The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is requesting perspectives on what ocean observation capabilities it should provide. The agency recently issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) seeking public input on priorities, strategies, and technologies for future ocean observing systems that effectively support scientific needs and align with NSF’s mission and strategic plan. NSF seeks responses, from both U.S. and international stakeholders, to a suite of questions addressing topics including observational gaps, fixed and mobile assets, coordination among (national and/or international) programs, and which components of NSF’s current ocean observing portfolio should be maintained and/or updated. Group responses are welcome, however, informed individual responses are strongly encouraged. Individuals do not need to respond to ALL questions. The deadline for responses to the DCL is September 30, 2026
It is important to stress that this request for input spans the entire scope of ocean science and ocean observing systems. To support this multidisciplinary community and highlight integrated components across different sectors, the OOIFB is collaborating with ocean scientists and entities representing a broad disciplinary swath of the oceanographic community to organize several virtual “ocean observing exchanges.” The goal of these Zoom-based dialogues is to discuss the NSF DCL, review the prompts, and co-develop ideas/priorities to encourage and inform individual and organization-level responses. An outpouring of community input, particularly in the form of individual responses that address specific priorities, is vital to informing and encouraging sustained NSF investment in ocean observing resources.
A synthesis of discussions from these virtual exchanges can be found here.
A schedule of remaining virtual exchanges, associated facilitators, registration links, and individual session summaries are listed below. Registration is required to participate in an ocean exchange. Each exchange will function as a collaborative working session lasting about 60 minutes (with an option to extend each session if necessary). The exchange will begin with a quick overview of the DCL, existing NSF-funded systems that are part of the DCL, as well as a review of NSF priorities (as stated in the agency’s 2026-2030 Strategic Plan). Individuals may find the sessions most helpful if they are able to attend sessions aligned with their expertise and/or attend a general session; however, all members of the ocean observing community, spanning all types of expertise, career stage, and position, are welcome at all sessions. Interested individuals can also attend more than one session.
The OOIFB also recognizes the importance of maintaining these forward-thinking conversations and will thus continue these ocean observing exchanges after the DCL has closed. A Community Forum on the Future of Ocean Observing will also be hosted in early December, prior to the 2026 AGU Conference in San Francisco, CA. More details on additional virtual events and the in-person forum will be shared soon. Please save December 4-5, 2026 on your calendars.
RESOURCE LIST: As individuals formulate their response(s) to the DCL, they are encouraged to review resources included on this list. This list is not exhaustive; if there are other references to include, please contact Holly Morin (holly@ooifb.org).
NOTE: The U.S. Climate Variability and Prediction Program (CLIVAR) posted a list of Observing Efforts here.
Schedule: Ocean Observing Exchanges (virtual via Zoom):
*NOTE: These virtual sessions and other activities are NOT being organized by NSF. This is a broad, community effort. This schedule will be updated as more sessions are added, registration links are generated, and other details are available. Please check back often.
Date/Time: Friday, September 11, 2026; 12pm ET/9am PT
Facilitator(s): William Wilcock (University of Washington)
Topical focus: OOI RCA and COSZO
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Monday, September 14, 2026; 12pm ET/9am PT
Facilitator(s): Hilary Palevsky (Boston College) and Heather Benway (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (OCB) Project Office)
Topical focus: Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15, 2026; 3pm ET/12pm PT
Facilitator(s): Zachary Eilon (University of California, Santa Barbara) and John Collins (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Topical focus: Standalone Seafloor Seismological Instrumentation
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 16, 2026; 12pm ET/9am PT
Facilitator(s): Zoe Krauss (University of Washington) and Bruce Howe (University of Hawaii, Mānoa)
Topical focus: Seafloor Fiber Sensing and SMART Cables
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Thursday, September 17, 2026; 12:30pm ET/9:30am PT
Facilitator(s): Heather Benway (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution/Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (OCB) Project Office)
Topical focus: Sustained infrastructure for observing ocean biology and biogeochemistry, Air-sea interaction
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Monday, September 21, 2026; 1pm ET/10am PT
Facilitator(s): Amy Maas (Arizona State University) and James Potemra (University of Hawaii)
Topical focus: Time-series observations/data
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Tuesday September 22, 2026; 12pm ET/9am PT
Facilitator(s): Sage Lichtenwalner (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), Janice McDonnell (Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey), and Anna.Pfeiffer-Herbert (Stockton University)
Topical focus: Education, Workforce Development
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 23, 2026; 1pm ET/10am PT
Speakers: Ken Johnson (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, MBARI) and Yui Takeshita (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, MBARI)
Topical focus: Global Ocean Biogeochemistry Array (GO-BGC)
Date/Time: Thursday, September 24, 2026; 4pm ET/1pm PT
Facilitator(s): Jan Newton (Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems; NANOOS) and Rosie Gradoville (Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission)
Topical focus: NSF OOI Endurance Array and ocean observing in the Pacific Northwest
A session summary is available here.
Date/Time: Monday, September 28, 2026; 3pm ET/12pm PT
Facilitator(s): Chris Edwards (University of California, Santa Cruz)
Topical focus: Observing the California Current System
A session summary will be available soon.
Date/time: Tuesday, September 29, 2026; 1:30pm ET/10:30am PT
Facilitator(s): Jaime Palter (University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography)
Topical focus: “Just Write it”- a session for those who haven’t started a DCL response yet but are committed to submitting something constructive before the deadline