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From the Director:

Dear IOOS Community,

Below is another guest introduction from our IOOS Regions - this week from SECOORA Director Debra Hernandez. Before I hand it over though, a few newsworthy items. We are excited to announce that Richard (Rick) W. Spinrad, Ph.D. was sworn in this week as the under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and the 11th NOAA administrator. Rick has always been an IOOS supporter and is a former chair of the IOOS Advisory Committee. We look forward to working with him to advance ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes observing and information for the Country.

On June 8th, The Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), an arm of the United Nations, officially endorsed Marine Life 2030 to officially be part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). It is one of 66 actions endorsed by the UN on World Oceans Day. U.S. MBON, led by the U.S. IOOS Office has a big role to play in the Marine Life 2030 program. We are excited to work on this initiative to get the science we need for the ocean we want.

SECOORA member Frank Muller-Karger (USF) spearheaded the design of the Marine Life 2030 program. He said “this program integrates expertise across many institutions, countries, and disciplines. Societies everywhere need exactly this kind of sustained, all-hands-on-deck effort, and we’re beyond thrilled to have our program endorsed by the UN.”

Thanks,
Carl

------------------

Dear IOOS Community,

Thank you to the IOOS team for letting SECOORA introduce this edition of Eyes on the Ocean!

The halfway mark of the year for many is the start of summer and vacations, but for the Southeast it is the beginning of hurricane season. NOAA does an amazing job 24/7 of making sure we are prepared and informed during hurricane season. 

At SECOORA, we work to amplify NOAA’s work and contribute data and information that supports improved forecasts and serves our partners and stakeholders in the region. Our contributions include data from buoys, gliders, and coastal stations as well as a hurricane resource page that provides quick access to hurricane related data. Check it out.

Like all the other Regional Associations, last year SECOORA identified our priorities for the next 5 years, which include sustaining our existing observing system while adding critical new capabilities. 

Some of these new efforts include:

-Installing 200 water levels sensors in coastal communities throughout NC, SC, GA and FL, and adding 3 new met-ocean buoys,

-Expanding marine biological data collection with deployment of passive and active acoustic sensors, as well as supporting sargassum modeling, and

-Investing in machine learning and artificial intelligence development to speed up transformation of video and audio data into actionable information.

We are very excited to expand investments that help us better understand the changing climate as coastal communities facemore compound threats (such as flooding, harmful algal blooms, and more). 

All of our work is guided by our newly updated Strategic Plan, which elevates SECOORA’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  We welcome the partnership with the entire IOOS enterprise on this work, but will also be working locally to ensure underserved communities have better access to information they value.

If you are interested in learning more about SECOORA - please visit our webpage or sign up for the SECOORA newsletter.

Best Wishes,

Debra Hernandez

Director, SECOORA

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • IOOS Advisory Committee Meeting: The U.S. IOOS Advisory Committee held a public meeting on June 14th, 2021. The Committee presented their recommendations report to NOAA leadership, held a discussion on Coastal Resilience with the NOAA Science Advisory Board, and heard from IOOS Director Carl Gouldman on the FY22 President’s budget request. The meeting agenda, presentations, and minutes (when available) can be found on the Advisory Committee meetings page.

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

  • Surface Current Mapping: (IOOS Surface Currents Program Manager, Brian Zelenke, brian.zelenke@noaa.gov):  
    • No update.
    • Ocean Conditions Played a Major Role in the Intensification of Hurricane Michael (2018): In a recent study published in AGU’s Journal of Geophysical Research – Oceans, scientists at AOML identified key ocean features that supported the rapid intensification of Hurricane Michael (2018), despite unfavorable atmospheric conditions for development. The study demonstrates the importance of using realistic ocean conditions for coupled (ocean-atmosphere) hurricane models in order to achieve the most accurate hurricane intensity forecasts. Read more here: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/news/ocean-conditions-in-the-intensification-of-hurricane-michael-2018-2/ 
    • Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) Updates: 
      • Bi-monthly UG2 Webinar: The bi-monthly UG2 webinar, on June 17th, provided excellent presentations that included:
        • RBR’s Greg Johnson discussed glider integrations of the RBRlegato³ CTD and some of the key deployments by different glider groups around the world. These groups have benefited from the RBRlegato³'s silent, low-power, sensor-hub features to obtain accuracy and resolution to World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) standards in long deployments.
        • JASCO’s John Moloney spoke about their OceanObserver Intelligent, Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) sensor payload and its associated shore-side back-office.  He  talked about its real-time detection and measurement capabilities and included achieved marine mammal Precision and Recall performance metrics from a mission on a Slocum in the Gulf of St Lawrence in 2018.
        • If you were unable to attend the entire webinar including updates from the focus groups was recorded and can be viewed at your convenience at https://underwatergliders.org/index.php/webinars-and-events/.  For upcoming webinars please submit your interest in presenting.
      • UG2 Steering Committee: The Steering Committee will meet on June 24th and discuss options for a 2022 glider workshop in the US.
      • UG2 Coordinated Operations/Private Sector Engagement Survey: Your inputs are greatly needed and appreciated to help us foster collaboration through sharing of relevant information. To minimize double counting assets, please coordinate responses within your applicable projects leads and/or PI’s.  If you have not received the survey link please go to www.underwatergliders.org and click on  “Join UG2” to be put on dissemination of this and future surveys.
      • UG2 Underwater Gliders Deployments: Please visit http://underwatergliders.org/index.php/deployments/ and update your 2021 and early 2022 plans to share with the UG2 community.
  • Acoustic Telemetry Data Visualization Prototype Demonstration at FACT Meeting: SECOORA, FACT and Axiom, with support from the ATN, have developed a prototype acoustic telemetry data visualization tool and presented it at last week’s FACT Network’s summer Meeting. The prototype tool will enable map-based visualizations of projects and of acoustic data summary information products to initially be displayed in both the SECOORA data portal and ultimately the ATN DAC portal. This is a significant step forward in creating a tool that will provide information easily and rapidly to the public that illustrates the results of the enormous amount of acoustic animal telemetry underway in the U.S. Feedback is now being distilled by FACT and SECOORA which will determine the next steps in the tool development process.
  • Reef Robots - Predicting Marine Life Like Weather. Meet the Ocean of 2030: Imagine a world where an artisanal fisher in Senegal can swipe her cell phone to check not just the weather, but the forecast for harmful algal blooms in the area. Or an indigenous community in Alaska can upload traditional knowledge of salmon into a global marine knowledgebase for more effective fishery management. Or a conservation activist in Australia can get near real-time data on coral reef health, thanks to autonomous robots. That’s the vision of Marine Life 2030 and Coral Reef Sentinels, two Smithsonian programs to receive official endorsement from the United Nations on World Oceans Day, June 8. Did you know that U.S. MBON, led out of the U.S. IOOS Office, has a big role to play in the Marine Life 2030 program?  As one of the programs endorsed by the U.N. Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, we'll hear a lot more about this effort in the future! Read more here: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/smithsonian-environmental-research-center/2021/06/21/meet-the-ocean-of-2030/ 

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):

  • Successful DMAC Annual Meeting held June 15 - 17:  Micah and Matt shared meeting host/leader responsibilities over the three day meeting. The meeting had a record number of attendees - 196!  Breakout groups of ~50 attendees focused on topics including AI/ML, data products and applications, modeling and data science in the cloud, and advancing marine life data management. Materials from the meeting can be found at https://ioos.noaa.gov/project/dmac/. 
    • 5-Year QARTOD Plan: We continue to assemble a working group to assist in drafting the next 5-year QARTOD plan (2022-2026). Working within the guidance provided by the Board of Advisors (https://ioos.noaa.gov/ioos-in-action/qartod-board-of-advisors/), over the next few months the working group will review and comment on the emerging plan. Nine subject matter experts have kindly stepped forward so far, but there’s room for a few more. Contact Mark if you’d like to participate.
    • Ocean Best Practice System: The Fifth Annual OBPS Community Workshop, "An Ocean of Values" will be held from the 20th to the 24th of September. Early Information and pre-registration are available at https://workshop5.oceanbestpractices.org/. All members of the ocean community - including educators, scientists, citizens, artists, conservationists, cultural ambassadors, policy makers, and ocean explorers – are invited to co-develop the workshop by proposing sessions, tracks, or other contributions by June 30 (see  https://workshop5.oceanbestpractices.org/contribute).

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

  • NOAA Ocean Podcast: Connecting the Dots With Modeling: Part 2 Now Available: What do harmful algal blooms, dust from the Saharan desert, and hurricanes have in common? They are all pieces of the puzzle that modeling puts together to give us the big picture when it comes to studying and understanding our ocean and coasts. In part one of this two-part episode, we take a deep dive into why modeling is important, what kind of data is provided, and how collaboration with stakeholders strengthens our knowledge base. In part two, we continue our conversation about how modeling supports NOAA mission areas and supports coastal communities. Listen here: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/podcast/may21/nop47-48-modeling.html 

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

  • UN Ocean Decade of Ocean Science For Sustainable Development Updates:
     
    • First Ocean Decade Laboratory – Save the Date! “An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean” - 7 and 8 July 2021: Please save the date for the first Ocean Decade Laboratory “An Inspiring and Engaging Ocean”. This first Laboratory will look into the key elements required to foster the change we need to see over the course of the Ocean Decade. It will bring the participants together on a journey to inspire us to care, engage and empower us to act for sustainable change. It will explore how we can positively influence behavior change and support action. Learn more here: https://events.oceandecade-conference.com/inspiring-engaging-ocean/preregistration 
    • Nominations Sought for Positions on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee: NOAA Fisheries is seeking nominations to fill vacancies on the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee. MAFAC advises the Secretary of Commerce on all living marine resource matters that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce. The Committee researches, evaluates, and provides advice and recommendations to the Secretary and NOAA on the development and implementation of agency policies that address science and regulatory programs critical to the mission and goals of the NOAA Fisheries Service. Nominations are being accepted through July 29, 2021. Full nomination instructions and guidelines are available on the Federal Register. Interested individuals can learn more about MAFAC, its work, current members, charter, subcommittees and task forces, and reports and advice by going HERE.  For questions or more information, please contact Heidi Lovett, MAFAC Assistant Director, heidi.lovett@noaa.gov. 
    • Explore! NOAA’s Latest Story Map: Come celebrate NOAA Ocean Exploration’s 20th year of discovery by traveling deep into Earth’s largest habitat in our latest story map, Explore! You’ll experience a world most of us have never witnessed and see ancient coral gardens, captivating marine life, and the amazing technology that allows us to do the previously unimaginable.  This riveting story map shows how NOAA is pushing the boundaries of ocean science and filling vital gaps in understanding this largely still unknown frontier.  Dive in!
    • National Weather Service Survey Opportunity: NWS Hazard Messaging Headlines: On March 4, 2021, the National Weather Service (NWS) announced plans to change its hazard messaging headlines no earlier than calendar year 2024. The NWS is currently seeking public input on this change via a survey that will remain open until July 31st. At the heart of the change will be the removal of all "Advisory" headlines from the Watch, Warning, and Advisory system in favor of clear, plain language headlines focused on impact. These same plain language headlines will also replace current "Special Weather Statements" and will be equipped with Valid Time Event Code (VTEC). Additional details can also be found at the NWS Hazard Simplification Project website and the team can be contacted at hazsimp@noaa.gov.
    • OCS Assists in Search for the Emmy Rose: Coast Survey Development Lab (CSDL) scientists assisted in the search efforts for the fishing vessel Emmy Rose, which sank off the coast of Massachusetts in November 2020. CSDL scientists, in collaboration with the National Weather Service (NWS) and the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Dartmouth, provided vertical profiles and climatology of ocean currents at the approximate time and location of the loss. The ocean current information was generated using a numerical oceanographic forecast model developed by UMass Dartmouth. NWS provided wind and sea conditions. Those data sets enabled the search parties to narrow down the search area with greater confidence. On May 19, the vessel was found using side scan sonar towed from Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s research vessel Auk. The specific causes of the loss are unknown, and further investigation is ongoing. 
    • NGS Participates in White House Working Group on Quantum Sensing Technology: As part of a national strategy to promote quantum information science, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has formed an inter-agency working group with members from across the federal government. Quantum information science is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to understand the analysis, processing, and transmission of information using quantum mechanics principles. It combines the study of information science with quantum effects in physics. On June 8, NGS presented a technical briefing to OSTP describing NGS’s interest in linking state-of-the-art atomic clocks over continental distances. Einstein predicted that a clock "higher up" in a gravity field will tick faster. By creating a linked network of field-portable clocks, and measuring the tiny differences in their tick rates, NGS would be able to monitor real-time changes in geoid height at the 1cm level, continuously. By leveraging similar, aligned interests in other agencies (e.g. time and frequency transfer at the National Institutes of Standards and Technology), the working group is working to foster the development and application of such novel quantum sensors.
    • CO-OPS Makes Progress on IGLD Update: CO-OPS installed 10 seasonal water level gauges in the Great Lakes that will operate from June to September in support of the International Great Lakes Datum (IGLD) update. IGLD is a common reference system used to measure water level heights throughout the Great Lakes, connecting waterways, and the St. Lawrence River System. IGLD is updated every 25-30 years. These temporary gauges will supplement the 53 permanent U.S. stations currently operating throughout the Great Lakes. Funding for these stations came from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
    • NCCOS Collaborates on Satellite Algorithm to Detect Irish HABs: NCCOS collaborated with the National University of Ireland, Galway and Ireland’s Marine Institute to successfully adapt an NCCOS-employed method to monitor for harmful algal blooms (HABs) in Irish waters. The method, called the Red Band Difference algorithm, analyzes satellite imagery for the relative fluorescence of algae. It can detect blooms in surface shelf waters and help monitor their movement. The algorithm was tested in Irish waters for the first time in summer 2019, and the study was recently published in Frontiers in Marine Science. This pilot study shows great potential to use the Red Band Difference algorithm to support the existing Irish HAB alert system, improving detection and helping to mitigate HABs that threaten Irish aquaculture.

  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:

     

    • RFP: Attending Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Science Courses: Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS or Drones) are rapidly growing components of research, assessment and monitoring of coastal regions within the US Southeast and Caribbean. SECOORA is seeking applications to sponsor up to six candidates from the U.S. Southeast and Caribbean region to attend three UAS executive education courses offered by the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University. Submissions are due at 5:00 PM ET on June 30, 2021. Read more about this RFP 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.

Delivering the Benefits:

  • New HAB Bulletin for Florida Lake: A new provisional forecast and bulletin has been released for harmful algal blooms in Lake Okeechobee. The project, titled “Harmful Algal Bloom Assessment of Lake Okeechobee (HALO),” is funded by a $2.2 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Ecosystem Projects Harmful Algal Bloom Innovative Technology Program. HALO includes a web-based platform designed by GCOOS for visualizing Lake Okeechobee freshwater HAB bloom intensities and extents, as well as results of environmental characterization and modeling. Project partners include Florida Atlantic University-Harbor Branch (Dr. Jordon Beckler, lead PI), GCOOS, Florida Gulf Coast University, Navocean Inc., and Analytical Instrument Systems, Inc. The bulletin targets several audiences, including recreational lake users, drinking-water managers and public health agencies. Sign up for the bulletin, view the latest bulletin, or view the HALO dashboard.
  • A Hot Summer Is on Tap for the Gulf of Maine: NERACOOS has produced a special report discussing current conditions in the Gulf of Maine, why we're seeing that, and looking ahead to what that means.  Read the full report here! 
  • Red Tide Respiratory Forecast Team Mobilizes in Pinellas County: Community scientists and partners continue to monitor the ongoing Karenia brevis bloom along Florida's west coast. While the intensity of the bloom has recently subsided near Naples and Sanibel Island, higher levels of K. brevis — the organism that causes Florida red tides — and bloom conditions are now being recorded in Pinellas County in areas from St. Pete Beach to Clearwater, meaning that volunteers have been mobilized in those areas to regularly gather water samples that allow for the measurement of red tide concentrations. Read more here. 
  • The Importance of Monitoring Efforts on the Indian River Lagoon: Though less than four feet deep and rarely wider than four miles, the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) plays a tremendous role in east Florida’s environmental health and tourist economy. The lagoon’s regional significance raises the stakes surrounding major environmental crises in recent years. Fish die-offs, polluted water, dying seagrass, harmful algal blooms, and increasing manatee deaths directly impact the 6 counties and 38 cities that border the IRL, as well as the 1.6 million area residents. In 2015, The IRL Council convened with the goal to protect and restore the lagoon through the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program. Supported by research from organizations like Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Indian River Lagoon Observatory, the IRL Council is dedicated to protecting the lagoon through collaborative monitoring efforts. The IRL Council recently became a SECOORA member to further share their monitoring data and make the data more widely accessible. Read more on this story here. 
  • Water Quality Data Interpretation: Data interpretation of two PacIOOS Water Quality Sensor Partnership Program projects are now available on the PacIOOS website. The Friends of Kewalos utilized a nearshore sensor to monitor water quality during the Kewalo Basin Pier Repair-Improvement and Boat Slip Addition. Mālama Maunalua utilized the sensor to monitor sediment loads and water input at Wai‘alae Beach Park towards the western end of Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu. The data interpretations include discussions of the collected data and case studies. The information can also be downloaded as a handy summary sheet for Kewalo Basin and Maunalua Bay. 
  • C-CAN coming to CeNCOOS: The California Current Acidification Network, established in 2010, is a community driven effort designed to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity within regional communities. C-CAN is a collaboration of interdisciplinary scientists, resource managers, industry and others from local, state, federal and tribal levels dedicated to advancing the understanding of ocean acidification and its effects on biological resources of the U.S. West Coast. The overarching goal of C-CAN is to facilitate collaboration and coordinate measurement, best practices and communication to define the effects of ocean acidification and develop strategies for adaptation. In previous years, C-CAN was led by SCCWRP and WA Sea Grant/UW and CeNCOOS is excited to man the helm from the Central & Northern California region. Learn more about C-CAN here.
  • SFBOFS Model & Historic M1 Updates in CeNCOOS data portal: 
    • The San Francisco Bay Operational Forecast System (SFBOFS) is a state of the art ocean model that forecasts conditions in the bay up to 48 hours into the future. The data portal allows us to easily create plots to compare in situ data with the model output using the interactive data views. View this in the data portal. 
    • CeNCOOS has recently updated and back-filled the Historic M1 dataset all the way back to 2000 in the data portal, which allows users to easily explore the data and make cool curtain plots. The historic data comes from data that is downloaded directly off of the instrument when it is recovered and can be higher resolution than the real-time data. View this in the data portal.
  • Drifter buoy continues its journey up the Keweenaw Peninsula: Last week, researchers dropped a buoy in Lake Superior without an anchor and let it drift away. A collaboration between Michigan Tech and GLOS, this “drifter buoy” floated up the Keweenaw Peninsula while collecting data on the wind, waves, water temperature, and currents as it traveled. Besides providing data to improve understanding of the little-studied current in this area, this experiment will also help build and test the Seagull platform’s capabilities.
  • New Papers available: 
  • New reports available:

Congressional:

  • No update.

Communications/Outreach/Education:

  • "The New Normal: Hurricanes" video available: As the climate changes, 'normal' baselines about weather, storms and more are changing, too. This video explores the "new normal" in hurricanes and tropical storms. The four-minute video was funded by the NOAA Gulf of Mexico Regional Collaboration Network and developed in a partnership between the GCOOS Outreach and Education Council and Robin Cooper, Executive Producer, Future Vision Multisensory Media. Special thanks are extended to collaborator Roy Kron, Director of Communications at Louisiana Sea Grant, for generously sharing their disaster and recovery photo albums. 
  • Lakebed 2030: Infographic published: To make it clear just how much of the Great Lakes are yet to be mapped (95%), GLOS worked with mapTO to create the hex map and the accompanying infographic. See the infographic here.
  • Species response to ocean acidification poster: This week the Alaska Ocean Acidification Network released an updated poster showing the response of 16 Alaska species to higher acidity conditions expected in the future. Arrows indicate the effects on calcification, growth, reproduction and survival. New features in the poster include additional species and details about life stages.  The information is based on the results of lab studies published in peer-reviewed literature. Read more and find the poster here. 
  • PacIOOS offers run-up forecast webinars: The PacIOOS project team held two informational webinars at the beginning of June to introduce the new PacIOOS West Maui Wave Run-up Forecast. If you missed the sessions, you can now watch the recording here. 
  • First LSAMP Internship with NANOOS: During spring quarter, NANOOS had the pleasure of hosting their first intern as part of the NSF-sponsored Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program. The freshman intern impressed them with her investigation of marine heatwaves in Puget Sound using NANOOS data. She complemented her analysis with hands-on lab experience, learning to process chlorophyll samples, and got a glimpse into the complexity of mooring deployment and maintenance cruises. 

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

  • OceanHackWeek 2021, 3 - 6 August 2021, Boothbay, ME and virtual: OceanHackWeek 2021 is a hands-on, interactive hybrid in-person and virtual workshop focused on data science and oceanography. It features four days of tutorials, data exploration, software development and community networking! This IOOS-supported event will have both in-person and remote options this year. The in-person event will take place at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, in East Boothbay, Maine, as an all-day workshop. The virtual event (led by University of Washington) will have formal daily activities over a period of up to 3 hours per day, tentatively in at least two time zones, PDT and Australian EST (UTC+10). Click here to apply, see (DEADLINE: June 14, 2021). Please see the FAQ on that page, and for additional questions please contact Emilio Mayorga, emiliom@uw.edu.
  • 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.

Other Upcoming Meetings:

  • 3rd NOAA Workshop on Leveraging AI in Environmental Sciences, 13 - 17 September 2021, Boulder, CO and Virtual: This hybrid workshop is a continuation of the NOAA series of workshops on “Leveraging AI in Environmental Sciences.” The third event continues the successes of previous workshops and encourages participation by scientists, program managers, and leaders from the public, academic and private sectors who work in AI and environmental sciences. The theme for this year’s workshop is “Transforming Weather, Climate Services, and Blue Economy with Artificial Intelligence.” As a hybrid event, in-person capacity at Boulder will be limited in accordance with the most recent public health guideline while the virtual event will be open broadly to the public.  The call for abstracts is open until 6/18/21.  Find all the details here. 
  • Global OCEANS 2021, 20 – 23 September 2021, San Diego, CA & 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.
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
  • International Ocean Data Conference 2022 - The Data We Need for the Ocean We Want - 14-16 February 2022: The conference, to be held in Sopot, Poland 14-16 February 2022, The 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. 
  • Call for Proposals - 5th International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC5): 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: 

  • Oxygen and Carbon Dynamics from Texas to the Arctic, 22 July 2021, 2-3pm ET: The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network (GCAN) webinar series explores topics related to ocean acidification in the Gulf of Mexico and other regions. The series is presented by GCAN and NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program (OAP). The next webinar — “Oxygen and Carbon Dynamics from Texas to the Arctic” — will be presented by Dr. Hongjie Wang, Postdoctoral Scholar, University of Washington Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies (CICOES) and the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL). Wang’s research focuses on the marine carbon cycle, as well as new technology development and ocean acidification monitoring. Meeting Link.
  • NEW! 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. https://glos.org/mapping-the-great-lakes-virtual-webinar-series/
    • July 15: Habitat/Fisheries, 12:30 – 2 PM EST
    • Sept 15: Archaeology/Geology, 12:30 – 2 PM EST
    • 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:
    • 15 July: Biological Time Series for Science and Marine Status Assessment
    • 19 August: Navigating the Future V
    • 16 September: Involving Stakeholders in Co-creation of Ecosystem Services Research
    • 21 October: Deep Sea
  • 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.
    • July 15: Engineering in the Classroom with Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles
    • July 20: Diving into Diversity
  • 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
    • August 25, 2021, 8 am – 9 am PDT – Use Cloud-Based GIS Technology to Deliver Briefings to Build Resilient Communities

Job & Internship Opportunities:

  • Executive Director, Alaska Ocean Observing System: The Board of the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) has initiated a search for a new Executive Director to replace Molly McCammon, who will be stepping down as the organization’s current director in late 2020. Molly will remain with AOOS as a part-time Senior Advisor. She has been executive director since starting the organization in 2003. Please see the Position Announcement and Specific Duties and Responsibilities and circulate them broadly to your contact lists. Closes September 4, 2020.

  • Executive Director, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium: The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, an agency of South Carolina government, was created by law in 1978 and is the only state entity mandated to provide coordination and communication across disciplinary, institutional, and agency boundaries. The Consortium does more than merely support science students, scientists, and state natural resource agencies needing assistance. It provides specialized workshops and conferences and produces a number of general information publications each year. The Executive Director is responsible for leading the efforts to support integrated research, education, and extension programs that align with the consortium’s mission of generating and applying science-based information on issues and opportunities that enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal and marine resources fostering a sustainable economy and environment. Further, this position actively coordinates with other research and management programs within the Southeast to maximize return on investments in research, policy, and outreach.  Closes 8/14/2020.  Click here for more details 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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