In this issue:  SECOORA Invited to Join SAA Proposal Writing Team |SECOORA Welcomes New Contract Support | NOAA IOOS Z-Gram | Conference and Workshop Updates | Job Announcement | Coming Events

The Governors South Atlantic Alliance (SAA) recently posted a solicitation for Letters of Intent related to the NOAA Federal Funding Opportunity for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning and Regional Ocean Council activities.  SECOORA, along with many of our members and stakeholders, crafted a letter of intent (LOI) which was accepted for participation in the larger SAA proposal writing effort along with three other LOIs.  SECOORA members involved in the proposal include Duke University, University of South Carolina, SC Department of Natural Resources, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management,  ROFFS™, and South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.  The proposal is due to NOAA on December 10. 

SECOORA Welcomes New Contract Support

Dr. Lenore Alpert is currently the Executive Director of the Florida Ocean Alliance and was Assistant Director of Research at the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions (CUES) at Florida Atlantic University until its closure July 1, 2009.  Lenore will be joining SECOORA to help with a variety of efforts including the development of a congressional outreach packet, stakeholder engagement, and targeting of potential new members.  SECOORA welcomes Lenore and the invaluable experience and expertise she will bring to the organization.

Read the Bi-Weekly IOOS® Z-GRAM from November 26, 2010.  The Z-Gram is an informal way of keeping you up-to-date on IOOS® activities.

Renewable Ocean Energy Conference Presentations Available 

View presentations from the Renewable Ocean Energy & the Marine Environment: Responsible Stewardship for a Sustainable Future conference.  Over 90% of the participants who returned their evaluation form agreed that the conference increased their knowledge of renewable ocean energy and the marine environment and 100% of these participants agreed that the information gained at the conference will be useful in their work.

SC Living Marine Resources Workshop 

On Thursday, December 2 numerous SECOORA members attended the Ocean Planning in SC: Living Marine Resources and Habitats workshop.  This workshop focused on how South Carolina should plan for emerging and expanding ocean activities to help protect key resources and reduce use conflicts. The interactive forum allowed for an open exchange of experiences, perspectives, and recommendations from the fishing community, resource agencies, and other stakeholders.  Visit the SCDHEC Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management Ocean Planning Work Group Web site for more information.

BOB III Workshop:  Focus on Applications and Outreach

A third Basic Observation Buoy (BOB)  workshop will be held December 13-14, 2010 at the Jacksonville University Marine Science Research Institute, Jacksonville, Florida.

Two interactive workshops (BOB I-Jan. 2009 and BOB II-Mar. 2010) have introduced the concept of a scaled-down, functional platform for collecting information on water conditions and chemistry to more than ten university scientists and informal and formal educators in FL, GA, SC, NC and VA. The first workshop was hosted by Skidaway Institute of Oceanography and the second one by University of North Carolina-Wilmington Center for Marine Science. Co-sponsors included NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Office, IOOS, SECOORA and COSEE SE. The goals were to test various design platforms, to advance the next generation of BOBs with a focus on sensor instrumentation, and to develop regional strategies for outreach.

The goal of the BOB III Workshop is to expand on the previous workshops by exploring applications of the BOB platforms.  BOBs have been implemented in High school through Graduate School settings, for STEM activities and actual research investigations. This participant driven workshop will present case studies, "BOBs in Action," and provide the opportunity to expand the range of sensor options.  This is a forum for outreach to broader communities.  Visit the SECOORA Web site for more BOB information.

Registration for GeoTools 2011 is underway!

Early registration is available until January 31, 2011 at the discounted rate of $350, so be sure to sign up early for the best value.  Space is limited. Don't miss out on the opportunity to attend the premier technology conference for coastal officials.

Primary responsibilities include research, compilation and analysis of oceanographic data for the purpose of providing real-time ocean current monitoring and forecasting for the offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore Trinidad, Brazil, West Africa, Australia India, and other regions impacted by strong ocean currents. The analyst will also pursue projects as time allows and according to the employee capability. Projects include data analysis and summary reports for client studies; presentation of relevant results in professional science, industry meetings and publications; and participation in programming or trouble shooting back-end data harvesting and production code to improve or create tools and services. The ideal candidate has an MS or equivalent experience in oceanography, physical or environmental science, excellent oral and written communications skills, and a creative approach to widely varied problems. Proficiency with Matlab and/or related programming languages is a valuable asset. Opportunities exist for continued education and travel.

Horizon Marine, Inc. is a leader in commercial oceanography providing services of real-time ocean current monitoring and forecasting for the offshore industry.  Excellent working environment, compensation, benefits.  Salary to commensurate with experience.

Please send a letter and resume addressing the above requirements and listing any special skills to:
 Patrice Coholan, President
 Horizon Marine, Inc.
 15 Creek Road
 Marion, MA  02738
 horizon@horizonmarine.com

 508 748 1860

December 13-14, 2010 Basic Observation Buoy Workshop, Jacksonville, FL

February 13-18, 2011 ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting, San Juan, Puerto Rico

February 28-March 3, 2011 Coastal Program Managers' Meeting, Washington, D.C.

March 21-24, 2011 GeoTools Conference, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina