March 2021 Issue
Deputy Director's Article
Upcoming Events & Program Updates
PIRATA Research Cruise Continues Tropical Atlantic Ocean-Atmosphere Monitoring
Eos Interviews Jackie Richter-Menge, Arctic Report Card Founder
Introducing AtlantOS Ocean Hour Webinar Series
Call for US CLIVAR Sponsored Workshops - Spring 2021
Job & Fellowship Announcements
Call for Spotlight Presentations
News from Around NOAA
ICYMI
New Publications
Deputy's Article

It’s my pleasure to guest author the Director’s article for the GOMO Women’s History Month newsletter. This opportunity is timely for a number of reasons, some celebratory and others far more somber.

One year ago, we all entered a foreign way of life; many of us said goodbye to offices and labs, and one another in real life. We began to figure out a new way to do our business, and exist in general. On our screens, we’ve shared hard times, glimpses of life usually out-of-view (hi, cat), and our successes made even more laudable in the face of adversity. 

And it was nearly one year ago that GOMO became a program, a moment many years in the making. At the same time, I had the privilege of becoming GOMO’s first deputy director. Not first woman deputy; first deputy. I’ve spent a large part of this past year learning a new job along with how to live a Covid-safe life, and thinking deeply about how I want to show up for our team. I’d like to share my priorities as GOMO’s deputy director:

  • Bring a new perspective. Diversity in ideas is something we value highly; I rely on my experiences to inform and offer fresh opinions on how GOMO should grow into the future, while sustaining the critical information and services we deliver. 
  • Focus on the foundation. As a new program in OAR, we have both the responsibility and opportunity to develop ourselves using strong program management. I’m committed to ensuring our team has what they need to succeed, to ensure GOMO makes the best use of every tax payer dollar, and to support OAR and NOAA with the outstanding expertise GOMO brings to bear.  
  • Clone David. If only! I don’t know how many people have told me they wish they could clone David Legler. That’s not in the cards, but I do believe part of the job of deputy is to enable the director to grow, which means the program grows. I continue to look for every opportunity to make that happen.

I wonder what reflections each of you have on the past year? I wonder how many people have seen exasperation on my face as my daughter once again interrupts a call, no matter how hard I try to “be ok” with it? I wonder what the next one, five, ten years hold for GOMO? If anyone wants to wonder with me, feel free to reach out: jessica.snowden@noaa.gov. From ideas on global ocean observations to suggestions on understanding 3rd grade math; I’d love to hear from you. 

-Jessica Snowden
Upcoming Events & Program Updates

March is Women's History Month!
This Women's History Month we encourage you to learn about women in STEM, ocean science, and in our agency:

  • #WomenofNOAA: for the third year in a row, we are continuing our tradition of highlighting the groundbreaking work of #womenofNOAA. Read stories of your colleagues, scientists and staff members on NOAA Research's website and on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

  • Notable Women in Ocean Science: NOAA's National Ocean Service honors a few exceptional women in ocean service history. Read about them here.



Welcome Claudia Rojo!
Claudia Rojo has joined GOMO as a new Federal Employee. Claudia brings over 12 years of experience working at NOAA in the Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing Program as a contractor. She started as an Administrative Assistant and then in 2012 was promoted to Budget Analyst in leading all aspects of budget execution. 

Claudia is originally from Guatemala and enjoys traveling. In her spare time when she is not at her local coffee shop or CrossFit gym, she enjoys hiking with her kids, cooking, and long walks with her four-legged companion Milo the Bichon Frise. Welcome Claudia in your new role!
Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing News
After 41 days at sea, the NOAA ship Ron H. Brown returned to Key West, Florida, marking a successful mission for the Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) Northeast Extension (PNE). This was the longest and most remote cruise on a NOAA ship since the NOAA fleet was called home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During the cruise, four PNE buoys and one Brazilian PIRATA mooring were replaced, and one French mooring was serviced. Sixty-one CTD cast profiles of the water column, from the surface to 1500-meters depth, were conducted along the ship's track to measure temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, seawater pressure and density, and velocity. Twelve Argo floats were also deployed.

PIRATA is a collaborative effort between Brazil, France, and the United States to study and improve predictability of ocean-atmosphere interactions that affect regional weather and climate variability on seasonal, inter­annual, and longer time scales. PNE is part of the U.S. contribution to PIRATA and is a joint effort between NOAA's PMEL, AOML, and funded through GOMO. Read the full article.
Save the Date: PIRATA-24/TAV Meeting:
May 10-14, 2021 Virtual

The 24th Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic /Tropical Atlantic Variability Meeting will be held virtually this year, from May 10-14, 2021. The PIRATA/TAV meeting is held approximately once per year and welcomes participants from around the world. Learn more about this upcoming meeting and register here.
Eos Interviews Jackie Richter-Menge, Arctic Report Card Founder
On February 11, 2021, Eos published an interview with Arctic Report Card editor and founder, Jackie Richter-Menge. In the interview, Jackie reflects on the Arctic change she has witnessed over her long career as a sea ice researcher and NOAA Arctic Report Card editor. The article references the 15 Year Retrospective included in this year's Report Card.

Read the full Eos article, and you can read the NOAA interview with Jackie and other founding editors on the Arctic Report Card website
The AtlantOS Ocean Hour launched in February 2021 as a monthly webinar series to connect the Atlantic ocean observing community. This webinar series provides an opportunity for community engagement and development of the All-Atlantic Ocean Observing System (AtlantOS), as well as a space for the community to share ideas, progress in specific topics, use cases, projects, programs, and address issues in developing e.g. communities of practice. The Ocean Hour is an hour long webinar held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, followed by networking opportunities. The next Ocean Hour will be April 13, 2021 and will focus on Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

GOMO Program Deputy Director Jessica Snowden is a member of the AtlantOS Steering Committee and GOMO International Ocean Science Program Specialist Ann Zinkann is a member of the AtlantOS Coordination Team. Register and learn more.
Requests are now being accepted for US CLIVAR-sponsored workshops. Submissions are encouraged from the US climate science community and their collaborators. All documents must be submitted by April 23. The next call for workshops will be in fall 2021. Learn more.
Job & Fellowship Announcements
DEADLINE: Wednesday, 31 March 2021
The Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia (UVA) seeks a Lab Specialist to contribute to computational research on ocean biogeochemistry using data analysis, remote sensing, and numerical modeling techniques. The candidate will work directly with Prof. Scott Doney in the Department of Environmental Sciences. This is a restricted position contingent on continued funding.

DEADLINE: April 5, 2021
This position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Global Monitoring Laboratory (GML), with one vacancy in Boulder, CO.

DEADLINE: April 30, 2021
The Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO) and Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) are pleased to announce that the POGO-SCOR Visiting Fellowship program for 2021 is now open for applications. The scheme is designed to promote training and capacity development, leading towards a global observation scheme for the oceans, and is aimed at scientists, technicians, graduate students (preferably PhD) and post-doctoral fellows involved in oceanographic work at centers in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Priority is given to applicants in the early stages of their career development. The fellowship offers the opportunity to visit other oceanographic centers for a short period (1 to 3 months) for training on aspects of oceanographic observations, analyses, and interpretation. It provides financial support to cover the return airfare from the fellow's home country to the host institution, and a contribution towards accommodation and subsistence for the period of the visit.
Call for Spotlight Presentations

Are you looking for a way to build excitement and support for your research? Consider signing up to deliver a Spotlight Presentation at an upcoming Senior Management Meeting! During each weekly NOAA Research Senior Management Meeting, there is an opportunity for scientists and program managers to showcase their research with a high level (virtual) presentation. The NOAA Research Communications team offers a guided practice session to help you prepare. Please contact your program manager and/or our Communications Specialist, Jessica Mkitarian to sign up.
News from Around NOAA
ICYMI
March 23rd was World Meteorological Day!

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is celebrating this year with the theme: the ocean, our climate and weather.

From the WMO site: It also marks the starting year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). The Decade galvanizes efforts to gather ocean science – through innovative and transformative ideas - as the basis of information to support sustainable development. WMO, as the United Nations specialized agency for climate, weather and water, strives to support understanding the inextricable link between ocean, climate and weather. This helps us understand the world in which we live, including the impacts of climate change, and to help Members to strengthen their ability to keep lives and property safe – reducing the risk of disaster – and to maintain viable economies.
Recent Publications
Ren, A.S., Rudnick, D.L. Temperature and salinity extremes from 2014-2019 in the California Current System and its source waters. Commun Earth Environ 2, 62 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-021-00131-9

Thank You for being a part of the GOMO Community
Do you have news to share with the GOMO Community, or beyond? 
Contact Jessica Mkitarian: jessica.mkitarian@noaa.gov or (301) 427-2472.
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