Greetings!
I hope the start of spring is finding you well. Moving into our warmer season — and heading toward hurricane season here in the Gulf — has me thinking about our changing climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently released its latest technical report “ Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability.”
According to the report, we face unavoidable multiple climate hazards over the next two decades with global warming of 1.5°C (2.7°F). Even temporarily exceeding this warming level will result in additional severe impacts, some of which will be irreversible. Risks for society will increase, including to infrastructure and low-lying coastal settlements.
That’s especially important here in the Gulf of Mexico, where more than 14 million people live in coastal communities and we annually deal with severe storms and hurricanes. This is just one example of why GCOOS works to gather and share the data and information that can help support the development of science-based information that will mitigate the risks caused by a changing climate and help close the gaps in climate adaptation.
More data — more knowledge — will become increasingly important as we live with a changing climate and I hope you will be able to join us this Thursday for the next webinar in our spring series. We’ve asked our colleagues in Mexico to share information about their priorities and data collection and dissemination so that we may work to broaden the ocean observing community throughout the entire Gulf of Mexico.
Please see details below for webinar registration and upcoming webinar dates.
And please mark your calendar: The GCOOS Annual Spring Meeting will take place virtually this year on May 4. We’ll share the details and the agenda as they are finalized, so please watch your inbox for updates!
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Join Us This Thursday for Our Next Webinar
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Please join us this Thursday for the next webinar in our spring series “Southern Gulf of Mexico Marine Observations, Research and Technology: Opportunities for Gulf-Wide Synergies and Cooperation.”
During this webinar series, members of the Gulf of Mexico Marine Science Research Consortium (CIGOM) and the Mexican Center for Marine Energy Innovation (CEMIE-Océano) are discussing observations, scientific contributions and innovations, as well as databases, models, human capacities and physical infrastructure. We’ve partnered with Texas A&M University (TAMU), the Society for Underwater Technology-US (SUT-US) and Network-to-Network for the Gulf of Mexico (N2N-GoM) to bring the series to you.
The webinars, conducted in English, are meant to reach a U.S. audience that may or may not be familiar with CIGOM and CEMIE-Océano — including those at federal and state agencies involved in ocean management and research, and the private sector.
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Webinar title: “Numerical Modeling and Oil Spill Scenarios”
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When: Noon EST, Thursday, March 24
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Register now for the link to join us on Thursday
Please note, we were forced to end the first webinar in the series early due to a Zoombombing attack. We have alerted the appropriate authorities to report this incident and apologize for the inconvenience. We have added an extra webinar to focus on the technical part of the program.
- You can view the introductions to the series partners here
Mark Your Calendar for These Upcoming Webinars
- March 31: “Gliders, HFR and Database Management System”
- April 7: “Environmental Baseline and Marine Biogeochemistry”
- April 21: “Renewable Energies and Technological Developments”
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All the webinars begin at noon EST
- Webinar registration
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Ballots will be going out this Friday, March 25, for the GCOOS Board of Directors elections. We will send ballots to voting members only, who will select:
- 2 representatives from the Private Sector
- 1 representative from the Governmental Sector
- 1 representative from the Academic Sector
- 1 representative from the Outreach & Education Sector
Voting ends at the close of business on Friday, April 8. Questions? Please email Jennifer Vreeland at Jen.Vreeland@GCOOS.org
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Gayanilo to Chair ESIP Partnership Committee
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Congratulations to GCOOS Co-Data Manager and Systems Architect Felimon Gayanilo for his election as Chair of the Partnership Committee of the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP) Board. The nonprofit ESIP supports the global Earth science data community's networking and data dissemination needs and includes NASA, NOAA, USGS, and more than 130 member organizations. Gayanilo, who is also Systems Architect/Enterprise IT Technologist at Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, is the lead system engineer of the GCOOS Data Portal and has led the design and development of cutting-edge platforms that enable the collection and application of observations by diverse users. With decades of experience in system design and development in multicultural, multi-disciplinary, and international settings, Gayanilo's presence on the ESIP Board will provide a voice to NOAA IOOS efforts in ocean observing.
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OA & HABs Town Hall Tomorrow
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The Southeast Ocean and Coastal Acidification Network (SOCAN) is hosting a town hall webinar on ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms tomorrow. The webinar will focus on the relationship between Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Ocean Acidification (OA) and will feature expert panelists Dr. Hans Paerl (UNC Chapel Hill) and Dr. Tristyn Bercel (Mote Marine Laboratory).
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When: 11 a.m. EST tomorrow, Wednesday, March 23
- Registration
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Dauphin Island Monitoring Station Update
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After years of service, the old wooden NOAA structure at Dauphin Island is being replaced with a storm-hardened steel structure.
The original station, established in 1966 to provide local tide data, was last updated in 1995. The new Dauphin Island Tides/Storm Surge/Weather installation will use the same site link to access conditions including wind speed and direction, air pressure, surge levels, and sea level rise trends graphics.
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NOAA Regional Collaboration Network Update
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The NOAA Regional Collaboration Network held its national meeting virtually earlier this month. GCOOS staff Dr. Chris Simoniello and Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson represented GCOOS on the Gulf of Mexico Regional Collaboration Team (GoMRCT) headed by Regional Team Lead Brian LaMarre, Meteorologist-in-Charge, National Weather Service-Tampa Bay Area, and Regional Coordinator Kristen Laursen, National Marine Fisheries Service. GoMRCT is one of eight regional teams that includes NOAA employees and partners who work to champion projects and initiatives that improve NOAA’s service to the nation. Among the projects GCOOS contributed to are the Climate and Equity Roundtables to gather feedback from community partners on how to better provide climate services to underserved and vulnerable communities, and the Paddle the Gulf initiative aimed at providing meaningful ways for people to interact with and make a difference for their waters and coastal resources.
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The Regional Collaboration Network Annual Accomplishment Report for 2021 is available here.
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The Economics of Red Tide
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A new study funded by GCOOS and NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NOAA-NCCOS) recently published in the journal Tourism Economics by University of Florida investigators has quantified the financial shock that the 2018 red tide bloom — the most severe bloom on record, according to the new Red Tide Bloom Index and the Red Tide Respiratory Index — had to Florida’s economy. The study used the Airbnb market as a gauge to broader impacts and estimated approximately $184 million in losses in the tourism sector and a loss of employment that corresponded to nearly 2,900 jobs throughout Florida.
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The most recent webinar in the HAB Observing Group series “Making Community Science Work” took place on March 16. The webinar featured panelists Dr. Steve Morton (NOAA-NCCOS), Teri King (Washington Sea Grant), Chris Whitehead (Sitka Tribe of Alaska) and Dr. George Bullerjahn (Bowling Green State University). The webinar focused on the importance of community science for HABs, included examples of some successes and challenges of HAB community/citizen science, and addressed how a National HAB Observing Network (NHABON) can assist with this process through data management and other efforts.
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Did you miss the webinar? Click the picture above to view it now.
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New Research Showing Link between Florida Current and Pacific Ocean could Improve Sea Level, Climate Prediction
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New research by scientists at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) shows that changes in temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, called El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), can help predict changes in the Florida Current that occur three months later. Scientists also conclude that ENSO’s influence on the Florida Current affects sea level on the eastern side of the Florida Straits.
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Improving Current Forecasts in the Gulf of Mexico
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The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has announced $22 million in funding to support three new research consortia that will undertake the third phase of the Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS) program. UGOS is designed to better understand the Loop Current and this latest phase will allow the three consortia to work collaboratively to apply existing and emerging data to improve operational forecasting of the Gulf of Mexico ocean dynamics, including the Loop Current and its eddies.
Funding Awards:
- Eric Chassignet, Florida State University, $8,998,374, “Advancing Gulf of Mexico Operational Forecasting with Application to Fisheries, Industry Safety, and Natural Hazards (GOFFISH)”
- Amy Bower, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, $7,609,329, “An Operational System Using Real-time Subsurface Observations to Improve Loop Current Forecasts”
- Steven DiMarco, Texas A&M University, $5,400,000, “Gulf Consortium for Offshore Risk Reduction Engaging Stakeholders (GulfCORES)”
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Our partners at the Gulf of Mexico Alliance report that rooms are filling fast for the 2022 Gulf of Mexico Conference and the reservation deadline is this Friday, March 25.
Have you registered and booked your room? GoMCon will take place April 25-28, 2022, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and combines the annual Gulf of Mexico Alliance All Hands Meeting, the annual Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and Ecosystem Science Conference, and the tri-annual State of the Gulf Summit.
In addition to our staff participating in the Tools Cafe and making oral presentations, GCOOS is proud to be an annual GoMCon sponsor.
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GRP Leader Offers House Testimony
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Dr. Lauren Alexander Augustine, Executive Director of the Gulf Research Program, recently testified before the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis about climate and community resilience. Building resilience to climate hazards requires an intentional effort to connect at-risk communities to the resources and information they need to develop effective responses, she told the committee.
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In 2010, the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon resulted in the largest man-made disaster in U.S. history. Today, each Gulf state administers restoration funds and programs. Additionally, other agencies and organizations are also tasked with administering programs designed to restore Gulf habitats and better understand Gulf ecosystems.
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Capitol Hill Ocean Week Registration
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Registration is now open for the annual Capitol Hill Ocean Week, scheduled to take place in person and online June 7-9.
The CHOW conference agenda is now available on the registration website.
The conference's theme, "Sea: the Future," will celebrate the 50 years of progress achieved in ocean and coastal conservation, and to set a course for the new policies and actions necessary to sustain our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes and transform our future.
This year, CHOW is part of the Save Spectacular campaign to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.
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COMIT kicks off 2022 webinar series
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The Center for Ocean Mapping and Innovative Technologies (COMIT) at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science is kicking off their 2022 webinar series. The series covers a wide range of topics including safe navigation, advancing technology in seafloor mapping, and issues and opportunities related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Dr. Johnson Oguntuase, an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, will launch the season with his talk titled “Spatially Advancing Ocean Mapping Using Emerging Technologies.”
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When: Noon-1 p.m. EST March 23. Join via Teams
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View: Full webinar schedule
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GCOOS maintains a jobs listing for positions and fellowships in the ocean observing community. Want to advertise a position? Email Laura Caldwell
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Florida State University, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science: Assistant Professor
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University of Southern Mississippi: Uncrewed Maritime Systems Certificate Coordinator
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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: (NOAA) - Fish Biologist (Miami and Panama City, FL, Beaufort, NC, Pascagoula, MS, and Galveston, TX)
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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: (NOAA) Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanographic and Atmospheric Research
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Florida State University, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science: Assistant Professor (5 positions)
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Mississippi State University, Gulf Research Institute: Research Engineer
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Broward Count Board of County Commissioners:Environmental Program Manager, Beach & Marine
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The State of Florida, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP): Environmental Specialist, Rookery Bay
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Mote Marine Laboratory: Life Support Systems Operator
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GOOS Biology: Data Manager
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Texas General Land Office: Natural Resource Specialist 1 (Corpus Christi)
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World Wildlife Fund: Program Officer, Resilient Coastal Habitats
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Audubon Society: Senior Director, Coastal Conservation
Postdoctoral Positions:
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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences, NRC Research Programs
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National Research Council: Research Associateship Programs Postdoctoral and Senior Research Awards
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University of Miami: Postdoctoral Associate in Acoustic Tracing
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Loyola Marymount University: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Bioinformatics and Machine Learning
Fellowships:
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Mississippi State University Extension, Sea Grant: Resilience Coordinator, Habitat Resilience Specialist, Coastal Climate Resilience Fellowship
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National Academies of Science, Engineering and Mathematics: Early Career Fellowships
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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Sciences: Minorities in Aquaculture Internship Opportunity
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GCOOS maintains a listing of funding opportunities. Have an opportunity you'd like to advertise? Email Laura Caldwell
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NASEM: Gulf Research Program’s Early-Career Research Fellowship
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Florida Red Tide Mitigation and Technology Development Initiative – 4th Request For Proposals
- Gulf of Mexico Alliance
- Restore Science Program
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25-28: Gulf of Mexico Conference. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Details
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26-28: 2022 DMAC Sprint, Chicago, Illinois
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18: GCOOS Spring Meeting, Register here
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27-1 July: This year, the high-level 2022 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development shall be convened in Lisbon. “ Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: Stocktaking, partnerships and solutions” will be broadcast live on UN WebTV
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GCOOS is the Gulf of Mexico regional component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) and the only certified system dedicated solely to the Gulf of Mexico. Our mission is to provide timely, reliable, accurate and on-demand information on the open ocean and coastal ocean waters of the Gulf of Mexico to ensure a healthy, clean, productive ocean and resilient coastal zone.
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Dr. Jorge Brenner, Executive Director • Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Senior Advisor • Bill Lingsch, U.S. Glider User Group Coordinator • Dr. Kerri Whilden, Oceanographer • Dr. Chris Simoniello, Outreach & Education Coordinator • Felimon Gayanilo, Systems Architect, Co-Data Manager • Bob Currier, Research Specialist, Product Developer, Co-Data Manager • Marion Stoessel, Senior Research Associate • Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson, Research Associate • Grant Craig, Program Coordinator • Laura Caldwell, Program Assistant • Nadine Slimak, Public Relations & Content Marketing, Vetted Communications, LLC
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In Memoriam: Matt Howard, 1952-2018
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