noaa.gov) and Kathy Bailey (kathleen.bailey@noaa.gov).
    • 5-Year QARTOD Plan Development: In preparation for the development of the next 5-year QARTOD plan (2022-2026), the Board of Advisors (https://ioos.noaa.gov/ioos-in-action/qartod-board-of-advisors/) has provided guidance by responding to a questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire have been summarized, and a working group is now being formed to help with the plan update over the next few months. Contact Mark if you’d like to participate.
    • International Conference on Marine Data and Information Systems: The International Conference on Marine Data and Information Systems was held virtually 12-14 April, 2021. Four sessions addressed: 1) Data services and tools in ocean science, 2) Technical developments for marine information and data management, 3) Marine environmental infrastructures for observation data (data management and access), and 4) Data products, information and knowledge. Fifty-two oral presentations and seventy-eight posters are summarized in the proceedings, found at https://imdis.seadatanet.org/Proceedings
    • Ocean Best Practice System Update: A new paper, titled Evolving and Sustaining Ocean Best Practices to Enable Interoperability in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development has been published by Frontiers in Marine Science under the research topic Best Practices in Ocean Observing (seehttps://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.619685). The paper describes how the OBPS is collaborating with individuals and programs around the world to transform the way ocean methodologies are managed, in strong alignment with the outcomes envisioned for the Ocean Decade. Challenges include: 1) haphazard management of methodologies across their lifecycle, 2) ambiguous endorsement of what is “best” and when and where one method may be applicable vs. another, and 3) inconsistent access to methodological knowledge across disciplines and cultures.
    • OBPS Workshop Proceedings Available: The 4th Evolving and Sustaining Ocean Best Practices Workshop was held online during the period 17-30 September 2020. The workshop consisted of three plenary sessions and eleven Working Group meetings. The Working Group topics were:
  1. Convergence of methods and endorsement of best practices
  2. Data and information management: towards globally scalable interoperability
  3. Developing community capacities for the creation and use of best practices
  4. Ethics and best practices for ocean observing and applications
  5. Fisheries
  6. Marine Litter/Plastics
  7. Omics/eDNA
  8. Partnership Building
  9. Sargassum
  10. Surface Radiation
  11. Uncertainty Quantification

See the proceedings at https://repository.oceanbestpractices.org/handle/11329/1540

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 Ocean Decade of Ocean Science For Sustainable Development Updates: 
  • Engaging diverse stakeholders in the Ocean Decade: the key role of national and regional stakeholder networks - 18 MAY 2021 - 14.00-16.00 (CEST): This webinar, organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO will provide a platform for National Decade Committees and regional task forces to share experiences and knowledge, to encourage creation of synergies amongst different initiatives, and to showcase successful activities to inspire action in others. This webinar will be organized in three parts: 
    • Part 1 – The key role of stakeholder entities in convening and engaging multiple and diverse stakeholders in the Decade;
    • Part 2 – How can regional stakeholder networks facilitate the co-design of initiatives across groups of nations?
    • Part 3 – How can stakeholder networks can coordinate linkages between endorsed Decade Actions?
  • High-Level Launch of the Ocean Decade - First international Ocean Decade Conference - 1 JUNE 2021: The ocean is the largest ecosystem on Earth and central to the survival of nature and humankind. But the ocean is also under massive threat. More than ever before, science and research are being called upon to join forces with policymakers, society and economic actors to protect and sustainably manage the ocean. To achieve this vision, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2021 to 2030 as the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development – the "Ocean Decade". A prominent virtual opening June 1st marks the official start of the series of events that will make up the re-structured First International Ocean Decade Conference. Engage with world leaders and other stakeholders from diverse stakeholder groups including science, industry, UN agencies, philanthropy, governments, NGOs, civil society and community leaders, media, and arts and humanities. Learn more and register here: https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/  
  • Virtual Early Career Ocean Professional Day | 01-02 June 2021: The Virtual Early Career Ocean Professional (V.ECOP) Day  will be held June 1, 2021, immediately following the kick-off of the First International Conference of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. As an official UN Ocean Decade Activity, V.ECOP Day  is a 24-hour livestream event following the sun around the globe. Hosted by and for international Early Career Ocean Professionals from a wide variety of disciplines, these future leaders and experts will present their work, activities, and contributions to the UN Ocean Decade and explore what's next in this dynamic field. To register and for more information, see: https://vecop.vfairs.com/ 
  • Ocean Decade Laboratories | Call for Online Satellite Activities 2021: The United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Ocean Decade) commenced on 1 January 2021 to deliver the ‘science we need for the ocean we want’. In response to ongoing constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a virtual High-Level Launch of the Ocean will take place on June 1st, 2021 followed by seven “Ocean Decade Laboratories” between July 2021 and May 2022. Laboratories are innovative formats that function as self-sustaining events. They act as a creative platform to link diverse stakeholders and topics to trigger collaborative efforts in regard to the UN Ocean Decade. The Laboratories have been structured around the seven Ocean Decade Outcomes. This Call for Online Sessions is open to partners around to world to identify Satellite Activities for the following Ocean Decade Laboratories:
    • An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean on 7th and 8th July 2021
    • A Predicted Ocean on 15th and 16th September 2021
    • A Clean Ocean on 17th and 18th November 2021

A second Call for Online Sessions will be launched for Satellite Activities for Ocean Decade Laboratories to be held later in 2022. All calls are being launched globally to ensure that a diversity of time zones, languages, and regional and local contexts are represented in the Laboratories. For more information, see https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/files/20210422_CallforOnlineSessions2021_Guidelines.pdf or submit your proposal for satellite activities here. 

  • Ocean Observatories Initiative News:
    • New OOI Pioneer Array Location Announced: It’s official! The next location of the OOI (Ocean Observatories Initiative) Coastal Pioneer Array is the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) and the move will take place in 2024.  The geographic footprint championed during the NSF-sponsored Innovations Lab #1 is the region of the MAB between Cape Hatteras and Norfolk Canyon. This region offers opportunities to collect data on a wide variety of cross-disciplinary science topics including cross-shelf exchange, land-sea interactions associated with large estuarine systems, a highly productive ecosystem with major fisheries, and carbon cycle processes. This location also offers opportunities to improve our understanding of hurricane development, tracking and prediction, and offshore wind partnerships. Read more here: https://oceanobservatories.org/2021/04/ooi-pioneer-array-to-relocate-to-mab/ 
    • OOI Launches Data Explorer V1.1: Since its inaugural launch in October 2020, OOI has been working with users of Data Explorer to learn what features worked for them, which could be improved, and what could be added to optimize users’ experiences.  This input has been put into practice and is now available for further testing on Data Explorer v1.1. Improvements made to this version include the addition of five new instrument data types: Wire-following, Surface-piercing, Cabled Deep and Shallow Profilers, and Cabled Single Point Velocity Meters. Changes were made to improve the display and use of ERDDAP data.  Now it is possible to print custom configuration of time-series and data comparison charts.
  • NOAA’s National Weather Service Partnership Strategy: The NWS is proud to share the NWS Partnership Strategy. The NWS values all partnerships that help in meeting, advancing and delivering NWS’ mission. This strategy highlights the need for more emphasis on ensuring partner interactions improve, with greater shared awareness and understanding of how partnerships can leverage both talent from the NWS and amplify it with the contributions and skills of others beyond the NWS. It is also a framework for how partnerships might strengthen what the NWS is already doing - from decision support and infrastructure improvements to administrative and policy development. The Strategy has the following three goals:
  1. Improve the overall NWS partnership experience. 
  2. Further enhance and develop new ways of leveraging and using partnership capabilities to help realize the NWS vision for a Weather-Ready Nation.
  3. Understand the landscape of NWS partnerships and develop a clear strategic 

   Materials and recording links to recent NWS partnership webinars are now available:

  • First Major Update to Precision Marine Navigation Data Services: NOAA's Precision Marine Navigation (PMN) program has completed the first update of its prototype navigation data service, adding the PMN data processing and dissemination system and PMN Data Gateway. The data processing and dissemination system provides surface current forecast guidance from NOAA’s forecast systems in a prototype marine navigation data format. The gateway viewer allows users to visualize the predictions and their locations. The PMN program will continue to update its data services as new NOAA marine navigation data becomes available. These services will support users across the maritime industry to make safe, efficient, and sustainable decisions when it comes to navigation.
  • New Current Meter for Chesapeake Bay PORTS: The Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) has worked with its local partner to expand the Chesapeake Bay Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS®). A new current meter was added to the southern PORTS system in the Bay, making a total of seven current meters in this area. The new station is located on the James River in Virginia and will improve navigation safety for mariners. PORTS are integrated systems of sensors concentrated in seaports that provide commercial vessel operators with accurate and reliable real-time information about environmental conditions.
  • Raster Navigational Chart Web Tools to Shut Down: NOAA announced it will shut down its Raster Navigational Chart (RNC) Tile Service and the online RNC Viewer on October 1, 2021. NOAA’s Seamless Raster Navigational Chart Services will be shut down on January 1, 2022. This is part of a larger NOAA program to end production and maintenance of NOAA’s traditional paper and raster nautical charts by 2025. The RNC tile and seamless services will be turned off early in the raster sunset program because they repackage chart images based on the traditional nautical chart products that are being retired.
  • NGS Updates Guidance on Modernized National Spatial Reference System (NSRS): The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) has updated the guidance it gave to geospatial professionals and engineers in three foundational documents that provide a blueprint for the modernization of the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS). Originally published from 2017 to 2019, Blueprint for the Modernized NSRS Parts 1, 2, and 3 have all been revised in the Spring of 2021 to reflect an updated timeline for modernization, the Geospatial Data Act of 2018, new standards put forth by NGS and the United Nations, new technology introduced both by the geospatial industry and by NGS, and new concepts and expectations for how the modernization will be implemented. Use cases have been added to Blueprint Part 3, which covers working in the modernized NSRS. Blueprint Part 1 still covers technical and policy decisions regarding the replacement of the North American Datum of 1983, and Blueprint Part 2 still discusses the planned replacement of all vertical datums in the NSRS.
  • NGS Hosts 2021 Geospatial Summit: NGS hosted the virtual 2021 Geospatial Summit, with more than 1,150 people attending on day one, and nearly 1,050 people attending on day two. Attendee feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants rated the summit's content extremely informative and the event itself extremely satisfying. The summit provided updated information on the planned modernization of the National Spatial Reference System. This modernization effort will impact federal mapping agencies, engineers, surveyors, and many other geospatial applications and user groups. Summit attendees learned how to prepare for the modernized system and how it may affect their work, asked questions of NGS experts, and shared their feedback about the planned changes. The event continued discussions from previous geospatial summits held in 2010, 2015, 2017, and 2019.
  • Low-Level, Gulf-Wide Red Tide Predicted for Gulf of Maine: Researchers from NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are predicting a low-level gulf-wide red tide in the Gulf of Maine this summer. This prediction continues the pattern of smaller blooms observed in the region over the last few years. NOAA will provide coastal managers with weekly updates of modeled bloom extent, trajectory, and intensity throughout the spring and summer of 2021 and will provide guidance to states monitoring harmful algae and shellfish toxicity along the shore. This marks the 14th year that NOAA and its partners have issued the seasonal forecast.
  • 26th Session of the IOC Committee on IODE Report Available: The IOC Committee on International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange held its 26th session (IODE-XXV) online between 20 and 23 April 2021. The IODE session was attended by 155 participants from 65 IOC Member States and 9 organizations. To accommodate participants from the wide range of time zones two plenary sessions of two hours were held on each day of the session (07:00-09:00 UTC and 15:00-17:00 UTC). During its 26th session, the Committee focused its attention mainly on the following key issues: (i) review of NODC health status within the IODE network; (ii) IODE project and activity performance evaluation methodology; (iii) future of the IODE Ocean Data and Information Networks (ODINs); (iv) establishment of the ODIS project and associated partnership centre; (v) contribution of IODE to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development; (vi) revision of the IOC strategic plan for data and information management (2022-2025); (vii) revision of the IOC oceanographic data exchange policy; (viii) performance review of the IOC Project Office for IODE; (ix) (first) international ocean data conference (November 2021); and (x) work plan and budget for 2021-2022. The Committee adopted five decisions and four recommendations. The IODE XXVI report is available: https://www.iode.org/index.php?option=com_oe&task=viewDocumentRecord&docID=28331. The web page of the Session is available: https://www.iode.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=634&Itemid=100407. 
  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:
  • SECOORA 2021 Education and Outreach RFP: SECOORA is soliciting proposals to develop online or online accessible K-12 marine science curricula and/or activities that can be implemented by parents, teachers, and other educators. Proposals must demonstrate how they will increase participation of underrepresented communities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) educational activities.  Proposals due May 21, click here for the full details and how to submit. 
  • NSF Convergence Accelerator Broad Agency Announcement: The NSF Convergence Accelerator program addresses national-scale societal challenges through use-inspired convergence research. Using a convergence approach and innovation processes like human-centered design, user discovery, and team science and integration of multidisciplinary research, the Convergence Accelerator program seeks to transition basic research and discovery into practice—to solve high-impact societal challenges aligned with specific research themes (tracks). NSF Convergence Accelerator tracks are chosen in concordance with the themes identified during the program’s ideation process that have the potential for significant national impact. The NSF Convergence Accelerator implements a two-phase program. Both phases are described in this solicitation and are covered by this single solicitation and corresponding Broad Agency Announcement. The purpose of this parallel activity is to provide increased opportunities for proposals that are led by non‑academic entities. Proposals that are led by Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), non-profits, independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations should respond to this solicitation. Proposals led by for‑profit or similar organizations should respond to the BAA. Phase I awardees receive significant resources to further develop their convergence research ideas and to identify important partnerships and resources to accelerate their projects, leading to deliverable research prototypes in Phase II. This solicitation for FY 2021 invites proposals for the following Track Topics: Networked Blue Economy and Trust & Authenticity in Communications Systems. Read more here: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=505795 Letters of Intent are due May 5, 2021 and full proposals are due June 14, 2021. 

Delivering the Benefits:

  • New wave buoy to be deployed off Arecibo! As part of a collaborative effort between the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) and CARICOOS, a new wave buoy will be deployed off Arecibo in Puerto Rico’s northern coast. This buoy will measure waves in real time and will help characterize Puerto Rico’s renewable wave energy resources. More information coming soon.  Meanwhile, scheduled maintenance and refurbishment to existing CARICOOS Buoys will start later in May. 
  • Herring Glider Surveys in Prince William Sound: The University of Alaska Fairbanks-College of Fisheries and Ocean Science (UAF-CFOS) Glider Lab team, led by Hank Statscewich and Seth Danielson, launched the first AOOS-funded Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management glider mission in Prince William Sound (PWS) in January 2021. The glider, nicknamed “Shackleton”, was outfitted with seven environmental sensors plus a receiver that listens for tagged fish. Read more on this story here. 
  • PNW HAB Bulletin Supports Tribal Access to Razor Clams:  Members of the Quinault Indian Nation have been able to harvest clams on the Washington coast for the first time since fall 2020. Joe Schumacker, Quinault Department of Fisheries, state that “access to weekly HAB monitoring data and guidance from the PNW HAB Bulletin gave us the confidence to go forward with a tribal dig at Mocrocks this week.” These PNW HAB Bulletins are produced through the ORHAB  Partnership, of which NANOOS is a partner, and allow coastal managers to better protect marine mammal health and shellfish safety by assessing HAB risk in the Pacific Northwest. The PNW HAB Bulletins and near real-time data can be found on the NANOOS Real-Time HABs app. 
  • Alaska/Arctic Research Cruise Status Updates: In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, AOOS wants to inform the community about research cruise status changes. Institutions and organizations are closely monitoring guidelines issued by the CDC, State of Alaska, and local governments to aid in their decisions about the 2021 field season. AOOS and the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) have put together a spreadsheet that shows the status of 2021 Alaska Arctic Research Cruises.  For more on this and to access the spreadsheet, click here. 
  • The March CA HAB Bulletin is now live with the latest collection of model output, observations, and advisories! 

Congressional:

  • NOAA Navigation Services Inform Resilient Infrastructure - Congressional Briefing - May 11, 2021: NOAA hosted an all-interested parties congressional briefing on May 11th focused on NOAA’s Navigation, Observation and Positioning programs that provide the information infrastructure needed to effectively move marine commerce through U.S. ports and support resilient infrastructure. Speakers at the briefing included RDML Richard T. Brennan, Director, Office of Coast Survey; Capt Jorge Viso, President, American Pilots Association; Dr. Qassim Abdullah, Vice President and Chief Scientist, Woolpert, Inc.; and Julie Thomas, Senior Advisor, Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (SCCOOS), Scripps (ret.).

Communications/Outreach/Education:

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

  • GCOOS Spring Meeting, 18 May 2021, virtual: Please mark your calendars and save the date for the next GCOOS Spring Meeting. We’ll be meeting virtually this year and we’re still planning the agenda, so watch this space, as well as our website and Facebook page for details. The meeting is open to all who are interested in ocean observing in the Gulf of Mexico and will include updates from some of GCOOS’s principal investigators. Register here!
  • SECOORA Annual Meeting, 24 May 2021, Virtual: SECOORA will host their 2021 Annual Meeting virtually on May 24 from 1:00 – 2:30 ET. The meeting will include a Board and Members business meeting, election updates, and a report out on SECOORA’s revised Strategic Plan. A Board Executive Session will be held from 2:00 – 2:30 PM. The agenda is available here, and click here to reserve your spot. 
  • Capitol Hill Oceans Week, 8 June 2021: We are excited to share the Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2021 program with you! This year’s conference will focus on the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in sustaining a healthy ocean, coast and Great Lakes. The future of our waters depends on all people and the actions we take now will have sweeping long term impacts. Our success will require the experience, expertise, perspectives and values of the communities most affected by environmental change and quality. We invite you to take a look at the detailed conference description and themes at the CHOW 2021 webpage.  Registration is now open!
  • 2021 IOOS DMAC Meeting, 15 – 17 June 2021, Virtual: We are pleased to announce that the 2021 DMAC Meeting will take place virtually on the afternoons (1:00 - 5:00 PM ET) of Tuesday, June 15 through Thursday, June 17. Please save these dates in your calendars.  We will reach out for agenda input for presentation and breakout discussion topics soon. Further information on event logistics will be coming out soon as well. Questions or suggestions about the agenda should go to Mathew Biddle (mathew.biddle@noaa.gov), Micah Wengren (micah.wengren@noaa.gov), Tiffany Vance (tiffany.c.vance@noaa.gov) and Kathy Bailey (kathleen.bailey@noaa.gov).
  • MTS 14th Buoy Workshop, 25 - 27 October 2021: 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 (https://buoytech.mtsociety.org/).

Other Upcoming Meetings:

  • Ocean Visions 2021 Summit, 18 – 20 May 2021, virtual & in-person: The Ocean Visions 2021 Summit will be hosted globally online across multiple time zones on May 18-21, 2021. Virtual Campuses - The Scripps Institution of Oceanography will serve as the virtual host together with virtual satellite campuses in Hobart (Australia), Cape Town (South Africa), Mindelo (Cabo Verde), and Kiel (Germany). Registration is Free but required to access the online portal. Register here https://www.oceanvisions.org/summit-2021. 
  • 2nd International Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium, 25–27 May 2021, virtual: The Executive Steering Committee of the 2nd International Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium, co-chaired by EUMETSAT and NOAA, is pleased to announce the next Symposium will be held virtually May 25-27, 2021.  See the conference page for more information.  
  • 2021 CDI Virtual Workshop: Designing Data-Intensive Science - May 25-27, 2021: The Community for Data Integration (CDI) workshop this year is being held May 25-28, 2021, online! The theme this year is “Designing Data-Intensive Science.” Every two years, we bring the CDI together to share our advances in working with scientific data. With an all-virtual event this year, we hope that a record number of people can participate. Registration is now open! Learn more here: https://my.usgs.gov/confluence/display/cdi/2021+CDI+Workshop 
  • EMODnet 2nd Open Conference and Jamboree,  14–18 June 2021, Oostende, Belgium and virtual: The second EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree will be held the week of 14 June 2021. During the event, EMODnet partners, communicators and data providers and users will take stock of EMODnet achievements over the past 10 years, connect across stakeholder communities and set goals for the future. To start the week, the EMODnet Open Conference will focus on use cases and requirements for developing essential open marine data services for blue economy actors, the public sector, civil society and the research community. More details will follow soon.
  • SAVE THE DATE! 2021 Esri Ocean, Weather, and Climate GIS Forum,  3 – 4 November 2021: Join other leaders to learn about how organizations are applying GIS technology to solve their complex data integration problems. See how using GIS helps provide the framework for integrating your multiple disciplines and warfighting functions across the Joint All-Domain Command and Control. Submit papers, listen to plenary talks, and participate in breakout sessions with other leading marine, climate, and earth scientists. See the conference website for more details. 

Webinars: 

  • 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.
    • May 18: Conservation of USS Monitor. Past, Present, and Future
    • May 20: Monitoring and Managing Seabirds in Hawaiʻi and the Pacific: Past, Present & Future
  • SERIES: BlueTech Global Connect: The BlueTech Global Connect (BGC) webinar series is designed to connect exciting BlueTech companies from around the world with potential advisors, investors and partners globally.  Please join us each month to hear and virtually meet 3 great BlueTech companies from various countries. 
  • SERIES: Engaging with the Blue Economy: The Ocean Exchange™ and the Marine Technology Society have teamed up to offer a joint webinar series, "Engaging with the Blue Economy." The webinar series will focus on all facets of the Blue Economy with the goal of recognizing the importance of the Ocean to our lives every day. The series kicked off on March 3, 2021 with speakers Claire Jolly (OECD) and Monica Grasso (NOAA), and continues on the first Wednesday of each month. 
  • SERIES: Esri Applied Meteorology Using ArcGIS Webinar Series: GIS is a foundational tool for weather and climate research and analysis. With tools to ingest multi-dimensional weather and climate data, process and analyze, and attain informative forecast products for preparedness and adaptation, ArcGIS advances our understanding of the atmosphere to benefit science and society. In this free series, you will gain insight into how you can incorporate ArcGIS into your work from fellow scientists and GIS experts. Register here: https://www.esri.com/en-us/lg/industry/government/applied-meteorology-using-arcgis
    • June 23, 2021, 8 am – 9 am PDT – Optimized Hydrologic Models Aid Forecasts and Projections for Improved Decision-Making
    • August 25, 2021, 8 am – 9 am PDT – Use Cloud-Based GIS Technology to Deliver Briefings to Build Resilient Communities

 

Job & Internship Opportunities:

  • Supervisory Physical Scientist, NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration: NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration is pleased to announce the posting of a Supervisory Physical Scientist (ERD Chief) ZP-1301 Band V.  The position is located in Silver Spring, MD.  The open period for the announcement is April 28-May 11, 2021. Job Announcement # (DHA): NOS-ORR-2021-0001 https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/599610300 
  • NEW! The University of Hawai‘i Sea Grant College Program is seeking applications for the 2021 E. Gordon Grau Coastal and Marine Resource Management Fellowship. The fellowship is a two-year paid fellowship (stipend of $58,000/year), which offers graduate students an opportunity to acquire hands-on, on-the-job experience in the planning, implementation and management of marine, coastal, and/or watershed resource policies and programs in Hawaii. Highly qualified graduate students are matched with hosts in state, federal or municipal agencies and non-profits in Hawaii. Applications are due May 21, 2021. See more and apply here. 
  • Director, National Data Buoy Center: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS) plays a key role in protecting American lives and property.  The provision of weather, water, climate, & environmental information supports the Nation's social and economic development. The NWS National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) has published a job announcement to search for a new Director. The announcement is open until May 28. https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/599814800 
  • NEW! Accountant (part time), GLOS: The Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS) is looking for a talented, motivated individual to join our organization as an Accountant (part-time). GLOS is a 501c3 non-profit organization established to support data collection, data management, and data sharing in the Great Lakes. As a member of the team, you will organize, analyze, and verify our various financial transactions and reports to ensure accuracy and regulatory compliance. You will support annual financial audits, assist with payroll activities, and review business expense reports. This is a detail-oriented position that is vital to daily operations. Open until filled. See full details and how to apply here. 
  • Executive Director, GCOOS: The GCOOS Board of Directors is now undertaking a national search for its next leader to build on the momentum established during Dr. Kirkpatrick's tenure and guide the organization forward, and hopes to draw new leadership from one of the five Gulf states.  Dr. Kirkpatrick will continue to be involved in GCOOS, leading ongoing projects related to harmful algal blooms supported through federal grants, and in ensuring a smooth transition to its next leader.  Open until filled.  Read more about this opportunity here. 

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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