Happy Holidays Fellow Explorers! I hope that you have a peaceful and restorative holiday season and return to the new year with renewed enthusiasm for our collective ocean exploration. 

Deepest Regards,

Adam

OECI at AGU

Washington D.C. was overrun with participants of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Annual conference from December 9th - 13th. Members of the OECI were among the ~30,000 participants of varying disciplines there to present findings, network with new potential collaborators, and catch up with old colleagues. Early career scientists Holly Pettus (URI), Nina Pruzinsky (NOAA OE), and Rosie Chapina (NOAA OE) presented posters about OECI-related projects, while co-PI’s Julie Huber (WHOI), Leila Hamdan (USM), and Allison Fundis (OET) gave oral presentations and spoke on town hall panels along with Jeremy Weirich (NOAA OE Director) and Adam Soule (OECI Director). 

A recurring theme through many of the presentations and town hall discussions was collaboration to advance ocean exploration. Weirich and Fundis represented NOAA OE and OET in a discussion with OceanX and SOI Tuesday evening where panelists were asked about their organizations primary objectives, success stories born out of collaboration across organizations, early career opportunities, and the massive question of how we all work together to manage the mountains of data (literally) and make it accessible to the public. Ubiquitous across all four organizations is the utilization of telepresence to provide access to scientists on shore, communities where exploration is being conducted, and the general public. The importance of telepresence will only compound as the new class of RCRVs come online over the next few years and the number of science party berths is reduced. Overall, it was enlightening and encouraging to see how well aligned all of these organizations are, and to get a glimpse into the amount of collaboration that occurs daily for the sake of advancing ocean exploration. 

I’m sure we are all already looking forward to AGU 2025 in New Orleans (after a much needed year long rest of course)!

Nina Pruzinsky captured a moment of calm at the end of day 2 following an evening town hall.

Tech Talk: Multi-Vehicle Exploration in American Samoa NA164 & NA165

While groundbreaking scientific discoveries often take center stage, the success of deep-sea expeditions hinges on the powerful combination of cutting-edge technology and dedicated teams working tirelessly behind the scenes. This was never more apparent than in the recent NA164 and NA165 expeditions, which represented the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute's (OECI) most ambitious technology deployments to date.

Along with E/V Nautilus, NA164 showcased a fleet of autonomous vehicles: URI's Deep Autonomous Profiler (DAP) for water column analysis, WHOI's AUV Mesobot for close-up observation of the water column, and UNH's ASV DriX for mapping and relaying communication. Meanwhile, NA165 featured WHOI's AUV Sentry and OET's ROV Hercules, renowned for its deep-diving capabilities. Both expeditions prioritized maximizing data collection through coordinated vehicle operations.

A prime example was the collaboration between DriX and Mesobot for Verified Directed Sampling (VDS). DriX analyzed the water column to pinpoint prime sampling locations, efficiently guiding Mesobot for targeted data acquisition. Similarly, Sentry and Hercules teamed up for hydrothermal plume hunting. Sentry surveyed the depths to identify optimal locations for Hercules to collect hydrothermal fluid samples using the newly integrated isobaric gas-tight (IGT) sampler. This innovative technology, deployed on Hercules for the first time, allowed for the collection and preservation of fluids at pressure, unlocking valuable insights into these unique ecosystems.

These complex operations demanded unprecedented levels of planning and communication between the science and technology teams. They faced numerous challenges, from battling sea states exceeding 3 meters to troubleshooting unexpected firmware updates that sent vehicles adrift. The teams persevered through 24-hour operations, constantly adapting and problem-solving to ensure mission success.

The results were impressive. Both expeditions yielded terabytes of data, including high-resolution imagery, precise water chemistry measurements, and biological samples from depths exceeding 2,500 meters. Beyond the scientific output, these missions provided invaluable opportunities to advance novel technologies, accumulate critical ROV operational time, and field-test OECI's latest advancements. The knowledge and experience gained will undoubtedly shape future deep-sea exploration endeavors.

NOAA Ocean Exploration Explorer-in-Training Internship Applications Now Open!

As part of its mission to train the next generation of ocean explorers, scientists, engineers, and communicators, NOAA Ocean Exploration hosts students in the Explorer-in-Training program. The 2025 Explorer-in-Training program will feature two paid internship options: 2 to 4-week expedition-based internships supporting ocean mapping operations on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, and 10-week summer internships focused on ocean exploration science and technology, midwater ROV and eDNA analyses, maritime heritage, and science and Native Hawaiian cultural communications. An informational webinar will be held on January 9, 2025. Applications are due by January 31, 2025. More information on the available internship themes, eligibility requirements, application instructions, and webinar is on the Explorer-in-Training program webpage on the NOAA Ocean Exploration website.

Explore Deep Sea Maritime Archaeology with ONC's SeaTube

Ocean Networks Canada’s video archive and annotation tool, SeaTube, is helping drive a collaborative global understanding of subsea maritime cultural heritage, including rare glimpses at underwater archaeological sites from the Second World War.

In partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Ocean Exploration Trust (OET), 73 hours of visual surveys of historic shipwrecks from the Battle of Midway in the Central Pacific Ocean are now available on SeaTube. The platform’s built-in features enables the public to see the deep sea sites, and for the international scientific community to collaboratively annotate these important historical records.

E/V Nautilus Exploration Program Applications are Open!

Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) is now seeking students and educators to participate in deep ocean expeditions as part of the 2025 E/V Nautilus Exploration Program! Applications are due January 3rd, 2025.

Paid at-sea internships for community college, undergraduate, or graduate students, and recent graduates are available in ocean science, ROV (remotely operated vehicle) engineering, seafloor mapping/ hydrography, and video systems engineering through the Science & Engineering Internship Program. Accepted students will sail aboard a deep ocean exploration expedition on E/V Nautilus for 3-5 weeks learning alongside experts in the field.

Opportunities for classroom educators, community and informal educators, and artists to join expeditions are available through OET's Science Communication Fellowship. Accepted Fellows attend a science communication training Forum in March 2025 and sail aboard E/V Nautilus for 3-5 weeks to bring the excitement of ocean exploration to their community, students, and public audiences around the world through varied outreach platforms. 

Learn more in the application packet and apply before January 3, 2025: https://NautilusLive.org/join.

Hydrographic Services Review Panel

The solicitation period for new Hydrographic Services Review Panel members is now open!



https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/06/03/2024-12106/hydrographic-services-review-panel

2025 is a "bye" year, so the closing date for this solicitation is February 21, 2025 with new members, if selected, starting their four year term on January 1, 2026.

Please see the linked Federal Register Notice above for more information and please share broadly! We are looking for an array of experts in the disciplines related to hydrographic data and services, marine transportation, port administration, vessel pilotage, coastal and fishery management, and others from all regions of the country.