CALL FOR NOMINATIONS

Ocean Observing Science Committee (OOSC)

UNOLS is seeking nominations for individuals interested in serving on an Ocean Observing Science Committee (OOSC). The OOSC is proposed as a new UNOLS standing committee that, pending UNOLS membership endorsement, will become effective in late October 2010.

The OOSC membership shall be comprised of up to seven individuals who will represent the various science disciplines required to fulfill the committee tasks as outlined in the charge below. In addition to members of the academic community, the committee shall include individuals with significant technical background in ocean observing marine assets including data acquisition and management. Individuals who are members of the teams receiving federal funding to construct and operate ocean observing systems are ineligible to serve.

The OOSC is charged with providing advice and guidance on decisions and plans from the science perspective related to NSF observing investments such as the Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) and Ocean Observing Initiative (OOI) as well as other ocean observing support systems. The OOSC will be an essential element in the process of communicating the science user perspective to the National Science Foundation and the project teams involved in developing, deploying and operating ocean observatories. It is expected that the OOSC will typically meet twice per year.

If you are interested in representing the community perspectives on current and future ocean observing directions and will work to meet the tasks identified in the OOSC Charge below, we encourage you to apply for membership. Applicants or nominees should submit a brief statement of interest in serving on OOSC along with a CV to the UNOLS Office by email <office@unols.org>. Statements of Interest and CVs are requested by July 19, 2010. Committee members are appointed by the UNOLS Chair with the concurrence of the UNOLS Council. Members of the OOSC will be appointed for terms up to three years, staggered so that two or three terms begin each year. Individuals may serve not more than two consecutive terms.

CHARGE TO THE OOSC:

a. Provide advice on decisions and plans from the science perspective related to NSF ocean observatories (MARS, OOI, and others) and ocean observing support systems. These may include the US Academic Research Fleet, AUV/ROVs, and other unmanned systems such as gliders. The OOSC will not review proposals, but rather provide a research community perspective on the strategic, tactical and prioritization issues that project teams and agencies are addressing for the portfolio of ocean observatories.

b. Represent science user perspectives. The OOSC will provide through the UNOLS process, the science user perspective to the project teams and the federal agencies that are developing, deploying and operating ocean observatories. During its first year, the OOSC will develop a process and structure for effectively representing the community who uses NSF ocean observatories and supporting systems.

c. Provide technical advice. The OOSC will be requested by NSF to review technical decisions and trade off analyses to inform decisions and provide advice as needed. This may require establishing subcommittees.

d. Project Reviews. NSF will conduct periodic performance reviews of the OOI construction project using personnel not associated with the OOI Project Team. The OOSC will be requested by NSF to observe (1-2 OOSC members) these reviews and provide science users perspectives.

e. Evaluate best practices across Ocean Observatories. The OOSC will identify and disseminate best practices for ocean observatories across both technical and managerial regimes.

f. Reporting. Reports of activities shall be made to the UNOLS membership on at least an annual basis and to the UNOLS Council at regularly scheduled Council meetings.