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From the Director:

Hello IOOS Community,

With hurricane season in full swing, the Hurricane Glider Project has been very active. Even with the current challenges of Summer 2020, our diverse team has come together and supported each other to have the most active season to date. We have over twenty hurricane gliders deployed in the Caribbean, Mid-Atlantic Bight, South Atlantic Bight, and Gulf of Mexico! Their mission is twofold. First, providing sustained ocean data in ocean features that are hard for models to forecast and that are linked to intensity changes in hurricanes. Second, when possible, capturing the rapid evolution of the ocean under a hurricane to help us better understand how the ocean affects the storm and the storm affects the ocean. This understanding will ultimately improve our ability to forecast these highly dynamic and complex processes. 

As residents along the Texas-Louisiana coasts prepared for Hurricane Laura, the hurricane glider science team was closely monitoring the ocean conditions under the storm. With a Texas A&M glider, two Navy gliders, and multiple ARGO floats in the path of the storm, we had a unique opportunity to capture the dynamic changes in the ocean ahead of and under the storm. The team was also able to assess the latest version of NOAA’s Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model’s ability to forecast these changes. Initial analysis showed that Laura's winds caused a rapid cooling of the ocean in the eastern Gulf of Mexico but that cooling didn’t occur in the western Gulf where there was above normal temperatures. This warm water in the west is what Laura ultimately went over as it rapidly intensified. 

With storms like Laura and Isaias, our mission is only beginning. There is much work to do after these storms have passed to better understand the ocean's role in intensity and improve our ability to forecast it. Throughout these storms, Dr. Scott Glenn (MARACOOS/Rutgers) has been blogging about the hurricane glider effort. Dr. Glenn is one of the main leaders of this effort and does a fantastic job explaining what we are seeing and learning with the gliders and our analysis of the models. You can follow along at https://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/blog/category/hurricanes/

Best wishes and stay safe,
Carl

From the U.S. IOOS Office:

  • IOOS Director Carl Gouldman joined BlueTech Global Connect last month for their "Big Data" webinar.  Joined by  presentations from D-ICE Engineering, OLSPS, and ioCurrents, Carl's presentation covered what IOOS is, what we do, and how it matters for big data.  The full webinar is available in 2 parts, the intro and Carl's presentation followed by the following 3 presentations and the Q&A (moderated by Carl).

Observation Subsystem and Sensor Technologies:

  • Surface Current Mapping: (IOOS Surface Currents Program Manager, Brian Zelenke, brian.zelenke@noaa.gov): 

    • HFR Community and Wind Turbine Interference Mitigation: The oceanographic high-frequency radar (HFR) community is drafting questions to ask the offshore wind energy industry regarding wind turbine interference mitigation (WTRIM).  IOOS Surface Currents Program Manager Brian Zelenke will be serving as the lead for the U.S. HFR network and Tom Vinson at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) will serve as the point-of-contact to get answers to the HFR community’s questions from the offshore wind industry.  If you know someone who would like help in writing the HFR community’s WTRIM questions, or someone in the wind energy industry that would like to help respond, please contact brian.zelenke@noaa.gov.

    • Glider Data and Model Output for Hurricane Laura: Check out the MARACOOS/Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL) blog for some great discussion and information on ocean data before and during Hurricane Laura and how that data was used for modeling Hurricane Laura and and forecasting the hurricane’s intensity. Read more here: https://rucool.marine.rutgers.edu/blog/category/hurricanes/ 

    • Robots Map Ocean Heat Content in Advance of Hurricane Laura: Making hurricane predictions is all about having data — and being able to access accurate information quickly and easily. For the third year in a row, the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) is working with teams in Florida, Mississippi and Texas to track and share data from a gliders in the Gulf. Read more here

    • Gliders, Gliders, and More GLIDERS!!: This time of year is always jam packed with glider activity. In the Mid-Atlantic, there are 5 active gliders deployed by MARACOOS partners ready to collect vital data from hurricanes such as Hurricane Laura. Tune in for “Meet the Fleet” in September for a more in-depth look at Mid-Atlantic gliders and the people behind them! Read more here.

    • ATN Webinar Summary: The US Animal Telemetry Network (ATN) Data Team (Megan McKinzie-ATN and Ian Gill-Axiom Data Science) and Bill hosted a two hour webinar on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 for the NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center researchers and regional colleagues. A mix of 25 NMFS, Navy and academic researchers listened to an introduction to the ATN and its Data Assembly Center (DAC) plus a review of the DAC data management tools (Research Workspace, Project Registration App and Data Portal), data and metadata standards, and data curation process from ingestion through archival. Megan also provided a ‘live’ demonstration of how to register a Research Workspace account in the DAC and how to navigate the steps needed to upload your datasets into your account . Several attendees also signed up for follow-up web-based remote one-on-one PI sessions with the DAC Data Team for more individualized and in-depth discussions and training. A recording of the webinar can be found at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/2942443058716041222  Additional regional webinars are being planned for the Fall which will focus on the SE and NW NMFS Science Centers and regions.

Data Management and Cyberinfrastructure (DMAC) Subsystem and Tools Built on IOOS data (DMAC listserv – contact Micah Wengren, DMAC System Architect, data.ioos@noaa.gov)

  • 2020 DMAC Annual Meeting Update: Like many other groups, the IOOS Ops Division has decided against planning in-person events for the time being.  Therefore, the dates we had tentatively rescheduled this year's DMAC meeting for (Tuesday Oct 13 - Thursday Oct 15) will be used to hold a virtual DMAC plenary/presentation session and group breakout discussions. Please save the hours of 2 - 5 PM ET, Oct 13 - 15 if you'd like to participate.  More details to follow, however our plan at the moment is for a daily schedule of:

    • 2 PM - 3:30 PM: Presentations and project updates

    • 3:45 PM - 4:45 PM: Breakout discussions

    • 4:45 PM - 5 PM: Daily Recap

    • International Review of QARTOD Paper Complete: Broad international review of the draft paper “QARTOD - Prospects for Real-Time Quality Control Manuals, How to Create Them, and a Vision for Advanced Implementation” has been completed. Comments received are being addressed in the final editing of this paper, which describes the applicability of real-time QC for the IOOS core variables not yet addressed by a QARTOD manual.

    • Ocean Best Practice System: Almost 300 individuals have registered for the 4th OBPS annual workshop at https://tinyurl.com/y3c7dz4n. The overarching goal of the workshop is to gather recommendations to help the OBPS serve communities and advance:

      • Sharing of information and knowledge

      • Endorsement of methodologies

      • Convergence of methodologies

      • Guidance – how can the OBPS support your region/community in building best practices?

      • More information is available at https://www.oceanbestpractices.org/#events.

    • U.S. CLIVAR Ocean Uncertainty Quantification Working Group: OceanUQ working group members and others with an interest in uncertainty quantification will virtually meet during the 4th annual OBPS workshop, in an Ocean Uncertainty Quantification session. The session goal is to develop recommendations which guide OBPS activities that support and promote uncertainty considerations and standards. Session co-chairs have invited leaders in the development of uncertainty statements to provide presentations, and are scheduling discussions to help others seeking guidance for their uncertainty efforts. To participate, workshop registrants should select the Ocean Uncertainty Quantification session as their first or second interest.

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

  • No update.

Interagency and International Collaboration/News:

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

    • New MBON Team Publication on Use Of eDNA Metabarcoding For Biodiversity Assessments and Species Richness Estimates: US MBON partners published a new paper on eDNA metabarcoding applications in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (“Calibrating Environmental DNA Metabarcoding to Conventional Surveys for Measuring Fish Species Richness,”  https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00276). The paper compares species richness estimates for bony fish from eDNA metabarcoding vs. conventional methods (e.g. nets, visual census, electrofishing) across 37 different studies in aquatic systems. The authors conclude that ‘eDNA metabarcoding is reliable and provides a path for broader biodiversity assessments that can outperform conventional methods for estimating species richness’.  However, they note the need for additional studies of relative performance among different methods and for ‘more populated reference databases, increased sampling effort, and multi-marker assays to ensure robust species richness estimates to further validate the approach’. IOOS provides leadership of US MBON on behalf of a NOPP interagency partnership including NOAA, NASA, BOEM, and ONR.

  • Second ACT eDNA Workshop:The 2nd ACT “Envisioning the future of eDNA sampling and sample processing” virtual workshop will be held on Thursday, 10 September, 3-5 pm ET/noon-2 pm PT. As a reminder, notes from the first workshop are available on the Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) website. The goal for this second virtual workshop is to follow up on some of the challenges to eDNA sampling/sample processing that were identified in the first workshop. This second workshop will be used to learn more about existing and on-the-horizon solutions that can help overcome some of these challenges and discuss remaining obstacles in need of development. Key outcomes from this workshop will include 1) a short list of action items and suggestions for the community priorities for improving eDNA collection/preservation of samples and 2) a report and/or peer reviewed publication will be developed from the input of both workshops. Please register for the workshop here. Please register for the workshop by COB Friday, 4 September. Contact Beth Stauffer (beth.stauffer@louisiana.edu) or Jen Raabe (jennifer.raabe@louisiana.edu) if you have any questions. 

  • New OOI Data Explorer Tool Coming Online in October: To help make the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) data more accessible, useable, and easily integrated into research and classrooms, the OOI data team has spent the last year developing a new tool that will allow users to discover the data required to meet their needs.  The new “Data Explorer” has been undergoing user testing for the past three months and will be ready for broad distribution in early October. Data Explorer will allow users to search and download cabled, uncabled, and recovered data, compare datasets across regions and disciplines, generate and share custom data views, and download full data sets using ERDDAP. Read more here: https://oceanobservatories.org/2020/08/new-data-explorer-tool-coming-online-in-october/ 

  • Save the Date & Register Now: Sep 23-24, 1pm EDT - NOAA HSRP Public Meeting (Webinar): The NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) Federal Advisory Committee will have a virtual public meeting via webinar on September 23, 1-5:30pm EDT, and September 24, 2020, 1-5pm EDT, to focus on NOAA's navigation services, address implementation plans for the two ocean and coastal mapping strategies, and other HSRP topics. Public comments are requested by September 15th. For more information, see the meeting announcement published in the Federal Register here: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-08-27/pdf/2020-18892.pdf. Please register in advance of the meeting at the following link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1862145392808727819   

  • ICYMI: From Data to Decisions: NOAA's Support for Coastal Resilience Briefing: From science to service and stewardship, NOAA delivers authoritative data, tools, and expertise to prepare our nation for the impacts of coastal storms and the chronic stress of sea level rise.  On August 27, 2020, NOS Leadership participated in a briefing highlighting how NOAA’s observations, modeling, and technical support services are transformational in enabling local understanding and planning to reduce risk in coastal communities. You can watch the briefing at this link: https://youtu.be/g3Ow5rO2nQ4 

  • National Geodetic Survey Damage Assessment Imagery for Hurricane Laura Now Available Online: From August 27-31, the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) collected aerial damage assessment images in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura. Imagery was collected in specific areas identified by NOAA in coordination with FEMA and other state and federal partners. Collected images are available to view online via the NGS aerial imagery viewer. View tips on how to use the imagery viewer. 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. Read more here

  • Fall High Tide Bulletin Now Available: 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 2020. Read more here.

  • CO-OPS Installs Critical Sensor in North Carolina: NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) installed a new microwave water level sensor in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. This station was significantly damaged over the winter due to strong swells from a nor’easter. With hurricane season in full swing, it was critical to install a second primary quality water level sensor. The station, on Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier, is one of the few National Water Level Observation Network (NWLON) stations located on an ocean-facing shoreline. It is critical for providing unobstructed water level and meteorological data, especially during hurricane season. The NWLON is a network of over 200 water level stations in the U.S and is the source for accurate real-time and historical water levels for government agencies, the commercial navigation sector, and recreational users.

  • NOAA, U.S. Coast Guard Verify Critical Navigation Data in Alaska: OCS supported a last-minute request by U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter SPAR to provide hydrographic support for their operations in Bechevin Bay, Alaska. OCS’s regional navigation manager for Alaska joined the ship in Homer, Alaska, for a two-week mission in early August. Cutter SPAR's draft exceeds the depth of the channel at mean lower low water, and shoals within Bechevin Bay are known to migrate over time. SPAR conducts limited hydrographic surveys to verify aids to navigation are still marking safe water for SPAR and all vessels using the waterway. Using an acquisition and processing workflow refined by OCS in 2019, the mission collected sufficient data to ensure SPAR could work safely. This successful operation supports a growing partnership between USCG and NOAA under the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to collaborate on hydrographic data acquisition in Alaska.

  • Lake Erie Harmful Algal Bloom Forecast: 2020 Improvements: Lakeshore communities now have new tools to help ensure safe drinking water and lake recreational activities. The Lake Erie HAB Forecast now incorporates a 3D hydrodynamic model to better understand what's going on beneath the surface of Lake Erie, critical to managing drinking water intakes and prime fishing spots. In addition, the forecast website is easier to use, with animations and dashboards to help users better understand maps and key elements. Read more here

  • Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) to host Ocean Acidification Week - September 8-10, 2020: The Ocean Acidification Week will be held to engage the ocean acidification and broader oceanographic communities, raise awareness to the issue of ocean acidification, and bring attention to the global efforts being conducted related to monitoring, research, capacity building, capacity needs, and education. The week will also maintain momentum around the upcoming 5th International Symposium on the Ocean in a High CO2 World, and share progress on GOA-ON's three High-level Goals, as well as serve as the "kick off" to a new GOA-ON Webinar Series. For more information, see http://www.goa-on.org/webinars/OaWeek2020/webinar.php 

  • Detailed Agenda Available and Registration open: 2020 Americas Symposium (September 7th & 8th): The 2020 Americas Symposium aims to bring communities together to ​identify the synergies ​and paths toward collaboration ​​among​ regional efforts related to ​the integration of​ Geographic, Statistical, Environmental and other information. As a community, we recognize that data integration is the first step toward transforming data into meaningful and valuable information and that a joint effort is needed to achieve this goal. These talks intend to elevate the conversation beyond programmatic updates and facilitate an insightful discussion about multilateral cooperation. To register for this event or to find more information, please visit the official "2020 America's Symposium" website. This Symposium of the Americas is presented by AmeriGEO, the regional organization for the Group on Earth Observations, and the United Nations Regional Committee on Global Geospatial Information Management in the Americas, UN-GGIM: Americas. 

  • Grants & Funding Opportunities:

    • Request for Proposals to Enhance Regional Ocean Data Sharing: SECOORA is soliciting proposals that focus on geospatial data required by states and regional organizations in addressing coastal and ocean management issues. The funding for this award was appropriated by Congress to enhance capacity for sharing and integration of data from Federal and non-Federal sources to support regional coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes management priorities. Proposals are due October 30, 2020 at 5 PM ET. Total funds available are $180,000. SECOORA intends to award between 1 and 5 proposals.  Click here for more information and how to apply

    • NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research FY2021 Federal Funding Opportunity: The NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research has decided to extend the FY21 Federal Funding Opportunity pre-proposal deadline to July 8, 2020 to allow the broadest participation in the funding opportunity. The fall deadline for full submissions remains October 22, 2020. The full announcement for this opportunity may be found online at https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/about/funding-opps/welcome.html.

Delivering the Benefits:

  • Satellite imagery reveals hurricane connections to increases in sargassum influxes: Since 2011, large accumulations of Sargassum on the coasts has become a challenge for managers. Some of the challenges include lack of access to ramps and beaches, deterioration in the quality of tourism services and impacts on coastal ecosystems dynamics. To address this issue, CARICOOS commissioned a study to evaluate changes in benthic composition and coastal vegetation in La Parguera area potentially resulting from to Sargassum influx and accumulations in cays, bays, inlets and near-shore environments. Read more here and find the latest 2020 Sargassum Outlook here

    • NANOOS Tuna App really delivers: The NVS Tuna Fishers App has been especially popular this season, thanks to increased engagement with recreational users. Many people have been utilizing the “Comment” feature, which allows users to contact NANOOS directly with any questions or concerns. This feature gives NANOOS valuable feedback on usability as well as alerting them to data stream issues. So, please keep "Comment"-ing! 

    • Monitoring Water Quality at Maʻalaea Harbor, Maui: As part of the PacIOOS Water Quality Sensor Partnership Program (WQSPP), the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council (MNMRC) deployed a nearshore sensor at Maʻalaea Harbor, Maui. The non-profit organization is interested to learn more about the effects of tides, wind, and swell on water quality in the harbor, and monitor water quality variability over time. The data will help inform the watershed management plan Vision for Pohakea, which aims to reduce sediment and pollutants in Maʻalaea Bay and its harbor. MNMRC is also partnering with the Waterkeepers Hawaiian Islands to utilize several thousand oysters in the harbor to help improve water quality. PacIOOS' nearshore sensor will be rotating to various locations within the harbor, collecting data on water temperature, salinity, turbidity, chlorophyll-a, and depth. 

    • PACE Early Adopter, Clarissa Anderson: California’s economy relies on the healthy ocean. Clarissa Anderson, of the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System (@SCCOOS), is leading a team that will be using NASA's PACE data to predict harmful algal blooms in coastal waters. Read more about this PACE project here

    • July CA HAB Bulletin Published: Please check out the July CA HAB Bulletin for the latest collection of model output, observations, and advisories. Major contributors to the bulletin content are SCCOOS, CeNCOOS, NOAA CoastWatch, phytoplankton counts from the Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring & Alert Program (HABMAP) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and stranding data from The Marine Mammal Center, Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute, the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles, CA Wildlife Center, Marine Animal Rescue, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, and SeaWorld.

Congressional:

  • No update.

Communications/Outreach/Education:

  • Interested in being a part of the Smart Great Lakes Initiative (SGLi)?: SGLi leadership is seeking volunteers to share their expertise by serving on Issue Area Strategy Teams. These teams will focus initially on contributing to a Common Strategy representing three areas: science and innovation, data and information, and policy and management. If you are interested in joining a team, email Katie Rousseau, Smart Great Lakes Liaison, at katie@glos.org.

  • Kauaʻi to Niʻihau Channel Crossing: At the beginning of August, five swimmers from the Ala Moana Beach Swim Club completed a tandem crossing of the Kaulakahi Channel, from the island of Kauaʻi to Niʻihau. In preparation for the swim, the team diligently studied ocean conditions to better understand the channel environment. With the support of PacIOOS' Data Management Lead Dr. Jim Potemra, the group also included PacIOOS wind, current, and wave forecast data into their assessment. At the end, there is only so much "prep" work and planning that can be done. Despite stronger than expected currents, cross swells, and jellyfish encounters, the team mastered the channel and was rewarded with a whole slew of marine life, including a silky shark that peacefully swam with the group for about 8 hours. Read the full story of their swim

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

  • Sustaining Ocean Observations Phase 2 Workshop, 16–18 September 2020, Virtual: There is wide recognition within the ocean observing community that enhanced coordination and partnership among federal agencies, academic and research institutions, private industry, and other sectors could contribute to a stronger collective impact. This upcoming workshop will bring together this diverse groups of stakeholders of ocean observing. The goal of the workshop is to explore partnership and organizational models to foster efficiency, continuity, and quality of the most critical ocean observations to support the broad spectrum of applications and users, both now and in the future. An outline of the workshop topics can be found on the registration page. The full agenda is coming soon to the registration page and the project website.
  • Ocean Best Practices Workshop IV, 18, 21–25, & 30 September 2020, Virtual: The workshop will host plenaries on September 18 and 25 with a final mini-plenary on September 30. Working groups will meet at selected times during the period of September 21 to 24. The format of the meeting has evolved to focus more on conversations and smaller working groups. There will be two instances of the second and third plenary to support the challenges of time zones. See https://www.oceanbestpractices.org/events/evolving-and-sustaining-ocean-best-practices-iv/ for more information.
  • Sept 29 - Oct 1: Restore America’s Estuaries 2020 Summit, 29 Sept–1 Oct 2020, Virtual: The National Coastal Estuarine Summit will be held virtually September 29 – October 1, 2020.  This will be a highly interactive, state of the art, virtual opportunity to network with colleagues, share lessons learned, and hear from experts on the latest in coastal restoration and management. More than 300 expert panels, presentations, and posters have been selected and more than 30 sponsors have already committed to support this year’s virtual Summit. For more info and to register: https://estuaries.org/summit/
  • Great Lakes TechSurge Lakebed 2030, 1–2 October 2020, Traverse City, MI: This premier event, hosted by Marine Technology Society, will bring together science and research, policy, government, and industry professionals to:
    • Focus on Great Lakes marine mapping and observation data.
    • Develop a strategy to catalog new and existing lakebed information for shared used.
    • Share the latest technology advancements with Great Lakes community and advance business development in the region.
  • Global OCEANS 2020: Singapore – U.S. Gulf Coast, 5–30 October 2020, Virtual: The organizing committees have decided to combine forces and invite worldwide community participation to a single virtual conference “Global OCEANS 2020: Singapore – U.S. Gulf Coast”, which will feature a mix of live and on-demand events available to all registrants at a very affordable rate, October 5-30, 2020. For more information or registration click here
    • The Gulf of Mexico – A Case Study in Resilience - October 8th 4:30pm-6pm ET / 3:30pm - 5pm CT:The Gulf of Mexico is a place where the environment and economy both coexist and contend. This is possible because the Gulf is also a resilient large marine ecosystem and a living case study of absorbing our demands and like a stretched rubber band, rebounding from that exploitation. The Gulf is home to a diverse cadre of marine species.  From nearshore oyster beds to offshore billfish, the Gulf is teaming with life and many residents rely on this dynamic ecosystem for their livelihood.  Additionally, land-based and offshore aquaculture is gaining interest in the region, addressing the growing need for sources of high-protein food.  The Gulf is also plagued by recurring phenomena such as hypoxia and harmful algal blooms,  challenging both ecosystem and coastal community health and productivity. This track focuses on these issues and explores the drivers and pressures that buffet the resilient and productive Gulf. 
      • Moderator/Panelist: Dr. Larry McKinney, Harte Research Institute
      • Panelists: 
        • Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Gulf Coast Ocean Observing System (GCOOS)
        • Dr. Kelly Lucas, University of Southern Mississippi
        • Carl Goldman, IOOS
  • 2020 AGU Fall Meeting, Dec 7-11, 2020, Virtual: The 2020 AGU Fall Meeting will take place Dec 7-11th. For the first time ever, the conference will be “mostly virtual” meaning much broader participation is possible than in past years. Please note that AGU’s abstract submission portal is now open and accepting submissions until Wednesday, July 29th, 2020 at 11:59 pm EDT. Helpful links: AGU Fall Meeting Website: https://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting. Information about abstract submission: https://www.agu.org/Fall-Meeting/2020/Present/Abstracts.
    • The NASA Capacity Building Program is chairing two sessions focused on different aspects of capacity development of Earth observation users. As we strive to build the community of practice around skill building and capacity building of Earth observations users, we hope you will join us for these virtual sessions. Please consider submitting an abstract to one (or both!) of our sessions. 
      • Session SY001: Addressing the Need for Earth-Observation Capacity Development at the Local, National, Regional, and Global Scales
      • SY004: Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Conducting Virtual Capacity Building Activities
    • GEO at AGU Fall Meeting: As part of the upcoming 2020 AGU Fall Meeting themed “Shaping the Future of Science,” the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is supporting several key sessions and invites members from the AmeriGEO community to submit their abstracts to take part. Sessions focused on Earth observations (EO) and Capacity Development, COVID-19, the Sustainable Development Goals, and several being led by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) may be of interest and we encourage you to explore the opportunities to support these sessions. Please see all the sessions and how to participate in the following link: https://www.earthobservations.org/geo_blog_obs.php?id=449
  • 101st AMS Annual Meeting, 10–14 January 2021, New Orleans, LA: Planning is underway for an AMS EPIC session at the AMS Annual Meeting - panel discussion and then paper session hosted by EIPT, R2O, Python, AI, and HPC communities of AMS.
    • Session Title: The Earth Prediction Innovation Center – Enabling a community-based approach to advance Numerical Weather Prediction
    • Session Description: Congress has mandated that NOAA establish an Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC) to accelerate community-developed scientific and technological advancements into the operational applications for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). The EPIC is responsible for enabling collaboration among scientists and engineers in areas important for improving operational weather prediction and for creating a community global weather research modeling system. Meeting the goals of EPIC will require the efforts of all segments of the weather enterprise. This session invites papers presenting progress to date in this initiative as well as papers presenting innovative technologies and capabilities with potential for adoption by EPIC to enable the collaborative community, establish the community modeling system, and advance operational NWP.
    • Dr. DaNa Carlis has agreed to be the EIPT participant in the panel discussion.
    • Abstract submissions for this session, and all AMS sessions are due 3 August.  The meeting is in early January 2021.  Originally scheduled to be in New Orleans, a decision on whether it will go virtual will be made soon.  
  • Oceanology International Americas, 15–17 February 2021, San Diego, CA: As part of the three-day conference program, OI Americas will run a series of technical tracks exploring the latest developments in ocean technology and its application in support of scientific research, safe and sustainable use of the ocean and ocean resources and the protection of the marine and coastal environment. The technical track program will cover all stages of ocean technology innovation; connecting technology push with application pull. Scientists, technologists and engineers engaged in the ocean technology innovation chain, and those concerned with application of technologies in support of scientific understanding of the ocean, the use of the ocean and ocean resources and protection of the marine and coastal environment are invited to submit abstracts to the Oi Americas 2021 conference program covering one or more of the following topics:
    • Sensors and Instruments
    • Vessels, Vehicles and Platforms
    • Data Communications
    • Data Management
    • Data Analysis and Interpretation
    • End-use Case Studies

Other Upcoming Meetings:

  • Drones in the Coastal Zone, 14 October 2020, Virtual: SECOORA's Drones in the Coastal Zone in-person workshop https://secoora.org/drones-in-the-coastal-zone-workshop/ scheduled for October in Beaufort, NC has been cancelled due to ongoing concerns for gatherings of over 100 people. The planning team recognizes the importance of the hands-on drone work and the desire for in-person training, therefore they are changing gears and developing a new format that will permit for virtual and (limited) in-person participation. Ideas discussed include a webinar series in fall 2020, online activities/ trainings, and the potential for an “air show” in 2021 (limited capacity workshops in different states). Please save the date for the Drone Workshop kick off webinar on on October 14. If you have further questions, please contact Abbey Wakely at abbey@secoora.org.
  • WMO Data Conference, 16–18 November 2020, Virtual: The WMO Data Conference aims to develop a common understanding among entities from all sectors of society of the roles, requirements and arrangements for international exchange of observations and other data for monitoring and prediction of the Earth System environment, including weather, climate and water. The World Meteorological Organization and its predecessor, the International Meteorological Organization, have coordinated and regulated the free and unrestricted international exchange of observations and other meteorological data for the last 150 years. Building on this exchange, dramatic progress has been made in weather forecast and climate analysis capabilities over the last few decades. The Conference is expected to formulate recommendations to WMO and its partner organizations and stakeholders regarding current needs and modalities for data exchange and specifically regarding the ongoing WMO review of its data policies. Participants interested in contributing a paper should submit an abstract (max 250 words) to the DataConference@wmo.int by 23 August. For more information: https://public.wmo.int/en/events/WMO-Data-Conference 
  • SAVE THE DATE! 2nd International Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium, 25–27 May 2021, Darmstadt, Germany: The Executive Steering Committee of the 2nd International Operational Satellite Oceanography Symposium, co-chaired by EUMETSAT and NOAA, is pleased to announce the next Symposium will be held in Darmstadt, Germany May 25-27, 2021.  The Committee will share more information, including the meeting website and the Programme Committee members in the coming months.  
  • EMODnet 2nd Open Conference and Jamboree - New Dates Announced: 14–18 June 2021: The second EMODnet Open Conference and Jamboree will be held the week of 14 June 2021. During the event, EMODnet partners, communicators and data providers and users will take stock of EMODnet achievements over the past 10 years, connect across stakeholder communities and set goals for the future. To start the week, the EMODnet Open Conference will focus on use cases and requirements for developing essential open marine data services for blue economy actors, the public sector, civil society and the research community. More details will follow soon.

 

Webinars:

  • SERIES MTS’ 2020 Virtual Symposia: An Online Series for Marine Technology Professionals: With the cancellation/postponement of a number of events in 2020 and many working from home or remotely, MTS is bringing together a series of virtual seminars of interest to the marine technology community. You are invited to attend these free, interactive symposia where you can learn about cutting-edge topics from some of the best and brightest minds working the field.  Keep up with upcoming & past symposia on the MTS Events page. Upcoming webinars:
    • September 17th, 2020 - MTS Technology Forum - During this 90 minute virtual panel, we will hear from a diverse group of experts that will lead us through technology trends and challenges which will include: unmanned systems, maritime cyber security, oceanographic platforms and sensors, and more. For more information and to register: https://www.mtsociety.org/2020/08/20/mts-technology-forum/ 
  • 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:
    • 9/17: Navigating the Future V: The cells of ecosystem functioning: Towards a holistic vision of marine space
  • Celebrating 10 Years of EMODnet, 22 September 2020, 14:00-17:00 CEST: Showcasing a decade of achievements connecting marine data to knowledge: Celebrate 10 years of EMODnet by joining us at a virtual gathering on 22 September 2020 14:00-17:00 CEST. This webinar will be an opportunity to take stock of key EMODnet achievements over the past decade with showcases and testimonials from data providers, users and partners – as a celebration moment. This online event will also set the stage for a forward look at the Open Conference in June 2021 to co-design the next phase of EMODnet. Register for the webinar here: https://www.emodnet.eu/webinar

Job & Internship Opportunities:

  • Last day! 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.

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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