Welcome to the U.S. National Science Foundation OOIFB website. The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB) provides independent input and guidance regarding the management and operation of the U.S. National Science Foundation Ocean Observatories Initiative (NSF OOI).
Photo credit: Holly Morin.
OOIFB Town Hall at Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026
Over 70 scientists, resource managers, students, and international stakeholders attended the OOIFB Town Hall at the 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) in Glasgow, Scotland.
Titled “What Questions Can We Answer Through Cross-Networking?”, the session focused on strengthening connections across the global ocean observing community. Through a panel discussion, participants explored shared challenges, highlighted innovative approaches across observatory systems, and discussed opportunities for collaboration.
The discussion was moderated by Dax Soule (OOIFB Chair) and featured panelists from organizations including the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), Ocean Networks Canada (ONC), IFREMER, the University of Gothenburg, and the British Antarctic Survey.
Audience engagement played a key role in shaping the conversation, with questions centered on topics such as research-ready data products, community engagement, and improving standardization across observing systems.
For more details, including the agenda and upcoming Q&A summary, click HERE.
OOIFB Town Hall at AGU 2025
The OOIFB hosted a Town Hall at the 2025 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting in New Orleans, LA, bringing together over 85 scientists, students, educators, and resource managers.
The session focused on recent research and monitoring efforts at Axial Seamount, the most active submarine volcano in the Northeast Pacific. Using real-time data from the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Regional Cabled Array, presenters highlighted how seismic activity, seafloor deformation, and hydrothermal processes are being used to better understand and anticipate a potential eruption.
The Town Hall featured keynote presentations, early career scientist lightning talks, and a community discussion. In addition to scientific updates, the session highlighted upcoming OOIFB opportunities, including future Town Halls, community workshops, and training initiatives.
For more details, including the agenda and presentations, click HERE.
NSF OOI Acoustics Summer School 2025
The NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB) hosted the 2025 Summer School on Acoustics from July 14–18, 2025 at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA.
This five-day program focused on the access, analysis, and interpretation of ocean acoustic data from the NSF OOI network. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on tutorials, participants worked with real-world datasets using Python tools and the OOI JupyterHub environment.
The summer school introduced key acoustic instruments—such as hydrophones and echosounders—and explored how sound is used to study ocean processes.
Advanced graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early career scientists participated in the program, building technical skills and connections within the ocean observing community.
For more details on the Summer School, click HERE.