Learning from a disaster
BILOXI, Miss. - Marine technologies developed or implemented since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill will be highlighted during this year's Marine Technology Society TechSurge Oceans in Action Workshop at the IP Casino Resort.
"It will be quite educational for a lot of people," said Jerry Boatman, MTS national president, about the Aug. 13-14 workshop "Marine Technology Advances in the Wake of Deepwater Horizon." It's a follow-up to the first workshop held last year at the IP.
Laurie Jugan, program coordinator for the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology at Stennis Space Center, said the MTS TechSurge workshops are held in various venues across the country on a number of topics. In the Gulf Coast region, there are ongoing issues to tackle.
"This is where the rubber meets the road, where research gets applied to some operational missions," she said. "This event, in focusing on the response of Deepwater Horizon, brings to light the many organizations that are ready, willing, and able to join forces to get the job done."
The first day includes the set-up of exhibits from agencies and companies involved in marine science technology projects, patron check-in and a reception. Welcoming remarks will be provided by Boatman and Richard Crout, MTS Gulf Coast chair.
The second day is when featured speakers will detail major technologies developed or implemented since the April 20 Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 people. The crude flowed unabated until the wellhead was capped July 15, but not before 4.9 million barrels (205.8 million gallons) of crude was spilled into the Gulf of Mexico.
Boatman said that as a result of the spill there have been advancements, for example, in oil sensing technologies, prompted by the need to describe what was happing under the water's surface. Work has also been done on detecting gases and determining threatened areas.
Last year's event focused on organizations at Stennis Space Center, but this year's event will focus more on what kinds of improvements local groups made with respect to the oil spill, as well as plans that are in the offing for ways to deal with future events.
Topics that will be discussed include enhancements of the iRobot Seaglider; an airborne surface current measurement capability; unmanned systems operating in the Gulf of Mexico; as well as economic development advancements through applied research in the aftermath of the oil spill.
Part of the second day will be devoted to one-on-one business matchmaking sessions, hosted by the Mississippi Enterprise for Technology. Companies that will participate in the matchmaking event this year include: A2Research; ASRC Research and Technology Solutions; the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; Cardno ATC; Huntington-Ingalls Shipbuilding; Lockheed Martin; Louisiana Technology Transfer Office; Mississippi Enterprise for Technology; MS-FAST; NASA Stennis Office of the Chief Technologist; Naval Research Laboratory technology transfer representative and small business specialist; Raytheon Technical Services; and Science Applications International Corp. - David Tortorano
To register for the workshop:
https://www.mtsociety.org/conferences/Oceansinaction2012.aspx
To register for matchmaking:
Contact Belinda Gill at 228-688-3144.