The PacIOOS Deputy Director will be responsible for the operation and growth of data, outreach, and observing system components within PacIOOS in order to achieve the vision detailed in the PacIOOS Strategic Plan. The successful candidate will create proposals for development and sustained operations of PacIOOS and will ensure successful collaboration among the PacIOOS team and stakeholders to advance PacIOOS growth in the region. Experience working in Hawai‘i and the Insular Pacific territories and Nations that comprise the PacIOOS region is necessary in this position, as well as experience working with diverse groups of stakeholders towards a common vision, experience working with ocean observing data and technologies, and experience working with regional and national interagency committees.

To view the full job description and qualifications, and to apply online, please click on "Job Postings" on the RCUH website and enter job ID#222127.

The PacIOOS Communications Coordinator will focus on internal and external communications, including the continued development and implementation of engagement and public relations activities for stakeholders, partners and users in the U.S. Pacific Islands in support of PacIOOS. This position will engage and collaborate with diverse audiences to identify coastal and ocean observing needs; and coordinate the design, development, and refinement of user-friendly and vibrant web-based products and services for PacIOOS. We are looking for a candidate with excellent coordination, communication, and interpersonal skills and experience promoting and facilitating effective relationships among government agencies, non-profits, industry, and the general public in Hawai‘i and/or the Pacific Islands. To view the full job description and qualifications, and to apply online, please click on "Job Postings" on the RCUH website and enter job ID#222137.

The buoy off Mōkapu Point on the windward coast of Oʻahu is back online! Located nearly 3 miles offshore of Lanikai Beach, this buoy measures wave height, direction and period as well as sea surface temperature. Information from this buoy provides critical information for coastal hazard and low-lying inundation forecasts and offers real-time data to recreational ocean users. The Mōkapu Point wave buoy is owned and managed by PacIOOS. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) provided the initial funding to purchase this buoy.

The PacIOOS wave buoy off Pauwela, Maui was recently swapped and is, once again, providing wave height, direction and period as well as sea surface temperature. Located approximately 9 miles offshore of Kahului Harbor on the North Shore of Maui, data from this buoy promote safe transit entering and exiting the harbor, offers real-time data to recreational ocean users, and provides critical information for coastal hazard and low-lying inundation forecasts for north-facing shores. The Pauwela wave buoy is owned and managed by PacIOOS. The Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (JIMAR) of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa provided the initial funding to purchase this buoy.

Offshore of Ritidian Point on the north shore of Guam, the PacIOOS wave buoy has been redeployed. Moored approximately 3.5 miles off shore in water 515 meters deep, this buoy measures wave height, direction and period as well as sea surface temperature. The Ritidian Point wave buoy is owned and managed by PacIOOS. The NOAA Coastal Storms Program (CSP) provided the initial funding to purchase this buoy.

PacIOOS team members are sharing select PacIOOS-related data, forecasts and tools with an international audience at the virtual ASLO Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022. Assaf Azouri will present inundation maps under future sea level scenarios for wave events plus background water levels representing nuisance flooding. The baseline for this study is a wave-driven run-up and inundation forecast particularly developed for West Maui, Hawai‘i. In contrast to commonly used models, the dynamics resolved by this approach lead to a more complete picture of the nearshore wave processes, which contribute to realistic run-up and inundation scenarios. The high-resolution inundation maps will be used to understand how the wave-driven flood zones could change as sea level rises, and to better assess the associated risk for local communities. [Image: Screenshot of the wave-driven flooding tool.]

Shaun Wriston, with the PacIOOS Nearshore Sensor Group, will share data from four sensors deployed along the south shore of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. This 12-year data set represents a critical component of understanding the status and driving mechanisms of coastal water quality and developing effective management strategies to respond to emerging environmental change. They observed an overall increase in temperature, an increase in pressure or water depth, and decrease in salinity over time. Statistical modeling of the data revealed that air temperature, precipitation, wind, waves and ENSO are significant drivers of daily, seasonal and interannual variability in temperature and salinity. Long-term monitoring is essential in order to gain a better understanding of the impact of climate variability and climate change on coastal environments in order to inform adaptation and resiliency. [Photo: A year long WQSPP project with Non-Profit organization Mālama Maunalua, located in Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu.Credit: Shaun Wriston]

Robbie Greene and Becky Skeele have both been living and working in the Northern Mariana Islands for the last ten years and call the Island of Saipan "home". As Liaisons for PacIOOS, Robbie and Becky engage with CNMI stakeholders and organizations to help build local capacity in the use of data services and tools, while providing assistance in the expansion and implementation of ocean observing programs in the Commonwealth.

Both originally from the Chesapeake Bay region, Robbie and Becky were matched with the CNMI's Coastal Management Program through NOAA's Coastal Management Fellowship and Coral Management Fellowship respectively, and have since worked in a variety of capacities under the umbrella of island community resiliency, conservation, and restoration. Robbie served as a Hazards Specialist and GIS Specialist for the Commonwealth, and as the CNMI Liaison under NOAA's Office for Coastal Management, while Becky served as the Coastal Resources Planner for the CNMI's Division of Coastal Resources Management.

They co-founded Pacific Coastal Research and Planning (PCRP) in 2016. Becky is the Executive Director of PCRP, and also provides social science expertise and guidance on relevant projects. Robbie heads PCRP's geospatial operations and non-profit partnership with ESRI, while serving as project manager or PI on technical planning and research efforts. On any given day you might find them working on marine debris removal, hazard mitigation planning, living shorelines designs, or conducting a workshop with the local fishing community.

Outside of the office Robbie can be found surfing, fishing, or paddling Saipan's reefs and lagoon. His weekend activities are usually determined by PacIOOS' current forecasts and wave buoy observations for the Marianas. Becky can usually be spotted with her husband Rob at the beach or hiking with their three children and four dogs. [Photo: Robbie Greene; Becky Skeele.]