Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB)

Welcome to the OOIFB website. The National Science Foundation (NSF) Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB) provides independent input and guidance regarding the management and operation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI).

Participants of the OOIFB and DSC Fall Meeting (Oct 27-29, 2023) in Alexandria, VA

OOI Bio-Optics Sensor Summer School

Are you interested in using OOI optical attenuation and absorption data in your research? Apply for the 2023 OOI Bio-Optics Sensor Summer School to learn how to access, analyze, and interpret data from the Sea-Bird AC-S! The OOIFB will host the summer school on July 17-21, 2023 at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. About 25 advanced graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and early career scientists will be selected as participants. Other career level researchers will be considered, based on space availability.  The application deadline is February 28, 2023.  Funding for reimbursement of travel expenses is available. For additional details and information on how to apply, click HERE.

OOI Biogeochemical Sensor Data Best Practices and User Guide: Open Community Review

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Biogeochemical (BGC) Sensor Data Best Practices and User Guide is the result of an NSF-funded (OCE2033919) grass-roots community effort to broaden the use of OOI biogeochemical sensor data and increase community capacity to produce analysis-ready data products. The guide is now complete, and has been submitted to the Ocean Best Practices System (OBPS). As a next step, the BGC Working Group seeking to gain GOOS endorsement of the document. In order to do so, the guide must undergo a rigorous community review process whereby comments are publicly invited and adjudicated. The BGC Working Group now invites community members to review the guide and submit comments by February 28, 2023. After completing the open review, the document will be revised based on the reviewers’ comments and upload an updated, final version to OBPS. For additional details and information on how to participate in the review, please click HERE.

Elizabeth Ferguson, first recipient of the Larry P. Atkinson Travel Fellowship, makes a presentation at the Society for Marine Mammalogy conference 

Elizabeth Ferguson attended the 24th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, held on 1 – 5 August, 2022 in Palm Beach, Florida and presented her research that uses OOI data. Elizabeth was selected as the first recipient of the Larry P. Atkinson Travel Fellowship for students and early career scientists. She has a position at California State University San Marcos and is the CEO and Founding Director of Ocean Science Analytics). A video of her presentation is available at: SMM2022 Video.

Northeast Pacific OOI Community Workshop 2022

The Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB) hosted a workshop focusing on current and future science that can be addressed using data from OOI’s infrastructure in the Northeast Pacific and other regional observatory arrays. The workshop was held on June 7-9, 2022 with a hybrid model that included in-person and virtual participation.

The workshop was aimed at researchers who are using or are considering using OOI data and/or adding instrumentation to OOI infrastructure; resource managers from national, state, and tribal agencies; and educators at all levels interested in using data from the OOI’s Cabled, Endurance, and Station Papa Arrays.  

Presentations and other information about the workshop are available here.

OOI Pioneer Array to Relocate to MAB!

It’s official, the next location of the OOI (Ocean Observatories Initiative) Coastal Pioneer Array is the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) and the move will take place in 2024.  The geographic footprint championed during the NSF-sponsored Innovations Lab #1 is the region of the MAB between Cape Hatteras and Norfolk Canyon.  This region offers opportunities to collect data on a wide variety of cross-disciplinary science topics including cross-shelf exchange, land-sea interactions associated with large estuarine systems, a highly productive ecosystem with major fisheries, and carbon cycle processes. This location also offers opportunities to improve our understanding of hurricane development, tracking and prediction, and offshore wind partnerships. Click here to learn more about plans for the Pioneer Array in its new location!

Larry P. Atkinson Travel Fellowship for Students and Early Career Scientists
Applications are being accepted

Do you need funding support to present your OOI research?

The Larry P. Atkinson Travel Fellowship helps early career scientists and graduate students who are actively involved in research and/or education programs using Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) data. The Fellowship provides funding support for the recipient to participate in and present a paper or poster on research or education using OOI data at a national or international conference or workshop. Participation in conferences that promote diversity and inclusiveness are encouraged.  Multiple awards are planned this year.

If you need funding to offset conference expenses (registration fees, travel costs, accommodations, etc.), we encourage you to apply.  Conference participation can be in-person or virtual.  Information on eligibility, requirements, and how to apply is available here