Ocean Observing Systems 101 and the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Associati

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Ocean Observing Systems 101 and the Gulf of
Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional
Association

• Mike Spranger
• Assistant Director for Extension and Education
• Florida Sea Grant
• Assistant Dean for Environment Natural
  Resources
• University of Florida/IFAS Extension

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Why Observe the Oceans?

• 97 of water on earth is salt water
• 78 of all evaporation occurs over oceans
• 95 of U.S. foreign trade passes through ports
  and harbors
• 50 of all materials shipped through U.S. waters
  are hazardous
• 25 of U.S. natural gas production and about 17
  of U.S. oil production come from the Outer
  Continental Shelf
• 80 of pollution to the marine environment comes
  from land-based sources
• Coastal states earn 85 of all U.S. tourism
  revenues.

We've made the investment needed to venture
into the skies, and it has paid off mightily.
We've neglected the oceans, and it has cost us
dearly. This is the time to do for the oceans
in the 21st century what our predecessors did
for space.
Sylvia Earle
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How do scientists observe the oceans?

• Integrated Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS)
• Continuous monitoring
• Long-term data collection and management
• Effective data delivery andcommunications
• Relevant analysis

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What are the basic components of coastal ocean
observing systems?

• Observations
• Data Management Information Products
• Modeling
• Outreach Education

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What observation platforms are utilized?

• Buoys
• Vessels
• Satellites
• Aircraft
• Radar
• Others

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What ocean conditions can be monitored?

• Examples
• Physical Ocean Conditions
• Temperature
• Currents
• Waves
• Water Level
• Atmospheric Conditions
• Winds
• Pressure
• Fog
• Biological/Ecological Conditions
• Nutrients
• Contaminants
• Benthic Habitat

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How can observation data be effectively
communicated to end-users?

• Measurement Products
• Data Tables
• Mapped Data
• Graphed Data
• Direct Observations
• Satellite Images
• Photos
• Streaming Video

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How do models add value to observations?

• Filling in the gaps - providing information for
  areas not covered by direct measurements
• Making predictions and providing short-term
  forecasts

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How can models be combined with observations for
user applications?

• Examples Include
• Predicting hurricane storm surge
• Projecting an oil spill trajectory
• Forecasting harbor water levels.

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What are some practical applications of coastal
ocean observations for mitigating natural hazards?

• Reducing Impacts of
• Coastal Storms
• Flooding and Storm Surge
• Coastal Erosion

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How can coastal ocean observations be used to
help ensure safe and efficient marine operations?

• Commercial Transportation
• Search and Rescue Operations
• National Security

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How can ecosystem and public health issues be
addressed through coastal ocean observations?

• Seafood Contamination
• Diseases of Marine Organisms
• Harmful Algal Blooms
• Habitat Degradation
• Invasive Species

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How can coastal ocean observations help in
managing living marine resources?

• Commercial Fishing
• Recreational Fishing
• Aquaculture
• Endangered Species

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What can coastal ocean observations contribute to
science?

• Establish Baselines
• Detect Changes
• Improve Predictions Forecasts
• Foster New Discoveries

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The National Initiative

• International GOOS
• National IOOS-Ocean.US
• Coastal ComponentCOOS
• Regional Association Implementation(RA-COOS)

IOOS
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What is the purpose of Regional Coastal Ocean
Observation Systems (COOS)?

• End-user Relevance
• Regional Differences
• Local Applicability
• Increased Flexibility

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Why is outreach and education an important
component?

• Focus on practical applications
• Identify and assess data needs
• Obtain user feedback
• Develop training to use informationand products
• Bring ocean science into classrooms and informal
  learning centers

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Connecting Users With Science
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IOOS-COOS Education Workshop

• Goals
• 1. Develop and sustain a community of educators
  engaged in informal, formal and workforce and
  post-secondary education that uses IOOS
  information to achieve their educational
  objectives.
• 2. Create the work force needed to develop and
  sustain the IOOS and to produce the allied
  information products, services, and tools.

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IOOS-COOS WorkshopBuilding an Education Plan

• Principles
• 1. Build on the best of what is already in
  place.
• 2. Pay special attention to quality,
  sustainability and scalability of effort.
• 3. Use partnerships across federal, state and
  local government, academia, industry,
  professional societies, and nonprofit
  organizations.

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IOOS-COOS WorkshopBuilding an Education Plan

• Key Issues
• 1. Expand the diversity of he ocean science
  work force to reflect the rapidly changing
  demographics of the population.
• 2. Align formal education learning materials to
  each states implementation of the National
  Science Education Standards.
• 3. Obtain active participation of industry and
  professional organizations in work force and
  postsecondary education efforts.

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IOOS-COOS WorkshopBuilding an Education Plan

• Functional Commonalities
• 1. Building a community of educators and users.
  
• 2. Using information to support education and
  communities.
• 3. Planning based on a thorough assessment of
  user needs and capabilities.
• 4. Developing and using common messages and
  themes throughout all education and
  communications activities.
• 5. Ensuring that all citizens have ample
  opportunity to engage in ocean careers.

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Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System
(GCOOS)

• RegionalTX, LA, MS, AL, FL
• Umbrella organization to coordinate COOS research
  and education activities in the Gulf of Mexico

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GCOOS Subsystem components
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GCOOS Organizational Structure
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GCOOS Board of Directors

• Private Sector representatives
• Cortis Cooper, ChevronTexaco
• Alfred Prelat, Terralliance
• Raymond Toll, Science Applications
  International Corporation
• Jan van Smirren, Fugro GEOS
• Governmental representatives
• Robert (Buzz) Martin, Texas General Land Office
• Chris Oynes, Minerals Management Service
• Don Roman, University of Southern Mississippi
• Academic representatives
• Mark Luther, University of South Florida
• Worth Nowlin, Texas AM University
• Nancy Rabalais, Louisiana Universities Marine
  Consortium
• Education and Outreach representatives
• Mike Spranger, Florida Sea Grant Program
• Sharon Walker, J.L. Scott Marine Education
  Center Aquarium
• Executive Committee

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GCOOS Stakeholder Council

• Vern Asper (A) University of Southern
  Mississippi
• Stuart Burbach (P) Retired, Pogo Oil
• David Buzan (G) TX Parks Wildlife Department
• Tricia Clark, (P) Skaugen Petro Trans
• Cort Cooper (P) Chervon
• Jim Feeney (P) Horizon Marine
• Tom Fry, (P) NOIA
• Tom Gustafson, (A) Nova Southeastern University
  
• Paul Kelly, (P) Rowan Industries
• Chris Oynes, (G) Minerals Management Service
• Robert Stickney, (A/G) Texas Sea Grant
• Kerry St. Pé, (G) Barataria-Terrebonne Estuary
  Program
• Dave Yeager, (G) Mobile Bay Estuary Program

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GCOOS Education and Outreach Council

• Mississippi
• Sharon Walker, J.L. Scott Marine Center
• Joe Swaykos, Stennis Space Center
• Jennifer Buchanan, Grand Bay NERR
• LaShanda Colbert, MS Dept. of Education
• Carol Lutken, Center for Marine Resources
• Texas
• Rick Tinnin, University of Texas
• Ralph Rayburn, Texas Sea Grant
• Rob Smith, Shell Inc.
• Lisa Spence, NASA
• Shelly Du Puy, Flower Garden Banks NMS
• Pam Teraski, Twin Creeks Middle School
• Out of Region
• Rusty Low, UCAR-DLESE

• Alabama
• John Dindo, Dauphin Island Sea Lab
• Lloyd Scott, Mobile Bay School District
• Margaret Sedlecky, Weeks Bay NERR
• Lee Yokel, Mobile Bay NEP
• Florida
• Mike Spranger, UF/Florida Sea Grant
• Gary Lytton, Rookery Bay NERR
• Chris Verlinde, Santa Rosa Co. Extension
• Charlene Mauro, Navarre High School
• Debbi Berger, The Florida Aquarium
• Ali Hudon, University of South Florida
• Louisiana
• Jessica Kastler, LUMCON
• Dianne Lindstedt, LSU Sea Grant
• Jean May-Brett, LA Dept. of Education
• Pam Blanchard, LSU Dept. of Education

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GCOOS Sponsored Workshops

• Integrated Data Systems for Oceanography
• 31 October-2 November, 2000 Stennis Space
  Center, MS
• NVODS Workshop for Managers of Coastal Observing
  Systems
• 14-15 January, 2003 Stennis Space Center, MS
• Exploration of Private Sector Interests in IOOS
  Focus on GOM and SE U.S.
• 2-4 March, 2004 Houston, TX
• Harmful Algal Blooms GCOOS Role in Detection,
  Monitoring, and Prediction 13-15, April, 2004
  St Petersburg, FL
• Formation of a GCOOS Education and Outreach
  Council 29-30 November, 2004 Biloxi, MS
• Initial GCOOS Stakeholder Meeting Development of
  a Governance Structure 24-25 January, 2005 New
  Orleans, LA

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GCOOS Workshops

• Oil and Gas Production and related industries
  2-4 November, 2005 Houston, TX
• Stakeholder Council and Board of Directors
  Meeting 10-13 January, 2006 Mobile, AL
• Education and Outreach Council Meeting 24-25
  April 2006 Biloxi, MS
• Storm Surge (GCOOS/SEACOOS) Workshop 24-26
  January New Orleans, LA
• Stakeholder Council and Board of Directors
  Meeting
• 7-8 March 2007 New Orleans, LA

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GCOOSInitial Education Outreach Efforts

• No operational grant
• Organizational Process Series of User Workshops
  (Data Users, Private Sector, Educators)
• Education and Outreach Council Formation meeting
• Inclusive planning meeting (SG, NEPs, NERRS,
  COSEE, etc)
• Addressed key programmatic questions
• Addressed key operational questions

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Operational Questions

• Membership (inclusive or exclusive?)
• Organization (Integrate education/extension?)
• Governance (Structure, decision-making process?)
• Funding (Priorities? Allocation?)
• Terms of Reference (Responsibilities? SOPs?)

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Programmatic Questions

• Stakeholder/User Identification and Engagement
• Who are the Marine/Coastal Stakeholder Users?
• How do you identify and prioritize the user
  groups?
• Are there existing user networks that can be
  utilized?
• How do you help users determine what they
  want/need?
• Are there existing products that can be utilized?
• Who will develop new projects and products?
  (Form, Format)
• Who will present and disseminate the projects and
  products?
• How do you determine success and effectiveness
  of products and services with User Communities?

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Programmatic Questions

• Education Community Identification and
  Engagement
• Who are the Education Community Users?
• How do you identify and prioritize the user
  groups?
• Are there existing education networks that can be
  used?
• How do you help users determine what they
  want/need?
• Are there existing products that can be utilized?
• Who will develop new projects and products?
• How do you determine success and effectiveness of
  products and services with User Communities?

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Programmatic Questions

• Public Awareness
• What is the goal in public awareness?
• What are the key messages?
• What are the key audiences to be reached?
• What will be the name brand for the source of
  information? (COOS, Sea Grant, COSEE, other?)
• How useful should the information be (Whats in
  it for me)?
• How can we leverage existing extension and
  education efforts?
• What are the appropriate technologies for message
  delivery?
• How do you create identity of COOS
  products/activities?
• How do you create identify of COOS without
  usurping sub-regional COOS and other (SG, COSEE,
  NERR, NEP) activities?

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Programmatic Questions

• Inreach within COOS Research and O/E
  Community
• What is the knowledge level of O/E community
  with OOS research?
• What is the knowledge level of OOS Research
  Community with O/E?
• What are past experiences and interactions among
  groups?
• How do we establish or improve two-way flow of
  communication?
• What mechanisms can be used in product and
  project development?
• How do we avoid issue of expectations? (i.e.
  Over-promise or push research products beyond the
  science,)
• How do we address the time and resource issue?
  (e.g. For many researchers this is their
  full-time job. For O/E this is one of many)

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Programmatic Questions

• Project and Product Development
• What types of projects should be developed?
• What are the target audiences?
• What should be the appropriate technologies and
  mix of products? (PowerPoints, handouts, DVDs,
  workshops, educational kiosks, demonstration
  projects, teacher training, public programs,
  websites, other)
• Who will develop the products?
• How will products be evaluated?

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Programmatic Questions

• Evaluation and Assessment
• - How will we evaluate and assess the O/E
  activities?
• Stakeholder/User Identification and Engagement
• Education Community Identification and Engagement
• Public Awareness
• Inreach within GCOOS Research and O/E Community
• Project and Product Development
• - What are measurable objectives that we can
  reach with specific milestones?
• - What are most effective ways to report these
  impacts and benefits?

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Education Outreach Council2006-2007 Work
Activities

• Hire Education/Outreach Coordinator
• Conduct Needs Assessment
• Develop catalog of products and user groups
• Create EOC listserv for discussion/information
  exchange
• Develop strategic plan
• Guide development of GCOOS exhibits materials
• Conduct regional trainings on GCOOS programs
• Provide relevant materials for GCOOS website

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http//www.gcoos.org
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CommonalitiesGOMA and GCOOS

• U.S. Ocean Action Plan of 2004
• Build a Global Earth Observation Network,
  Including Integrated Ocean Observation
• Support a Regional Partnership in the Gulf of
  Mexico
• Priority Areas
• - Public Health
• - Water Quality for shellfish/beaches
• - COOS for real-time alerts

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DifferencesGOMA and GCOOS

• Membership
• GOMA - Federal/State agency partnerships
• GCOOS - Broad spectrum within GOM
• Focus
• GOMA - Address key identified priority areas
  within GOM
• Water quality, Wetlands, Habitats, Nutrient
  loads, Education
• - Develop federal/state agency
  consensus plan
• GCOOS Develop a regional ocean observation
  system
• COOS information, product and services
• - Meet public and private
  stakeholder needs

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Areas of Mutual InterestGOMA and GCOOS

• Water Quality
• GOMA Improvements to HABs detection (Fl, TX,
  Mexico)
• GCOOS Improvements to HABs detection (Central
  GOM)
• Gap Analysis of observational capability
• Proposed joint activity not funded but still
  exploring
• Coastal Storm Surge and Inundation
• Education and Outreach
• GOMA Environmental Education Network
• GCOOS Education and Outreach Council

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The Question for GOMA EEN and GCOOS EOC

• Can we identify areas of common interest
  where we can collaborate and leverage expertise,
  resources and funds that lead to synergy,
  effectiveness and efficiency within the Gulf of
  Mexico region in our education and outreach
  projects and activities?