This month, I’m pleased to share that we’ve finalized the agenda for our fall Members Meeting! We have a great lineup of speakers planned, including representatives from the University of Southern Mississippi; the National Data Buoy Center, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the U.S. IOOS program office, and are planning panel discussions on some of our key focus areas: Marine Operations, Coastal Hazards and Healthy Ecosystems/Human Health & Safety.
You can still register to attend the meeting, which is being held on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport. After two-plus years of virtual meetings, we’re really looking forward to seeing you in person!
I’m also happy to report that we’re tracking a record number of uncrewed platforms in the Gulf right now on our piloting and tracking dashboard, GANDALF. We’re following 20 gliders and saildrones, including two seagliders deployed in Mexican waters.
Speaking of observations, please take a few minutes to fill out our new Stakeholder Survey. The GCOOS Board of Directors is updating our build-out plan and we hope you’ll take a moment to tell us what observations, data and products you think we need in the Gulf of Mexico to help keep our communities safer!
See you in a couple of weeks!
Until next month,
|
|
GCOOS Fall Meeting Lineup |
|
Please don’t forget to register to join us in Gulfport, Mississippi for our fall Members Meeting beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Note: You don’t have to be a member to attend and there are no registration fees.
Key Speakers
Dr. Leila Hamdan, Associate Vice President for Research Coastal Operations at the University of Southern Mississippi | Dr. Bill Burnett, Director, National Data Buoy Center, National Weather Service, NOAA | Tershara Matthews, Chief of the Office of Emerging Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) | Carl Gouldman, Director, U.S. IOOS | Dr. Jorge Brenner, Executive Director, GCOOS | Michael Feldman, Senior Program Officer, National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine
Additional Panelists
Dr. Ruth Perry, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Shell Offshore Wind Americas | Ben Williams, Metocean Director, Americas, Fugro | Dexter Malley, Division Chief, UMS, NOAA Office of Marine and Aviation Operations | Felimon Gayanilo, GCOOS Co-Data Manager and TAMU-Corpus Christi | Bill Lingsch, Coordinator U.S. Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) | Dr. Nick Shay, Professor of Ocean Sciences, University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science | Debra Hernandez, Executive Director, Southeast Coastal Ocean Regional Association (SECOORA) | Dr. Nan Walker, Director, Louisiana State University (LSU) Earth Scan Laboratory | Dr. Stephan Howden, Professor, School of Ocean Science and Engineering, USM | Dr. Troy Pierce, Chief Scientist, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Gulf Program | Dr. Kim Yates, Senior Research Oceanographer, United States Geological Survey (USGS) | Dr. Kate Hubbard, Director of the Center for Red Tide Research, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) | Dr. Nancy Rabalais, Professor of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, LSU | Dr. Alyssa Dausman, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientist, The Water Institute of the Gulf
|
|
Need Ocean Obs? Please Take Our Survey! |
|
Know of a location where additional ocean observations are needed? Have an observing-related product in mind? Now’s your chance to tell us!
By completing our short Stakeholder Survey before Sept. 30, you’ll be helping to ensure that our work reflects the observing needs of Gulf of Mexico communities.
|
|
GCOOS Seeks Scientific Computing Specialist |
|
GCOOS is seeking a highly motivated professional to work as our scientific computing specialist who will be involved in:
- Contributing & supporting cyberinfrastructure management, oceanographic data curation, large dataset analysis and synthesis;
- Collaborating with governmental and NGO partners to increase understanding of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
Read the full details and apply for the position here.
|
|
GCOOS Glider Dashboard Milestone |
|
This month, the GCOOS glider tracking and piloting dashboard known as GANDALF reached a new milestone — tracking 20 uncrewed observing platforms along the U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, including platforms operated by our Mexican colleagues in the southern Gulf.
We’re tracking seven Saildrones — including two that were deployed to replace observations that would ordinarily come from buoys that are currently out of service; seven U.S. Navy gliders; two seagliders being operated by the Gulf of Mexico Marine Science Research Consortium/Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CISESE). Additional gliders are being operated by Texas A&M University, Florida’s Wildlife Research Institute, Mote Marine Laboratory, the University of South Florida and SECOORA.
The platforms are collecting information primarily focused on helping to improve hurricane prediction as we head into what is typically the busiest stretch of the Atlantic hurricane season. Gliders are also collecting information for red tide research near the Florida west coast.
|
|
Did you know that the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Acidification Network (GCAN) has its past webinars online where you can access them anytime you choose?
|
|
Automating Algae Detection |
|
GCOOS is continuing to improve and expand its automated algae detecting capabilities — working to add new species to the HABscope platform.
Product Developer Bob Currier is expanding its repertoire and teaching the AI to recognize Pyrodinium bahemense.
|
|
|
This saxitoxin-producing dinoflagellate can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning and has caused more human illnesses and fatalities than any other toxic dinoflagellate in the Gulf of Mexico. Pyrodinium can also be found in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. |
|
Speaking of HABscope 2.0... |
|
We've been rolling out our next-gen HABscope 2.0 — which has a Raspberry Pi-based system — to some of the volunteers in our network. The volunteers upload a video of a water sample, 'ship' it to the cloud, where AI takes over to determine whether Karenia brevis, the organism that cases red tide in the Gulf of Mexico, is present.
These awesome volunteers are doing double-duty: not only are they still using the first 'scope (which used an iPod) but they're also posting water sample videos through the 2.0 system as well, which is helping to further train the AI for automated detecting. (A bigger catalog equals a more accurate system.)
|
|
HABscope Volunteers Kealy McNeal, Rick Bartleson and Sierra Greene of the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), Florida. |
|
HABscope 2.0 has a much higher video resolution and programming capabilities, and can identify more taxa. We're fortunate to have such a dedicated hard-working group of volunteers and are hoping to roll out 2.0 network-wide in the coming months! |
|
New Red Tide Explainer Video |
|
Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has released a new video aimed at educating residents and visitors about red tide. The animated short covers what red tide is, how it’s tracked and how humans can protect themselves from its effects.
The Forecast is activated during red tide blooms and provides information about predicted impacts of red tide on individual beaches in Florida and Texas.
|
|
- Click here to bookmark the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast link
- Click the picture above to watch the video
|
|
...that the IOOS Association and NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) are leading the management of the National Harmful Algal Bloom Observing Network (NHABON)?
The integrated network provides accurate, timely, publicly available information about ocean, coast and Great Lakes HABs. Through full implementation, regional managers and scientists will be able to use the system’s infrastructure to meet the needs of their communities.
-
Check out the IOOS Association’s dedicated NHABON webpage for community news and updates
|
|
Healthy Ecosystems & Living Resources |
|
GCOOS and Partners Kick Off New Project |
|
Dr. Kehui Xu, Director of the Coastal Studies Institute at LSU, provided a summary of the recently funded Coupled Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) project during the NOAA COMT Annual Meeting, held virtually on Sept 9. The project he’s leading, “Coupled Ocean Modeling Testbed (COMT) Platform for Physics and Contaminant Exchange through the River-Estuary-Ocean Continuum” is a collaboration that includes researchers, graduate students, data scientists and outreach experts from LSU, Texas A&M University (TAMU), GCOOS and the Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS). The goal is to better connect models from land and water to improve forecasts of temperature, salinity, water level, buoyancy and sediment that ultimately determine how contaminants like mercury are transported through the river-estuary-ocean continuum. Stay tuned for project updates as the team ramps up their investigations! |
|
The Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) is seeking feedback from its users on the quality and accessibility of data in OBIS. The goal of the survey is to collect feedback to help improve quality control for OBIS datasets and guide the development of quality control measures and protocols. The survey is expected to take 10 minutes.
|
|
Bays and Bayous — Call for Abstracts |
|
The call for abstracts for the Bays and Bayous Symposium sponsored by the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, is now open. The symposium provides a forum for discussion and information exchange related to understanding coastal ecosystems; improving coastal management; strengthening coastal landscapes; sharing coastal knowledge; and emerging coastal issues.
-
Deadline: 5 p.m. Oct. 19
-
Symposium: Jan. 24-25, 2023, at the Mobile Convention Center, Mobile, Alabama
- Details & submissions
|
|
Underwater Sound Webinar Series |
|
Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) is holding a series of webinars related to topics of underwater sound for international decision-making communities and others. DOSITS offers a Certificate of Professional Development for interested individuals that participate in all four webinars in the 2022 Underwater Acoustics Series. There are no fees associated with this certificate, however, in addition to webinar participation, after each webinar, interested individuals must complete a brief questionnaire.
The next in the series “Consideration of Underwater Sound During Offshore Wind Developments” is scheduled for noon ET, today, Wednesday, Sept. 14, and will include BOEM presenters Dr. Jill Lewandowski, Environmental Assessment Division Chief, and Dr. Erica Staaterman, Bioacoustician.
|
|
USF Diving Into Hurricane Observations |
|
The University of South Florida is expanding its ocean observing capabilities to gathering data for storm prediction.
"Next year, the USF CMS glider operations team will hunt natural hazards as part of a hurricane monitoring program funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and in partnership with GCOOS. The goal is to collect data on temperature and salinity in the Gulf to help modelers better forecast the intensity of storms," writes Dyllan Furness, Science Communication Manager for The Florida Flood Hub for Applied Research and Innovation.
|
|
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.
|
|
- Dr. Steve Thur, a nationally recognized leader in coastal science and management, has been appointed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo as the assistant administrator for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (NOAA Research). Read more
- Kristen Koch has been named acting Chief Science Advisor and Director of Scientific Programs at NOAA Fisheries. Read more
|
|
GOMA Seeking Program Coordinator |
|
The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) is seeking a program coordinator to support the needs of the Data & Monitoring Priority Issue Team (D&M Team), the Gulf Star Public-Private Partnership, and others. This telecommuting position works with all GOMA staff and reports to the Program Director to ensure that the D&M Team has what they need to effectively administer and facilitate their committee.
- See the full job announcement here
- Do you have a job announcement of your own? Please email it to us so we can share it with the Gulf community. Email GCOOS Program Assistant Laura Caldwell at Laura.Caldwell@GCOOS.org.
-
View other job opportunities
|
|
Advancing the Equity of Clean Energy |
|
The National Academies Gulf Research Program (GRP) is hosting a colloquium from 3:30-5 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Sept. 28, focused on advancing equity in the transition to clean onshore and offshore energy in the U.S. Panelists include Dr. Shalanda Baker, Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, Department of Energy; Monique Harden, Assistant Director of Law and Policy, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice; Dr. Jason Beckfield, Professor of Sociology, Harvard University, with moderator Dr. Omar Isaac Asensio, NASEM New Voices, Assistant Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology School of Public Policy.
|
|
Caraid Nominations Now Open |
|
The IOOS Association has opened nominations for the next Caraid Award, which recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to observing and understanding our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes through vision, leadership, friendship and collaboration. Candidates may be any person who has contributed to observing and understanding the oceans, coasts, and/or Great Lakes through collaboration, innovation, and/or a commitment to working with stakeholders.
|
|
Nominations Open for the Resilience in Climate Equity Award |
|
Rise to Thrive, a support network for Women and non-Binary Femmes of Color in the environmental and climate justice movement, has opened nominations for its Climate Equity Award. The award will be given to outstanding Women of Color in the Climate & Environmental movement to recognize the often hard, diligent, unpaid, and underpaid work of Women of Color in the movement. Preference will be given to Women of Color who have been historically excluded from mainstream environmentalism.
|
|
GCOOS maintains a jobs listing for positions and fellowships in the ocean observing community. Want to advertise a position? Email Laura Caldwell
|
-
Texas A&M University: Scientific Computing Specialist
-
State of Louisiana: Coastal Resources Scientist Senior DCL B
-
Gulf of Mexico Alliance: Program Coordinator
-
Mote Marine Laboratory: Stranding Biologist; Stranding Investigation Program, Postdoctoral Fellow; Seagrass Ecosystem Research, Florida Keys Citizen Science Coordinator, Exhibits Fabricator II
-
The Woods Hole Group, Inc.: Senior Oceanographer
-
The Woods Hole Group, Inc.: Metocean Analyst
-
GOOS Biology: Data Manager
Postdoctoral Positions:
-
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences, NRC Research Programs
-
National Research Council: Research Associateship Programs Postdoctoral and Senior Research Awards
-
University of New Hampshire: Postdoctoral Laboratory Scientist
Fellowships:
-
National Academies of Science, Engineering and Mathematics: Early Career Fellowships
-
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Sciences: Minorities in Aquaculture Internship Opportunity
-
Department of Defense: Visualization of Coastal Data, Coastal Vulnerability Assessment Fellow
|
|
GCOOS maintains a listing of funding opportunities. Have an opportunity you'd like to advertise? Email Laura Caldwell
|
|
-
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Infrastructure and Jobs Investment Act
-
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Translating Coastal Research into Application
-
Climate and Fisheries Adaptation Program (CAFA): FY23 Funding
- Gulf Research Program: Safer Offshore Energy Systems Grants
- Gulf of Mexico Alliance
- Vembu Subramanian Ocean Scholars Award
- SECOORA Data Challenge
|
|
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. |
|
Dr. Jorge Brenner, Executive Director • Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Senior Advisor • Bill Lingsch, U.S. Glider User Group Coordinator • Dr. Chris Simoniello, Outreach & Education Coordinator • Felimon Gayanilo, Systems Architect, Co-Data Manager • Bob Currier, Research Specialist, Product Developer, Co-Data Manager • Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson, Research Associate • Grant Craig, Program Coordinator • Laura Caldwell, Program Assistant • Nadine Slimak, Public Relations & Content Marketing, Vetted Communications
|
|
In Memoriam: Matt Howard, 1952-2018
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
