The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program has announced a host of new staff members.
- Jim Pettigrew: New Director for the Offshore Energy Safety Board
- Donald Boesch: Senior Scholar, Environmental Program Unit
- Francisca Flores: Program Officer, Gulf Health and Resilience.
- Robert Gasior: Program Officer, Gulf Health and Resilience.
- Maryann Terrana, Award Specialist, Gulf Education and Engagement.
- Get the details here.
The National Academies are also reaching out to communities across Texas to collect stories about how people have successfully adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of an effort to build community capacity and resilience to disasters.
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Other Partner Staff Changes |
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Louisiana Sea Grant: Robert Twilley announced he is stepping down as executive director of the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program (LSG). He will continue to be a professor in the College of the Coast and Environment at Louisiana State University (LSU) and plans to focus on his existing research after departing Sea Grant.
Gulf of Mexico Alliance: The Gulf of Mexico Alliance welcomes Dave Reed to GOMA Headquarters as its new Program Director. Reed will support the Alliance’s Priority Issue Teams in implementing their actions in Governors’ Action Plan IV for Healthy and Resilient Coasts.
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Your Input Helps Us Improve Our Products |
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GCOOS is always seeking user comments and ideas to improve the usability of the products that we offer through our Data Portal, and we’ve undertaken numerous revisions and upgrades to address user requests, including these recent updates.
HTTP vs. HTTPS
Cybersecurity is a major issue, and users are more than aware of the risks and threats from unsecured web services. To address this growing concern, GCOOS updated all services to a secured transport web service. All web addresses are now redirected to use the secured layer, e.g., http://data.gcoos.org is redirected to https://data.gcoos.org. The redirection also includes all web addresses for ERDDAP services. Please be sure to update your links! |
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Interactive Data Portal Map
The GCOOS Data Portal interactive map is one of our most popular modules. This interactive mapping module has undergone revisions, including these recent updates requested by users:
HF Radar Stations may now be overlaid, and we’re providing a link to view station diagnostics managed by HF Radar DAC.
The last value recorded is now displayed with the corresponding date of observation as the mouse pointer moves over a plotted station. It also includes an option to plot only “Active Station,” or stations that have submitted data in the last seven days (green circles). Conversely, we also offer the option to plot “Inactive Stations,” or stations that used to contribute data to the system but are no longer submitting data (red circles).
The transparency setting and station symbols have also been changed to provide a better indication of station clusters and improve interface response.
Finally, the “Industry ADCP” cluster of stations is broken down into companies that contribute data to the system.
Stay Tuned for More
We invite users to continue to submit comments to data@gcoos.org. Next time, we’ll introduce significant changes made to the data monitoring module — stay tuned! |
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Expanding the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast |
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With a Karenia brevis red tide bloom off the coast of Southwest Florida, news that the Red Tide Respiratory Forecast is expanding to Texas and more Florida beaches is welcome.
The Forecast, hosted by GCOOS, is a beach-level risk forecast activated during red tide conditions that tells beachgoers what red tide impacts are expected to be at individual beaches at different times of the day. It's especially important for those who have asthma, COPD or other chronic lung conditions and lets them know where red tide might be causing respiratory impacts so they can avoid those areas.
The $653,960 in grant funding for the Forecast expansion is from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) and the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). The NOAA award was made through the multi-year Monitoring and Event Response for Harmful Algal Bloom (MERHAB) research grant program as part of a nationwide effort to improve monitoring of and response to harmful algal blooms (HABs) along U.S. coasts.
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Hurricane Season 2020: It’s a Wrap |
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GANDALF, the AUV piloting portal developed and operated by GCOOS, provided researchers with real-time vehicle positioning information, sensor visualization in both 2D and 3D, and overlays of oceanographic models, including HYCOM and AOML's geostrophic model output throughout the 2020 hurricane season. Twelve vehicles logged more than 300 days in the water and traveled more than 4,000 km.
In addition to AUVs, GANDALF also provided 2D and 3D visualizations of more than 40 ARGO floats operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The ARGO data display was made possible by the ARGOVIS project. As the glider community officially launched its new Underwater Glider User Group (UG2), the team is grateful for the cutting edge work of GANDALF developer Bob Currier, Research Specialist, Product Developer, Co-Data Manager at GCOOS.
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Did you miss the kickoff webinar of UG2? The Underwater Glider User Group (UG2) is a community-based coalition aimed at bolstering scientific collaboration and information/resource sharing for glider operators, data users, manufacturers, academia, and government agencies.
On Dec. 9, UG2 hosted a welcome webinar, which included an overview of the UG2 community goals and new website built to support collaboration and information sharing. Speakers included Tim Gallaudet, Ph.D., Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.); Bill Lingsch, NOAA/GCOOS; Dr. Christian Reiss, NOAA; Dr. Travis Miles, Rutgers University.
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If you missed it, you can still watch the recording here.
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In the report, you can find statistics for each of the marine economy’s six sectors — living resources, marine construction, marine transportation, offshore mineral extraction, ship and boat building, and tourism and recreation. (Note: Data from 2017).
For instance, did you know that the Gulf of Mexico’s marine economy…
- Employed 576,000 people
- Generated $30.5 billion in wages and $99.1 billion of gross domestic product
- Accounted for 2.8 percent of the Gulf of Mexico’s total employment, 2.9 percent of its wages, and 3.8 percent of its gross domestic product?
- Get the report
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Changing Policy to Increase Gulf Drilling |
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The U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environment Enforcement (BSEE), which overseas offshore oil and gas production, said it will consider lower royalty payments for producers that invest in projects to enable existing platforms to reach their full capacity. The move to offer royalty relief comes in the final months of the Trump administration, and follows similar policy changes in shallow water drilling last year, according to Reuters.
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Healthy Ecosystems & Living Resources |
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Better Algal Bloom Monitoring |
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On Dec. 16, Florida Atlantic University’s Dr. Jordon Beckler and collaborators deployed an innovative lake-bottom benthic lander in Florida’s Lake Okeechobee that is designed to predict when and where toxic algal blooms might surface.
“This deployment exercise was an all systems test that is the final culmination of our extensive efforts to develop a suite of innovative new technologies that we will be deploying in Lake Okeechobee next year to help us better understand, potentially predict, and in turn mitigate harmful algae blooms,” Beckler said.
The group deployed the lander to measure nutrient fluxes coming from the sediment, an optical profiling package to understand how light affects an algae bloom's growth, and an autonomous sailboat that is capable of mapping out a bloom in two dimensions. During the two-day deployment, divers also collected sediment cores from the bottom of Lake Okeechobee. The project, titled “Harmful Algal Bloom Assessment of Lake Okeechobee (HALO),” is funded by a $2.2 million grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Ecosystem Projects Harmful Algal Bloom Innovative Technology Program.
HALO will include a web-based platform designed by the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) for visualizing Lake Okeechobee freshwater HAB bloom intensities and extents, as well as results of environmental characterization and modeling and is expected to go live on Jan. 1.
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New Center for Marine Acoustics |
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The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced the creation of its new Center for Marine Acoustics.
The Center will address naturally occurring sounds and sounds generated by the industrial activities that BOEM regulates, including offshore oil and gas, renewable energy, and marine minerals development, and will focus BOEM’s marine acoustics expertise on cutting-edge research and applications. Studies will include sound source impacts and customized underwater acoustic impact models to inform agency decision-making. The Director is Dr. Jill Lewandowski.
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The creators of the NOAA Deep Sea Coral Data and Map Portal are making updates and are seeking feedback related to their current website and tools.
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Responding to Coral Disease |
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NOAA has released a strategy for the response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease, which is spreading throughout the Atlantic and Caribbean region and poses a threat to the Indo-Pacific region. The disease was first observed in south Florida in 2014 and as of September 2020, has spread to 13 Caribbean countries and territories.
The high-level strategy provides a framework and focus for efforts to slow the continued spread of the disease across the Atlantic and Caribbean regions, and to prevent and prepare for the spread of the disease into the Indo-Pacific region. The strategy is designed to inform a national-level implementation plan.
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A NOAA Fisheries research team discovered Duobrachium sparksae, a new species of ctenophore, or comb jelly during an underwater expedition led by the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. The new species and a new virtual method of describing and documenting the discovery are both explained in Plankton and Benthos Research.
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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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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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National Center for Atmospheric Research: Associate Scientist
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Alaska Fisheries Science Center: Research Fish Biologist
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Gulf Research Program: Board on Education and Engagement
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Mote Marine Laboratory: Senior Research Scientist in Shark or Manatee Biology, Staff Analytical Chemist, Exotoxicology Program; Coral Restoration Postdoctoral Researcher;
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Florida International University: Open-rank faculty position in Phycology
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Genwest Systems, Inc.: GIS Analyst
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The Water Institute of the Gulf: Data Architect for Environmental Resource
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International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group: Scientific Officer
Postdoctoral Positions:
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NOAA: National Centers for Coastal Ocean Sciences, NRC Research Programs
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Fourqurean Laboratory at Florida International Laboratory: Data analysis and synthesis
Fellowships:
- Knauss Fellowships
- NOAA's William M Lapenta Student Internship
- NMFS - Sea Grant Joint Fellowship
- Gulf Research Fellowship
- Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship
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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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- FY 2020 Ocean Technology Transition Project
- Gulf of Mexico Alliance Funding Calendar
- SECOORA: Filling product and/or observational gaps defined in the Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System Strategic Operational Plan 2020 - 2025
- NOAA Sea Grant & Ocean Acidification Program: Shellfish Aquaculture Partnerships
- NOAA Marine Debris Program
- Gulf of Mexico Watershed Ecology and Training
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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 and accurate 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. Barbara Kirkpatrick, Executive Director • Bill Lingsch, U.S. Glider User Group Coordinator • Dr. Chris Simoniello, Outreach & Education Coordinator • Dr. Kerri Whilden, Oceanographer • Felimon Gayanilo, Systems Architect, Co-Data Manager • Dr. Shinichi Kobara, Assistant Research Scientist, Product Developer • Bob Currier, Research Specialist, Product Developer, Co-Data Manager • Marion Stoessel, Senior Research Associate • Dr. Steven Baum, Associate Research Scientist • Jennifer Vreeland-Dawson, Research Associate • Grant Craig, Program Coordinator • Stephanie Watson, CETACEAN Coordinator, Nadine Slimak, Public Relations & Content Marketing, Vetted Communications, LLC • Dr. Chuan-Yuan Hsu, Post Doctoral Research Associate • Robbie Iles, Graduate Research Assistant • Laura Caldwell, Program Assistant
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In Memoriam: Matt Howard, 1952-2018
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