Join us at the NOAA booth daily for our Lightning Talks series. These include speakers from the IOOS Enterprise and NOAA-wide.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16

Connecting Ocean Observations to the User Community
1100 - 1200 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Moderator: Craig McLean, NOAA
A series of short presentations will provide an overview of how ocean observing and the information it generates inform society on a wide range of issues. From efforts to build resilience and reduce disaster risk to how near real-time ocean forecasting supports maritime safety and extreme event warnings; ocean observations are integral to keeping people safe on land and at sea. As we look towards creating a more sustainable future, analyzing ocean trends will allow us to document changes due to human interventions, such as climate change, over exploitation, and pollution, and will help us better understand and plan for the impacts of those changes.

Connecting Ocean Observations to the User Community
1330 - 1530 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Panelist: Melissa Iwamoto, PacIOOS
This moderated session will focus on the overarching achievements of ocean observing in the past decade and what they mean for the future. Each talk will address progress and prospects across the OceanObs’19 themes: Information, Integration, Innovation, Interoperability, and Governance.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Exhibit Hall Opens
0800 | Exhibit Hall
Come see NOAA in the hall!

Special Session: a Sustainable Fit-For-Purpose Ocean Observing System - Responding to Users' Needs
1130 - 1230 | Room 316B | Panelist: David Legler, NOAA
To realise a global or a regional fit-for-purpose ocean observing system by 2030 would benefit from consensus as to what fit-for-purpose means. Who are the main stakeholders and how to obtain feedback on the system performance. We will focus on what different users expect, how they can be integrated into putting the system together, how they are involved in design and operation of the system, and how we enhance sustainability of ocean observation systems by 2030. The All-Atlantic Ocean and its connection to the adjacent seas and polar oceans will be taken as an example.

Special Session: An Ocean of Data: Mitigating Marine Hazards and Extremes
1130 - 1230 | Room 323 A/B | NOAA
Response to extreme events demands the world’s best global weather models and the most robust ocean observation systems. Predicting ecosystem-wide weather and marine extremes and hazards has been enhanced by advances in ocean observations and by building cross-disciplinary partnerships between oceanographers and meteorologists. In this session, NOAA will provide an agency overview to show the integration and interconnected contributions necessary to take observations to services across the value chain, and use shared data and information to impactfully save lives in the oceans and along the coasts while sustaining and improving national and local economies. The session will include time for community discussion to help identify gaps and opportunities.

Special Session: Design and Implementation of a Global Harmful Algal Bloom Observing System
1130 - 1230 | Room 323C | Lead: Clarissa Anderson, SCCOOS
This one-hour special session will feature presentations and a roundtable discussion that focus on the design and implementation of a global harmful algal bloom (HAB) observing system integrated with broader conference objectives of observing life in the sea in a changing climate. We will deliver a set of recommendations to the global ocean observing community and the UNESCO SCOR/GlobalHAB program as action items that align with the GOOS framework and respond (but are not limited) to the following objectives: 1) advance and improve cost-effective and sustainable HAB forecast systems that address the HAB-risk warning requirements of key end-users at global and regional levels; 2) incorporate available Earth Observations into monitoring and predictive efforts, including blended model-satellite products and data-assimilative model systems; 3) identify societal priorities with respect to the HAB problem, e.g. public health, food security, clean drinking water, aquaculture, sustainable fishing, tourism and recreation, and 4) form programs with robust communication channels for stakeholders and partners.

Breakout Session: Climate Change and Variability
1400 - 1600 | Room 316A | Panelist: David Legler, NOAA
Today, the international climate service and policy agenda requires high-quality, scientifically sound, and reliable information requiring sustained observational efforts that feed into gridded products, models, and reanalyses to detect, monitor, understand, and predict climate variations and change. This session aims to refine high-level recommendations for the next decade based on OceanObs’19 Community White Papers focused on ocean related climate indicators such as those developed under GCOS and WCRP, including ocean temperature and heat content, sea level, ocean acidification, air-sea flux, and sea ice extent. The expected outcome of this event is to identify an international roadmap over the next decade to support timely, sustained, and high-quality delivery of ocean Global Climate Indicators with reduced uncertainties and to identify opportunities for regular joint international assessments.

Breakout Session: Ecosystem Health & Biodiversity
1400 - 1600 | Room 316B | Co-Lead: Gabrielle Canonico, U.S. IOOS/NOAA
The purpose of the session is to refine and endorse a plan to develop and publish a 10-year blueprint for observing marine life in support of ecological forecasting, local to global ocean health assessments, promoting conservation, and sustaining the blue economy. The plan and vision will be developed by community leaders prior to OceanObs’19. The session will generate a recommendation for the global ocean observing community to integrate marine life and biodiversity into ocean observing efforts; the recommendation will outline requirements for multidisciplinary information to address user needs and promote use of best practices to bring together the observing community to accomplish this very major challenge over the next decade.

Breakout Session: Integrated Ocean Observations I: Coastal
1400 - 1600 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Co-Lead: Meghan Cronin, NOAA
The goal of this breakout session, constituting a part of the larger thematic block on “Integrated Ocean Observations,” is to develop a set of recommendations on how the global to coastal ocean observing systems can provide information and ocean products that are most useful to society’s needs. Participants will be invited to bring forward their suggestions on, for example, what innovation is needed to enable high-quality and high resolution measurements in the coastal ocean, noting the importance of regional and global processes to the coastal ocean, or on how to make national and regional systems more interoperable based on common standards and best practices. This session will seek to integrate the different observing approaches, knowledge and experiences of coastal ocean observers and users, and put the recommendations in the context of the vision for an integrated global ocean observing system.

Breakout Session: Ocean, Weather, and Climate Forecasting
1400 - 1600 | Room 316C | Derrick Snowden, U.S. IOOS/NOAA

Lightning Talks at the NOAA Booth
1600 - 1800 | Exhibit Hall | NOAA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Exhibit Hall Opens
0800 | Exhibit Hall
Come see NOAA in the hall!

How Can We Spur Innovation in Observing Technologies, Products, and User Services?
0930 - 1100 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Joint Announcement: NOAA & Department of Energy
This outcome will identify new developments, technologies, and practices that satisfy users’ operational information needs, enable visionary new science, and meet interoperability goals. Articulate the value of ocean observations, including assessing the potential of new capabilities and intelligent design of system elements. Energize and challenge a wider community to respond to and overcome current obstacles limiting our ocean observing capabilities.

Special Session: Powering the Blue Economy: Energy Innovation for Ocean Observations
1130 - 1230 | Room 317A | NOAA
Ocean observations underpin the Blue Economy, yet most of the ocean remains unexplored and poorly sampled, due in part to lack of sufficient energy to power instruments and platforms. Marine energy from waves, tides, ocean currents, and thermal gradients is plentiful, reliable and, when integrated with ocean observing technologies, could reduce or eliminate many energy constraints. Join representatives from the US Government (including DOE, NOAA, and others) along with international experts from across the ocean observation and marine energy communities to discuss how recently announced research initiatives and energy innovation can lead to entirely new capabilities in ocean observation.

Breakout Session: Community Building and Dialogue
1400 - 1600 | Room 323C | Lead: Jon White, Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Communicating the value of sustained ocean observing systems is urgent and necessary for their implementation, continuity and expansion, and relies on effective dialogue among users at all levels to build support from policymakers and the public. Through presentations, small group discussions, and an open forum, this breakout will examine how academia, industry, government, and nongovernmental organizations involved with global ocean observing currently interact with policymakers, stakeholders and the public, and how to improve those pathways in the future. Key discussion foci and projected outcomes will include (1) broader understanding of how existing ocean observing science and policy areas intersect nationally and internationally, (2) identification of opportunities to build global support for ocean observing through cross-sector and international partnerships, and (3) determination of actions that the ocean observing community should take to more effectively communicate and engage with stakeholders, leaders, and the public worldwide.

Breakout Session: Integrated Ocean Observations II: Diverse Stakeholder Needs
1400 - 1600 | Room 316A | Co-Lead: Meghan Cronin, NOAA
This breakout session, constituting a part of the larger thematic block on “Integrated Ocean Observations,” focuses on innovations in the Framework of Ocean Observing (FOO) and its implementation in cross-disciplinary ocean observing systems on different geographical scales. After an introductory talk on the FOO processes and 3-4 talks by different stakeholders introducing their information and observation needs, the speakers will participate in a round-table discussion of how diverse stakeholders can work together to improve and build existing and emerging observing systems under the FOO in the next decade. In the final part, audience polling will be used to make consensus recommendations for integrating ocean observations across scales and disciplines to meet expanding user requirements, with FAIR data and synthesized information.

Lightning Talks at the NOAA Booth
1600 - 1800 | Exhibit Hall | NOAA

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Exhibit Hall Opens
0800 | Exhibit Hall
Come see NOAA in the hall!

Integration Plenary: How Do We Balance Needs, Capabilities, and Knowledge Worldwide?
0930 - 1100 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Jan Newton, NANOOS
Interconnecting and balancing the moving parts of the system, this plenary will inspect the equilibrium in addressing user and operator needs, capabilities, and knowledge worldwide. Our speakers will examine how they share ocean observing information from their sectors among both existing and potential users, as well as how our community can enhance access and benefits between regions and nations by engaging new actors and facilitating a more balanced transfer of information and technology.

Special Session: Ocean Partnerships for Sustained Observing
1130 - 1230 | Room 319A/B | Lead: Consortium for Ocean Observing
Sustained ocean observing requires reliable funding and decision support from myriad partner organizations and end-users. This session will examine next steps for galvanizing these stakeholders into an international collective impact organization to strengthen ocean observing governance over the next decade. Town Hall panelists will engage the audience in a discussion about how we develop formal partnerships to augment networks between the ocean observation science community with nonprofits, philanthropic organizations, academia, government agencies, and the commercial sector. The importance of ocean data for national security, the economy, and society, as well the international coordination required to support a global system, makes governments primarily responsible for supporting ocean observations. However, there is an opportunity for new models of support of a sustained observing system within and beyond government structures. Long-term planning and partnerships with private and nonprofit sectors could address some of the challenges in sustaining observations, which includes support for workforce and technology development. Achieving this will require new cooperation beyond what has been achieved to-date. Up to recently, the many ocean organizations that do exist have tended to operate more on their own than jointly. Led by the organizations that coordinated OceanObs’19, this session will engage speakers and the audience in a discussion about how to improve governance to advance ocean observing, addressing broad issues with many constituencies.

Special Session: Observing Needs in the Deep Ocean
1130 - 1230 | Room 316B | Leads: Lisa Levin & Alan Leonardi, NOAA
This session, hosted by the Deep-Ocean Observing Strategy and NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research will foster discussion among a broad group of stakeholders with deep-ocean interests about the integration of observing programs, data, and models, to address scientific and societal needs of the 21st century. We will focus on the challenges of how to (a ) innovate and facilitate the integrated collection and analysis of biological, biogeochemical and physical observations, and (b) coordinate and develop capacity for the highly distributed deep-ocean observing and exploration communities in alignment with GOOS. Our goal is to generate new approaches and community-vetted actions for sustained observing within the deep-ocean community and to provide input to the Decade of Ocean Science as well as other international planning efforts.

Breakout Session: Arctic Observing
1400 - 1600 | Room 316C | Co-Lead: Molly McCammon, AOOS
Rapid warming in the Arctic is driving profound environmental and socio-economic change impacting immediate response tactics and long-term planning and policy strategies. Engaging with stakeholders and identifying societal benefit areas can be used to help design integrated observing systems, identify new technologies, and assess their performance across multiple scales. This session will focus on lessons learned, best practices and emerging technologies from existing Arctic systems that can be used elsewhere in the Arctic, as well as other regions of the global ocean to ensure that observing systems are meeting identified needs.

Breakout Session: Governance Needs
1400 - 1600 | Room 317A | Jessica Snowden, U.S. IOOS/NOAA
With a vision for a fully integrated and responsive ocean observing system, a governance system needs to support the design, implementation, evolution, and maintenance of the system that our ocean, governments, and societal need. The present governance arrangements will not be sufficient to realize this ambition, as they do not connect the different communities, networks, and partners in fully achieving their potential and do not allow for full implementation of the concepts identified in the Framework for Ocean Observing. This breakout session will present outcomes from a series of workshops, followed by a moderated panel discussion with the goal of identifying a road map and recommendations for reforming the governance of the ocean observing system.

Breakout Session: Integrated Ocean Observations III: Across Disciplines and Networks
1400 - 1600 | Room 316A | Co-Lead: Meghan Cronin, NOAA
The goal of this breakout session, constituting the third part of the larger thematic block on “Integrated Ocean Observations”, is to provide recommendations to the ocean community on how to fully integrate biological observations into a truly multidisciplinary observing system, from the coast across open ocean, and from the surface to the deep. The session will present a set of priority goals and milestones for the 2019-2029 decade as well as recommendations for the implementation of a multidisciplinary observing system focused on partnerships, communication, best practices, data quality and access, capacity development, and sustainability. The audience will discuss ideas on how each of the goals and milestones may be achieved and reach consensus on priority recommendations for an improved understanding and prediction capacity of life in the ocean.

Breakout Session: UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
1400 - 1600 | Room 323A/B | Lead: Paul DiGiacomo, NOAA
This session will focus on the role of ocean observations and associated research and application development in implementation, monitoring, and reporting in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG14 – Life Below Water, as codified in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Given the urgency of a changing ocean and increasing national data needs to ensure the sustainable management of ocean resources, the challenge is to increase significantly the availability and delivery of high-quality, timely, reliable and sustained data that provides fit-for-purpose SDG information. Mechanisms and solutions to facilitate the delivery of this information will be discussed, likewise the role of the upcoming UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in support of this and other global initiatives.

Lightning Talks at the NOAA Booth
1600 - 1800 | Exhibit Hall | NOAA

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

Fresh Perspectives Toward OceanObs'29
0930 - 1015 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Moderator: Ruth Perry, Shell (GCOOS)
After meeting throughout the conference to collect information and discuss their priorities, groups from the early career ocean observing community will present the perspectives of future users and observers. The panel will report on the content and ideas emerging from OceanObs’19 and their own vision of the next decade and beyond.

Charting the Way Forward: Community Views
1045 - 1130 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Panelist: Jan Newton, NANOOS
Members of the Program Committee will articulate the near-term actions to implement the recommendations from the conference and explore opportunities to bring together existing and newly-formed groups from the ocean observing community.

Charting the Way Forward: Sponsor Views
1115 - 1200 | Kalakaua Ballroom | Panelist: David Legler, NOAA
Key sponsors will articulate the long-term commitments across the major themes of the conference. They will agree to adopting key new principles and recommendations generated at OceanObs’19 to improve the governance of a Global Ocean Observing System; including advocacy, funding, and best practices. The panel will also present steps for aligning the outcomes of OceanObs’19 with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.