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From the Director:

Dear IOOS Community,

This week, the global ocean observing community is meeting for the UN Decade of Ocean Science Predicted Ocean Laboratory with the goal to address the need for more closely integrated observations and modelling, relevant collaborations around the world and connections to stakeholders and user communities. The laboratory highlights existing gaps and potential solutions for ocean prediction. A core event for the laboratory was held yesterday with hosts Craig McLean, NOAA and Detlef Stammer, University of Hamburg, Germany. The core event included three sessions focused on discussing the importance and societal benefits of developing systematic, integrated ocean prediction and information systems, a roundtable discussion on implementing the concept of an integrated global observing system, and a roundtable discussion on connecting to stakeholder and user communities. I am looking forward to joining various satellite events today and the wrap up of the laboratory tomorrow. 

At the national level, I am pleased to announce a new series of 5-year cooperative agreements to support the IOOS Regional Associations. I appreciate all the hard work that went into preparing these proposals. This is our third cycle of these awards and the strong relationships between each region and their stakeholders and the system at large are reflected in that continued success. Together, we have been able to identify and close gaps in observations throughout the United States and territorial waters.  We have built the first national high-frequency radar system in the country. We have pioneered public-private partnerships that have exponentially grown our ability to identify and manage harmful algal blooms. And we have built a modern, responsive, and growing integrated ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing system, moving forward with purpose.

I look forward to working with you all over the next five years and seeing where this next cycle will take us.

Thanks,
Carl

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • OOS Awards $41M for ocean observing: We are happy to announce a new 5-year cycle of cooperative agreements supporting the IOOS Regional Associations. The Regional Associations form a core part of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System by working with local stakeholders to determine what ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes data is in demand and by working to gather and provide access to that data. The RAs integrate regional voices to the national system, ensuring that our national IOOS is responsive, adaptable, and accessible. There are 11 new agreements with RAs covering U.S. national and territorial waters and coasts. The year one total for these awards is $41M which will be awarded to applicants for projects that provide information describing the past, present, and future state of the coastal oceans and Great Lakes to local, regional, and national users. Read more about the awards here. 
  • NCCOS and IOOS Contribute to Successful Kickoff of HAB Observing Group: On September 1, 2021 NOAA's NCCOS, the U.S. IOOS Office, and the IOOS Association organized the inaugural meeting of a newly formed Harmful Algal Bloom Observing Group. The HAB-OG is a next step in implementing and sustaining the National Harmful Algal Bloom Observing Network. The HAB-OG is designed to be an informal community-based coalition aimed at bolstering scientific collaboration and information/resource sharing for HAB observing system operators, data users and stakeholders, technology manufacturers, academia, and government agencies. Over one hundred and sixty-five HAB observing experts, sensor manufacturers, data managers, and others from across the nation, as well as a few international participants, were welcomed by Josie Quintrell (Director, IOOS Association), Dr. Steven Thur (Director, NCCOS) and Carl Gouldman (Director, U.S. IOOS Office). Read more about this kickoff here.
  • News from the IOOS Association: 
    • IOOS Association Announces Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Fellowship: The IOOS Association seeks a one-year, fixed-term Fellow to work with the national network of RAs and the IOOS Office to amplify regional work and identify opportunities to improve IOOS' ability to serve and engage underserved communities. Click here for more information. To apply, submit a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references to josie@ioosassociation.org.  The position is open until filled.

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

      • UG2 Communication/Collaboration: The UG2 mission is to bolster scientific collaboration, information, and resource sharing for gliders. As we continue to build as an underwater glider community it is essential that we have a communication platform to facilitate these goals.  In doing so, we will be implementing Slack as the communication tool for UG2 members.  Slack is a robust tool that supports both group chats and person-to-person.  We are excited to implement this tool as we continue to grow the UG2 user community by helping one another to be successful in their missions.

      • UG2 Glider Related Job Postings:  https://underwatergliders.org/index.php/opportunities/

Marine Life:

  • Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) (National Coordinator Bill Woodward, Bill.Woodward@noaa.gov):
    • ATN to Attend OTN International Data Management Committee Meeting: The ATN is a member of the Canadian Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) International Data Management Committee (IDMC) and will participate in their upcoming Fall 2021 Meeting (IDMC) on Tuesday September 21, 2021.

  • Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) (IOOS PO POC Gabrielle Canonico, Gabrielle.Canonico@noaa.gov):

    • MBON - ATN Bio Track Network Update: The collaborative MBON - ATN Bio Track Network is showcasing the substantial volume of data and variety of species currently being analyzed with a new program flier which can be found at:  https://marinebon.org/pages/biotrack/

      MBON at Ocean Sciences: The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network is convening an open special session (see below) at the Ocean Sciences meeting to be held in Honolulu, Feb 27- Mar 4. In the spirit of strong pilana, contributions addressing the measurement of change biodiversity and its role in ecosystem function are welcome from all in the community. Marine Life 2030 represents an opportunity for international coordination and facilitation of biodiversity observation and its application to management of ecosystem services. The session has a hybrid format and welcomes contributions both in person and remotely. The abstract submission deadline is 29 September. Please submit abstracts at  https://osm2022.secure-platform.com/aSession Title: ME13 Marine Life 2030: Advancing Earth Observations and the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) to Measure and Interpret Marine Biodiversity for Global Sustainability
       

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):

    • Updating the Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of High Frequency Radar Surface Current Data:Starting in October we’ll begin working on updating the Manual for Real-Time Quality Control of High Frequency Radar Surface Current Data. The good news is that several community leaders have already started on the task! Several virtual meetings have been held, beginning in May. We hope to complete the update by March 2022, so there’s plenty of time to get involved.

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

  • Save the Date - Community Modeling Workshop - October 19-21, 2021: The Community Modeling Workshop has been scheduled for October 19-21, 2021. The tentative Workshop themes and outcomes are listed below, subject to updates from the Steering Committee:
    • Workshop Themes:
      • Enhancing communication and coordination between NOAA and external partners
      • Understanding NOAA’s priorities for collaborative coastal and ocean model development
      • Enhancing processes and paths for transitioning Research-to-Operations- to-Research (R2O2R)
    • Workshop Outcomes:
      • Enhance communication and collaboration between Federal and non-federal modeling communities. 
      • Identify recommendations that will increase the efficiency of transitioning modeling systems from research to operations. 
      • Ensure the concerns, needs, and aspirations in building a community of practice across government and non-government entities are understood. 
      • Understand the community models NOS will develop for the UFS next generation ocean and coastal components.

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

  • UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Science For Sustainable Development Updates: 
    • UN Decade A Predicted Ocean Laboratory - Sept 15-17, 2021: Join the second Ocean Decade Laboratory from 15 to 17 September 2021 on the Ocean Decade Outcome: “A Predicted Ocean”. A virtual event platform will bring together diverse stakeholders on priority issues for the Ocean Decade with the aim of encouraging collaborative actions for the Ocean Decade. Understanding and predicting the ocean is paramount to developing important environmental and climate change strategies. A wide range of stakeholders will be encouraged to work together: The goal is to discover collaborative solutions and new ways to make the ocean more predictable for the benefit of societies worldwide as well as the ecosystem of the ocean itself. Learn more and register for the event here: https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/a-predicted-ocean.html  
      • Co-designing integrated ocean observing and prediction capabilities, 16 September, 10:00am UTC & 17 September 10:00pm UTC: This event provides an opportunity to learn more about and interact with the UN Ocean Decade of Science for Sustainable Development Programmes Ocean Observing Co-Design, CoastPredict, and ForeSea. These key GOOS and OceanPredict Programmes are endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade, and are now actively working on the next steps towards co-design. This Webinar will deliver the latest information on these developments, how the programmes will interlink, and how this will support a Predicted Ocean within the Ocean Decade. Two sessions will cover the same material to facilitate international participation.
      • NOMEC UN Ocean Decade Satellite Activity Webinar, September 17, 11 am ET: The NOMEC Council will be hosting a Satellite Activity for the UN Ocean Decade's Predicted Ocean Laboratory on September 17th at 11 am ET, titled "Mapping, exploring, and characterizing US waters." This hour-long interactive panel will feature guest speakers Secretary John F. Kerry (Special Presidential Envoy for Climate), Dr. Jane Lubchenco (White House Office of Science and Technology Policy), and Dr. Vicki Ferrini (Columbia University Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Seabed 2030) along with the NOMEC Council Co-Chairs and Executive Director. Please join us in a discussion of how an ambitious, multi-decadal initiative to map, explore, and characterize U.S. waters will advance ocean-based climate solutions and tie into international programs like the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project. No registration is required. A flyer of the event is attached below - please distribute widely throughout your networks! Join the webinar on 17 Sept at 11 am ET by clicking this link.
      • Predicted Ocean Laboratory Satellite Events: https://www.oceandecade-conference.com/en/satellite-activities.html 
    • Deadline Extended! Call for Nominations to the Ocean Decade Advisory Board: The Decade Advisory Board will be a multi-stakeholder advisory body that will assist the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO in performing its function as coordinator of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021-2030 (the 'Ocean Decade'). The Board will report both to the IOC Governing Bodies and the IOC Executive Secretary. The Board’s advice to the IOC Governing Bodies will concern strategic elements of the Decade implementation, such as reviews of the Decade progress in moving towards the Decade societal outcomes and on the research work in the domains of Decade challenges, identifying gaps and opportunities, advising on data stewardship strategies, the development of resource mobilisation strategies, and supporting the development of a monitoring and evaluation framework of the Decade. The Board will also provide advice and operational support to the IOC Executive Secretary to facilitate the endorsement process of Decade Actions, specifically at the programme level. The Decade Advisory Board will comprise up to 15 expert members drawn from government, private sector, philanthropy, civil society, and the scientific community. They will serve in their individual capacity.  Five representatives of United Nations entities will also sit on the Board. Nominations are due 22 September 2021. 
    • 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/ 
  • The 21st Annual Meeting of UN Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP) - Sea-level Rise and Its Impacts: The meeting took place virtually June 14-18, 2021, focusing on sea level rise and its impacts. Twenty-four panelists, including Dr. William Sweet of NOAA, spoke on the causes and impacts of sea level rise and actions and opportunities for further cooperation and coordination in addressing these impacts. Many delegations stated that sea level rise is an urgent threat to the economies and, in some cases, the existence of coastal states, in particular low-lying Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Some SIDS and other states raised concerns about the implications of sea level rise on maritime zones and boundaries, including related legal interpretations of the Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC). We were joined by several delegations in reminding participants that the ICP is a forum for technical dialogue, and thus we did not engage in legal discussions. While this informal consultation did not produce a negotiated outcome, the co-chairs will submit a summary of discussions to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). Read more here: https://www.un.org/depts/los/consultative_process/consultative_process.htm 
  • Ocean Visions Welcomes New Partner Organizations: Ocean Visions announced the addition of several new partners to their Network: Ocean Networks Canada, University of South Florida, Larta Institute, Creative Destruction Lab, and Esri. These new partnerships further strengthen Ocean Visions’ Network of oceanographic research institutions and academic institutions, innovators, accelerators, conservation organizations, investors, and businesses – all of whom are working together to develop and advance new solutions to our ocean’s biggest threats. “We are delighted to welcome these new partners and the critical capacity and expertise they bring to our collective work to design solutions to the hugely complex problems facing our oceans,” says Ocean Visions Executive Director and Chief Innovation Officer Brad Ack. “We look forward to their engagement within our Network to achieve our shared goals.” Learn more here: https://oceanvisions.org/ 
  • Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) News:
    • 15th Coastal Endurance Array Cruise: On September 8th, a science team of ten and three students from Oregon State University departed the dock at Newport, Oregon, aboard the R/V Thomas Thompson for the 15th turn of the Coastal Endurance Array.  The team will recover and deploy seven moorings. Four of the moorings are located on the Washington Shelf, with the remaining three on the Oregon Shelf. It’s a busy expedition. The team also will be recovering four and deploying three Coastal Surface Profilers and recovering three gliders that are low on power. When not turning the arrays, they will be taking CTD (connectivity, temperature, and depth) casts to verify and calibrate instrumentation. Because of the quantity of the equipment to be recovered and deployed, the cruise will consist of three legs. Read more here: https://oceanobservatories.org/2021/09/endurance-15-happening-in-sept/
  • NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey Responds to Hurricane Ida: OCS staged teams and moved assets to survey entrance channels and ports in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. Regional Navigation Managers fielded survey requests and coordinated with port directors, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Navigation response teams were mobilized and in the water surveying in Port Fourchon, and the ports of Morgan City and Houma-Terrebonne, Louisiana. OCS’s Hydrographic Surveys Division executed a contract to survey the deepwater approaches to these ports. Port Fourchon currently services over 90% of the Gulf of Mexico’s deepwater oil production and plays a strategic role in furnishing the U.S. with approximately 18% of its entire oil supply. The port was hit hard by the hurricane, necessitating the need for these surveys, which will help reopen the port as soon as possible.
  • NGS Collects Emergency Response Imagery for Damage Assessment of Hurricane Ida: From August 30 to September 2, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) collected aerial images in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. The crew flew over more than 3,090 square kilometers during 17.1 hours and collected 8,443 images. Imagery was collected in specific areas identified by NOAA as assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the impacted states and other federal agencies. NOAA's aerial imagery aids safe navigation and captures damage to coastal areas caused by a storm. Aerial imagery is a crucial tool to determine the extent of the damage inflicted by flooding, and to compare baseline coastal areas to assess the damage to major ports and waterways, coastlines, critical infrastructure, and coastal communities. This imagery provides a cost-effective way to better understand the damage sustained to both property and the environment.
  • NOAA High Tide Bulletin: The rising and falling of the sea is a phenomenon upon which we can always depend. Tides are the regular rise and fall of the sea surface caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun and their position relative to the earth. There are some factors that cause the tides to be higher than what is "normally" seen from day to day. This bulletin tells you when you may experience higher than normal high tides for the period of time between September and November 2021. Read more here: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/high-tide-bulletin/fall-2021/ 
  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:

  • RFP: NC Sea Grant: Coastal Resilience Team Competition: North Carolina Sea Grant has launched the inaugural Coastal Resilience Team Competition. The program will provide up to $20,000 for student teams to conduct two-year projects that will lead to more resilient habitats and communities on the North Carolina coastal plain. Each team will include two to four members, including at least one graduate student, who will serve as the project lead, and at least one undergraduate, who will assist. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on October 29, 2021. For more information, access the full Request for Proposals. 

  • Matching Fund Opportunity for Ocean and Coastal Mapping and Request for Partnership Proposals: This notice establishes selection criteria and requirements for the NOAA Rear Admiral Richard T. Brennan Ocean Mapping Matching Fund program, to be known as the Brennan Matching Fund. The purpose of this notice is to encourage non-Federal entities to partner with the NOAA National Ocean Service ocean and coastal mapping programs on jointly funded ocean and coastal surveys and related activities of mutual interest. NOAA would receive and match partner funds and rely on its existing contract arrangements to conduct the surveying and mapping activities in FY 2023. Proposals must be received via email by 5 p.m. ET on October 29, 2021. Applicants must submit via email any accompanying geographic information system (GIS) files, which are due no later than November 5, 2021. Read the full Notice of Funding Opportunity here.

  • 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.

  • 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. 

Delivering the Benefits:

  • ESP “Eddie” is back and monitoring domoic acid: A team from APL/UW, NOAA NWFSC, and MBARI deployed the Environmental Sample Processor "Eddie" off La Push, WA. This is the sixth deployment of an ESP at this location, and the first of seven deployments jointly funded by IOOS and NOAA NCCOS Monitoring Event Response for Harmful Algal Blooms (MERHAB) over the next four years. The instrument will be in the water for ~six weeks, providing near real-time observations of domoic acid (DA) and archived samples for subsequent eDNA analysis. See the near-real time ESPeddie data served by NVS here and on the NANOOS "Real-time HABs" web page. Click “ESP Now” for contextual data and other data products to enhance interpretation of the ESP data (e.g., maps of water paths). A NOAA NCCOS press release is here.
  • How to Track the Most Elusive Shark in Alaska: When most people think of sharks in Alaska, they think of either salmon sharks (Lamna ditropis) or spiny dogfish sharks (Squalus suckleyi). But there’s another shark species that resides in Alaskan waters, one that is rarely encountered and poorly understood – the Pacific sleeper shark (Somniosus pacificus). Read more about this tagging effort underway in Resurrection Bay, AK! 
  • NPS Beringia and WWF projects funded: AOOS has received funding from WWF to develop the “Bering Strait Transboundary Incident Response Tool”, a web-based tool using both US and Russian data, for planning, prevention, response, and restoration in the event of an incident (e.g., oil spills, disabled vessel, etc.) in the Bering Strait. This is a 3-year project that will involve developing a beta-tool in the first year, incorporate stakeholder feedback in the second year, and will hopefully be used by incident responders such as USCG, NOAA, and the Russian Marine Rescue Service during a planned in-water exercise in 2023. AOOS was also notified that we will receive funding from the National Park Service’s Shared Beringia Heritage Program to translate datasets from Russia and the U.S. from Russian into English and vice versa. This will enhance the Tool by allowing incident responders to use the tool in their native language, but also will allow for the datasets to be useful to other stakeholders in both countries. 
  • New papers & reports:

Congressional:

  • ICOOS Act Update: No update.

Communications/Outreach/Education:

  • Beta testers for Seagull: GLOS' beta version of their new cloud-based Seagull IT platform will be available soon for anyone who wants to create an account. Learn more and sign up here.
  • Alaska Harmful Algal Bloom Network: AOOS's Thomas Farrugia finalized the formatting of the AHAB Action Plan which was then presented to the AHAB network and released on the AHAB website. The objective of the AHAB Action Plan is to establish the goals and actions needed for the AHAB Network to meet its mission. It will help members of the AHAB Network, the general public, and funding agencies better understand the role, structure and activities of the AHAB Network, and will help the AHAB Coordinator efficiently achieve the goals and mission of the AHAB Network. Thomas also finalized the FY21 and FY22 budgets for the AHAB network. Thomas has also been working as a member of the planning committee for the Water Resources track of the Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management, and will help put together conference sessions on water-related topics. 
  • GLOS continues “smart” project series: In support of the upcoming release of the Common Strategy for Smart Great Lakes, GLOS is sharing stories of current or possible future projects that help answer the question "What is smart?" Read the 4 newest stories here.

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

  • Polar Data Forum IV, 20 - 24 September 2021, The Hague and virtual: Polar Data Forum IV will be co-hosted online by the Royal Belgian institute of Natural Sciences and the European Polar Board (EPB) and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) in The Hague (NL) from September 20th to 24th, 2021. This event will be co-organized with the Second Southern Ocean Regional Workshop for the UN Ocean Decade and Hackathon and focus on the polar oceans. It will combine a two-day conference style meeting (September 23-24) in support of information exchange, with the remainder of the week using a “hackathon” approach that will build on the development work done in previous meetings and workshops (September 20-22). The forum registration deadline is September 10. More information and a link to the abstract submission system (abstracts due July 4) are available on the conference website: https://polar-data-forum.org/conference/abstracts/.  
  • MTS 14th Buoy Workshop, 25 - 27 October 2021, 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.
  • MARACOOS Annual Meeting, 30 September 2021, virtual: Join MARACOOS virtually for the 2021 MARACOOS Annual Meeting on September 30th at 10am. The meeting will highlight updates from the last year as well as talk about plans for the future. An agenda and more details will be sent out shortly. Registration is now open.
  • Ocean Acidification Monitoring, Action Planning, & Implementation in the Mid-Atlantic, 26 October 2021, virtual: Join MARACOOS for a half day workshop to discuss:
    • Current state of OA monitoring and mapping
    • Research and priorities that support state-led OA action planning
    • Lessons learned building a regional monitoring inventory to inform state decision making

This workshop is sponsored by MACAN (a partnership between MARACOOS & MARCO) and the OA Alliance. For more information or with questions contact info@MidACAN.org.  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. 
  • 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.  
    • Sessions in the 38th Environmental Information Processing Systems (EIPT) Conference that might be of particular interest include:
      • 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).
  • Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022, Feb 27 - March 4, Honolulu, HI: 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:
      • Session description: The global economy is linked to the diversity of life in the sea and to healthy marine ecosystems. Earth Observation (EO) technologies, from satellite remote sensing to in situ optical and acoustic sensors, ‘omics’ tools and new machine learning approaches, have opened new opportunities to map and monitor marine life diversity, distribution, and abundance from local to global ocean scales. Consistent data standards and sharing protocols for essential ocean and biodiversity variables are now needed and will benefit the integrated research and usage of data by end users. 
      • Sustainable management of the ocean requires ecological forecasting in areas such as marine megafauna abundance and distribution, change in plankton biomass, diversity and trophic efficiencies and health of seagrass and coral communities. Advanced mechanistic understanding of relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in different marine ecosystems is needed. Here we call for participants and presenters to address the measurement and interpretation of marine biodiversity in a range of marine environments (e.g., continental shelves, the deep sea, and coastal habitats including estuaries, wetlands, and coral reefs) across latitudinal gradients and in the context of a changing ocean. Presentations from the perspective of societal needs for biodiversity and ecosystem function information are welcome. Through shared knowledge and experiences this session hopes to broaden participation and ongoing discussions between existing networks (e.g., Marine BON, a theme of GEO BON, the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network) and the broader scientific community and will help inform development of the Marine Life 2030 Programme for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (the Ocean Decade).
      • Submit an abstract by 29 September 2021: https://osm2022.secure-platform.com/a 
    • 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.  
      • Description: Over the past century, a tremendous expansion in sampling and analysis of the ocean, made possible by persistent connectivity and automatic data processing, has facilitated broad progress in our understanding of ocean processes. Ship-based sampling, underwater gliders, Argo floats and moored platforms, to name a few, have all contributed to distributed monitoring of chemical, biological, and physical dynamics in the ocean.
      • Driven by advances in mobile, photovoltaic, and battery technology, along with the increasing availability of satellite communications, large-scale and persistent distributed sensing in our oceans and lakes has become increasingly tractable. Smart, connected devices, and the supporting processes to convert that data into information form the fabric of Marine IoT. Leveraging IoT technologies in the marine environment provides opportunities for new and innovative research, observing, and monitoring techniques that can provide end-users with the information they need faster than ever. Whether that’s through engaging interested members of the public through citizen science or incorporating smart technologies into research equipment, Marine IoT can provide important new data streams and connect us in ways that weren’t possible before. Further, developments in edge and cloud computing allow us to derive critical decision-support information from these new streams.
      • Join us to explore the role Marine IoT plays in understanding our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. In this session, we aim to elevate perspectives from both instrument development, deployment, and data utilization. Thus, we invite submissions pertaining to distributed sensing technologies (e.g. low-cost buoys and other marine IoT), strategies for maintaining distributed observations, approaches for real-time data dissemination, and research methods pertinent to usage of distributed IoT data sets, particularly with high spatiotemporal coverage.
      • All accepted sessions will be available to view at the 2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting website later this month.  Please promote your session to your colleagues to encourage abstract submissions. Abstract submissions will officially open later this summer and will close 29 September 2021. Abstracts will not be accepted after this date.  
    • 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.
      • Description: One of the tenets of big data is the idea of the (2, 4, or 7) V’s - Volume, Velocity, Variety, Variability, Veracity, Visualization, and Value. With the increase in the volume and velocity of data, access becomes ever more challenging. Users have access to more types of data and they can become overwhelmed by the possibilities. In the past, data access has been confusing but now there is more user engagement in building friendlier and more usable interfaces. Discovery is now more flexible and all encompassing - for example using schema.org to enable data discovery and via Google search. This increased use of data is not limited to scientists and other professionals. Citizens use data more than they realize (maps, elevation charts, tides, etc.) so they are constantly accessing data from a variety of sources.
      • There remains a broader community goal 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
      • All accepted sessions will be available to view at the 2022 Ocean Sciences Meeting website later this month.  Abstract submissions will officially open later this summer and will close 29 September 2021. Abstracts will not be accepted after this date.  
  • 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. 

 

Other Upcoming Meetings:

  • Ocean Decade Laboratories: The Ocean Decade Laboratories are a creative, interactive platform to support action for the Ocean Decade around the globe. Each Laboratory focuses on one of the seven Outcomes of the Ocean Decade. Laboratory participants leverage the opportunity for exchange, collaboration and the creation of sustainable partnerships. Each Laboratory will comprise a ‘core event’ where globally recognised experts, including representatives of the endorsed Decade Actions, will incite discussion and exploration of the issues surrounding each Decade Outcome, and a series of interactive ‘satellite activities’ that will be hosted by partners.
    • The first Laboratory for an “Inspiring and Engaging Ocean” was held on 7 - 8 July and attracted over 700 participants who heard an innovative and diverse range of views from scientists, archaeologists, writers, artists and more on tangible ways that we can protect the ocean for future generations by ensuring that it is a source of wonder and inspiration that is fully understood and valued by communities and individuals around the world.
    • Calls for satellite activities for upcoming Laboratories are now open and make sure you join the next Laboratory on A Prediction Ocean on the 15-17 September 2021!
    • Find out more about the Laboratories!
      • 15 – 17 September 2021 - A Predicted Ocean
      • 17 – 19 November 2021 - A Clean Ocean
      • 23 – 24 February 2022- A Productive Ocean 
  • OCEANS 2021 - San Diego - Porto , 20 – 23 September 2021 (In person and Virtual): Global thought leaders and innovators in the areas of marine technology, engineering, science, research, and education will gather together to learn and experience cutting-edge technologies in the field of marine science, hear from industry experts and engineers regarding the latest research and innovations, discuss current environmental issues and policies affecting the field, and collaboratively work together to move the fields of marine technology and engineering forward. Registration is now open from the event home page. 
  • OBPS Community Workshop: An Ocean of Values, 20 - 24 September 2021, virtual: The Fifth Annual OBPS Community Workshop, "An Ocean of Values", will be held from the 20th to the 24th of September.  All members of the ocean community - including educators, scientists, citizens, artists, conservationists, cultural ambassadors, policy makers, and ocean explorers - are invited to co-develop this workshop by proposing sessions, tracks, or other contributions by the end of June. As an overarching theme, participants will be asked to help understand how to better represent and safely archive the methods, policies, guides, or standard specifications that bring value to their communities. The workshop will be facilitating value mapping activities across all groups, so we can better connect "how" things are done to "why" they are done as well as why they matter. Early Information and pre-registration are available here. 
  • Lakebed 2030, 29 Sept - 1 Oct 2021, virtual: Momentum continues to build behind Lakebed 2030, the initiative to map the Great Lakes at high-density. This past year, partners across sectors continued to connect around the goals of  mapping new areas, sharing data, and building a free, publicly accessible, highly detailed map. With only 5% of the lakefloor mapped at high-density, there is a lot of exciting work to be done. This year’s conference theme is “Let’s dive in!” and will help connect leaders dedicated to the Lakebed 2030 vision. Presentations will feature keynote speakers Geneviève Béchard and Nicole Raineault.  Conference organizers are seeking proposals for presentations and student lightning talks.  Abstracts are due by July 30, 2021.
  • 2021 Living Shorelines Workshop, 19 - 20 October 2021, Cape May, NJ & virtual: Join Restore America's Estuaries, American Littoral Society, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Chesapeake Bay and New Jersey field offices of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the fifth Living Shorelines and Nature - Based Methods Tech Transfer Workshop. We will gather at the Grand Hotel in beautiful Cape May, New Jersey, to talk all things living shorelines. We anticipate field trips to local restoration projects, talks by local and national experts, and a chance to gather and share knowledge and experiences with peers. This workshop is geared for landowners and professionals, anyone working in the marketing, design, construction, or permitting of living shorelines and nature-based shoreline stabilization. 
  • CERF 2021, 1 – 4 & 8 – 11 November 2021, virtual: You and our colleagues will come together to network, celebrate our work, learn from each other, and grow within our amazing field as we endeavor to connect science and society in the collective goals of preserving coastal and estuarine habitats, resources, and heritage. Collaborate and discuss with more than 1,700 scientists and researchers from all over the world. Registration is now open from the event home page. 
  • 2021 Esri Ocean, Weather, and Climate GIS Forum,  3 – 4 November 2021: This forum brings together the growing community of weather, climate, and ocean science professionals to share advances in data collection, analysis, and our understanding of climate and ocean interactions. Join this community as it forges new and better concepts in ocean and atmospheric analytics and applications.
    • Call for Lightning Talks! 2021 Esri Ocean, Weather, and Climate GIS Forum November 3-4 2021: We are now accepting submissions for Lightning Talks. If you have used Esri GIS technology for collecting data, performing analysis, and advancing our understanding of climate and ocean interactions, we want to hear from you. Submit an abstract for the chance to share your extraordinary work with an audience of engaged peers. In these eight-minute presentations, you can earn recognition as a GIS thought leader and inspire the ocean, weather, and climate community to better conserve our natural world. The deadline for submissions is August 20, 2021 See the conference website for more details. 
    • Call for Maps! 2021 Esri Ocean, Weather, and Climate GIS Forum November 3-4: Contribute to the Virtual Map Gallery by showcasing your most successful GIS creations. Inspire your peers by illustrating how you are using Esri's powerful GIS capabilities to let others explore beautiful, innovative stories through your map. Deadline October 1, 2021.
  • 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: 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.
  • International Ocean Data Conference 2022: The Data We Need for the Ocean We Want, 14-16 February 2022, Sopot, Poland & virtual: 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 the conference website. 
  • 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: 

  • Women in the Blue Economy in the Mediterranean, 22 September 2021, Online: Union for the Mediterranean(UfM) and EMUNI University will organize the webinar “Women in blue economy in the Mediterranean”, which will take place online on 22 September from 9:30 to 12:30 CET. The event will be dedicated to highlighting women’s contribution and engagement as a fundamental vector in key blue economy sectors in the Mediterranean region, as well as to discuss – within a solution-oriented approach – the challenges hindering the full expression of their opportunities. Click here for more information and registration. 
  • Virtual Sharktoberfest Streaming Live: Join us for an online celebration of sharks to raise awareness of the importance of elasmobranchs in our marine ecosystem, coinciding with the arrival of white sharks to the San Francisco area to feed on our abundant seal and sea lion populations. Tune in for fun and educational activities for adults and kids, shark art, shark science, shark films, shark conservation, and lots of great ukulele tunes! Free event.
  • SERIES: Mapping the Great Lakes: A virtual webinar series focused 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. 
    • Sept 29 - Oct 1: Lakebed 2030 Conference, 1 – 5 PM EST
    • Nov. 18: Collaboration, 12:30 – 2 PM
  • SERIES: EMB launches new webinar series: The European Marine Board is launching a new webinar series, #ThirdThursdayScience, which will focus 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:
    • 21 October: Deep Sea

Job & Internship Opportunities:

  • Research Project Manager, FutureMARES: This position is responsible for the day-to-day management of FutureMARES, a large project funded by the EU. NIOZ is the scientific coordinator and will take over full, administrative coordination in autumn 2021. The position runs for the full duration of FutureMARES plus 2 months (i.e. until 20 November 2024). The project FutureMARES is an EU-funded research project examining the relations between climate change, marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. The deadline for applications is September 17, 2021. Click here for more info and how to apply.
  • NOAA's UxS Operations Center is Hiring! NOAA's UxS Operations Center is looking to hire a Program Specialist with experience in the ocean sciences and/or uncrewed marine systems to work in our Uncrewed Marine Systems Division in either Gulfport, MS or Newport, OR.  They will help manage our UMS program, working across NOAA to understand requirements for UMS and to help translate those requirements into new UMS capabilities.  They'll help manage UMS projects and coordinate activities. Applications are being accepted through USAJobs through September 22nd. 
  • 18 SEAS postdoctoral research fellow positions, University of Bergen, Norway: Shaping European Research Leaders for Marine Sustainability (SEAS) is a postdoctoral research fellowship programme for 37 fellows launched and managed by the University of Bergen. In this first call, open 1 August – 31 October 2021, they invite talented experienced researchers to apply for 18 fellowships. Successful candidates will be employed in 3-year fixed-term full-time postdoctoral research fellow positions at UiB. Individual contracts may, under certain conditions, be extended by up to one year if funded from other sources than the SEAS programme. Click here for more info and how to apply.
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Fellowship, IOOS Association: The IOOS Association seeks a one-year, fixed-term Fellow to work with the national network of RAs and the IOOS Office to amplify regional work and identify opportunities to improve IOOS' ability to serve and engage underserved communities. Click here for more information. To apply, submit a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references to josie@ioosassociation.or. Open until filled.
  • HFR Technician Wanted: As the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) expands its oceanographic high-frequency radar (HFR) network, USM’s School of Ocean Science and Engineering - Marine Science is looking for another HFR technician to help with all of the sites.  Open until filled.  If you or anyone you know is interested, click here for more information and to apply.  Questions regarding this position may be directed to Kevin M. Martin, M.S. at kevin.m.martin@usm.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. 

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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