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SeaState Podcast - Chris German from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Discusses His Research in Deep Ocean Exploration

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Teledyne Podcast - Slocum Glider "Silbo" Circumnavigates the Atlantic Ocean - Part 4

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A Message from COL's Next President and CEO

Please find a message from the Consortium for Ocean Leadership's New President and CEO

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MTS Will Hold a Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Event on April 21

The Marine Technology Society will hold a Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion webinar event on April 21 at noon. Guest speakers include: Kenneth Bailey, NOAA, Director of the Office of Inclusion and Civil Rights; Lonnie Gonsalves, NOAA, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science; Camila Ramos, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, Fugro; and Angela Christie , Leadership & Organizational Development, Fugro.

MTS Journal Going Digital

Beginning with the May/June issue, the MTS Journal will be available in a digital format via the MTS website and the Ingenta database. A print on request option will be available to Members.
Going digital benefits our Members.
  • Years of research at your fingertips with searchable features!
  • All Journal articles are available to members through Ingenta, which features a search function, so members can find articles on specific topics with ease.
  • Only members have access to the entire collection of Journal articles.
  • We are going green - digital issues promote sustainability and are environmental friendly!
  • Digital archives are a sustainable way to ensure the Journal is being cataloged and preserved.
  • Printed copies will be available at request.
We need your expertise!
Guest editors are needed. This is an exceptional opportunity to serve as an editor of a renowned research publication in the ocean science field.

Members Receive Exclusive Access to Webinar Library

 

A collection of thirty-six webinars and growing is waiting for you! MTS Members have exclusive access to a library of recorded webinars on a myriad of ocean science topics.
Catch up on the following:
An Offshore Energy Perspective on Managing HSE During the Age of COVID
• From Managing River Silt to Coordinating Communication Amongst Platforms and Energizing Industry-Education Partnerships: The Marine Applications of Unmanned Aerial Systems, Part II
• Powering the Blue Economy™ Ocean Observing Prize Q&A Session
• The Ocean Enterprise Study: Changes Within the Last Five Years
• Scientific Exploration of the Indian Ocean: Nekton & Teledyne Marine Requiring a Long Calibration Lifetime
• Accelerometers: Latest Advances for High-Accuracy Positioning and Guidance Applications Requiring a Long Calibration Lifetime
• Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM): Update on Federal Offshore Renewable Activities & Future Outlook
• Offshore Diversity and Technology
• Umbilicals: Brownfield Problems and Solutions
• Challenging Convention: In-line Inspection of Unpiggable Subsea Systems
• The Marine Applications of Unmanned Systems
• Price of Oil: Global and Local Impacts to the Offshore Industry
• MTS Technology Forum – Technology Trends and Challenges
And as part of your membership, you can not only access recorded webinars, but you can also present a webinar. Does your organization have research or industry knowledge to share? Does your committee or section have information to promote? We want to hear from you. We are soliciting for webinar topics and presenters that are of interest to our membership. Complete the Webinar Information Form.
READ MORE HERE

Engaging with the Blue Economy Webcast Series April 7

 

On April 7 at 11 a.m., join us for the second webcast in the Engaging the Blue Economy series produced by The Ocean Exchange™ and the Marine Technology Society (MTS) . Yi Chao, Seatrec; Carrie Schmaus, Water Power Technologies Office; and Robert Cavagaro, Pacific Northwestern National Lab will discuss Mobile Power Generation.
More than 140 participants joined us for the webinar series kick-off on March 3. Claire Jolly, OECD and Dr. Monica Grasso, NOAA, delivered an engaging talk about Blue Economy in Perspective from the United States and Global Lens along with expert speakers in the fields of Wind Energy, Coastal Infrastructure, Decarbonization of Ocean Transportation, Geospatial Data, and Marine Conservation. Miss the webinar event? You can access it here.
Upcoming webinars in these series are:
April 7 – Mobile Power Generation
May 5 – Aquaculture
June 2 – Offshore Energy
REGISTER AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLUE ECONOMY WEBINAR SERIES HERE

Global Oceans 2021: Call for Abstracts is Now Open

Have you conducted innovative research that you’d like presented to a broader audience?
 
Abstracts will be accepted for engaging and cutting-edge technical papers. Once the submission window closes, the top abstracts will be chosen and those authors will be invited to submit a full paper. The final technical papers will be featured in OCEANS’ prestigious technical program. (For any author who has already submitted an abstract to OCEANS 2021 Porto, the abstract will automatically be transferred to Global OCEANS 2021.)
 
Global OCEANS 2021 will be a hybrid conference, with both on-site and virtual components. Authors submitting abstracts to the technical program will be given the option to present either on-site in San Diego or through the conference’s virtual platform.
Abstracts and full technical papers must fall under one of the topics for this year’s event. ABSTRACT DEADLINE IS APRIL 19.
LEARN MORE AND SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT HERE

OTC 2021 Emerging Leaders Program Open Deadline April 6

The OTC 2021 Emerging Leaders program is open for nominations and the deadline has been extended. Submit your nomination by Tuesday April 6, 2021.
The inaugural OTC Emerging Leaders program will recognize one young professional from each of OTC’s sponsoring, endorsing, and supporting organizations at OTC.
The OTC Emerging Leaders are young professionals who are making key contributions to the offshore energy sector in their field of work, service to the industry, innovation, and focus on safety. LEARN MORE AND SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATION HERE!

Ocean in Action & Port Security Summit Registration Open

 

Oceans in Action is the premier Gulf Coast regional marine technology event focusing on emerging technologies. This year, the event will be combined with the Port Security Summit and will bring together representatives from the federal, state, local levels of government as well as private organizations for exhibits, presentations, and pier-side demonstrations. The event is being held in association with the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise and the Port of Gulfport. REGISTRATION AND MORE INFO

Early Career Ocean Professionals Section Open

 

MTS now offers a new Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) membership category. ECOP members are defined as “an individual who is within 10 years of their last professional degree and self-identified as an ECOP.” This membership ($50) will come with all the rights and privileges of Society membership.
To foster outreach and engagement with our new ECOP section, each month in Currents, we will introduce you to some of our newest ECOP members. This month to kick things off we meet, Tony White, Lead Robotics Engineer at Forever Oceans; and Sidney McLaurin, Partner at Material Impact Fund.
Tony joined MTS in January, and he is looking forward to “staying informed on cutting edge [research] and to networking with others in the industry.” He earned a mechanical engineering degree from Georgia Tech and has nine years of working in marine robotics - from autonomous survey boats to swarms; and from mussel farming to now mariculture. Tony said he would like to attend MTS conferences and events on oil and gas, aquaculture and power generation.
Sidney just joined MTS this month, and he works as a venture capital investor. “The largest value to MTS is the community,” he said. “I am looking forward to meeting entrepreneurs, scientists, and professionals in the field.” Sidney has a engineering background and an Environmental Management degree with a focus in Coastal Management from Duke University. “I am most interested in bluetech/marine technology, specifically marine robotics,” he said.
We welcome Tony and Sidney to MTS, and we hope to see them soon at an upcoming event. For more information on ECOPs, contact Joshua Baghdadyto join or visit HERE.

COL Announces New President and CEO

Effective May 24, 2021, COL has announced that Dr. Alan Leonardi will serve as President and CEO.
“We are grateful to John White for his dedication and leadership during his time at COL. It has been an honor to partner with him on key issues and projects during the last five years. We congratulate him on a job well done and wish him the best as he enters retirement,” said Zdenka Willis, MTS President. “We offer a warm welcome to Alan. The MTS Board looks forward to working with Alan and to our continued and successful partnership with COL.” 
 
William (Monty) Graham, PhD, Chair, COP Board of Trustees, said Alan brings a wealth of expertise to COL, from his background in meteorology and oceanography to his leadership in developing partnerships to advance ocean knowledge. Prior to being appointed for his new role, he has served as director of NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. He spent 18 years at the agency, where he has also served as acting director and deputy director of the Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation; manager for the Environmental Modeling Program; and deputy director of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. 
In addition to his work at the federal government, Alan has ties to the academic community, having held research and adjunct faculty appointments at Miami Dade College, Broward College, and James Madison University.  He received his master’s and doctorate degrees in physical oceanography from Florida State University and his undergraduate degree in meteorology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

SeaState Podcast - David Walsh Discusses Geologic Processes

 

SeaState talks with David Walsh from Woods Hole Group. He uses field and laboratory data to resolve and evaluate oceanographic and geologic processes within coastal, estuarine, and oceanic environments.
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AND LISTEN HERE

Teledyne Podcast Episode 31​​​ Slocum Glider “Silbo" Circumnavigates the Atlantic Ocean – Part 1

Guest: Ben Allsup, Technical Support and Operations Manager – Slocum Glider, Teledyne Webb Research​
This episode begins a special four-part series on “Silbo", Teledyne Webb Research's autonomous underwater glider that recently made the first-ever circumnavigation of the Atlantic Ocean by an unmanned underwater vehicle. In this episode of Marine Tech Talk, we are joined by Ben Allsup, The Technical Support and Operations Manager for Teledyne Webb Research Slocum Glider. Ben discusses how Silbo got its name, the overall plan for the voyage, how the various ports were determined, and some of the very interesting challenges that the glider faced on its way from Cape Cod to Ireland!  
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For more information on Slocum Gliders, visit at www.teledynemarine.com/slocum-glider. There is a press release on the website that also details the journey as well as a recorded webinar on the journey that can be found on our LINK Webinar channel. For more information on how Slocum gliders are helping researchers and commercial customers explore and understand the ocean, you can google Slocum Gliders or search Twitter for posts from our many customers.
DOWNLOAD EPISODES AND LISTEN HERE

MTS Nominations for 2021 Awards and Honors Deadline May 31

 

The Marine Technology Society is now accepting applications for the 2021 Awards and Honors program as well as nominations for MTS Fellow. The deadline for submissions is May 31, 2021.
This is your opportunity to help outstanding engineers, scientists, and technologists receive recognition for their accomplishments, dedication, and contributions to the marine industries.
Nominate a deserving colleague, professional committee, regional section, or student section for an award in one of 12 categories. We are also accepting nominations for the prestigious Marine Technology Fellows.
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Scholarships Applications Due April 16

The Marine Technology Society is now accepting applications for scholarships to students attending full-time marine-related undergraduate and graduate programs. Applications are due April 16, 2021.

Eligibility Requirements:
  • Applicant must be an MTS member (student membershipscost $25 per year).
  • Applicant must be a full-time graduate or undergraduate student currently enrolled in a marine studies program.
  • Students who received a scholarship last year cannot apply for the same scholarship this year.
 LEARN MORE AND APPLY HERE

The NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) announces the 2022 Call for Nominations

The panel advises NOAA on operations and research issues related to navigation, hydrographic surveying, nautical charts, tides and currents, geodetic and geospatial data and measurements, Arctic priorities and coastal data and resilience. Applicants should have expertise in marine navigation, port administration, maritime shipping or other intermodal transportation industries, cartography and geographic information systems, geodesy, geospatial data, physical oceanography, coastal resource management, including coastal resilience and emergency response, or other science-related fields.

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NSF Funding Opportunity Letter of Intent Due May 5

The NSF Convergence Accelerator issued a new funding opportunity (NSF-21-572) focused on two research track topics; the Networked Blue Economy and Trust & Authenticity in Communication Systems. Submitters from academia, industry, non-profit, and other organizations are encouraged to submit proposals. Letter of Intent to be submitted by May 5, 2021 and the full proposal is due June 14, 2021. Informational webinars will be held in April about this opportunity. Webinar Registration: http://nsfconvergenceaccelerator.eventbrite.com.

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Energy Professionals Hiring Event

On April 7, join the Society of Petroleum Engineers for a Energy Professionals Gulf Coast Section Hiring event. The event is in partnership with Texas Workforce Solutions and will provide a platform for experienced upstream and energy professionals and industry companies to e-meet and create value for both sides. LEARN MORE HERE

President's Letter

Spring has officially begun, and it is time for you to Spring into Action! It is scholarship, awards and election season.

Scholarships
Deadlines coming up: MTS scholarship applications are due on April 15; ROV scholarships are due on April 17. Calling all college graduate, undergraduate, and senior high school students who have been accepted into full-time marine-related programs (with a focus on marine technology, marine engineering, or marine science) – MTS will award $17,000 in scholarships this year. Apply here.
 
Awards
Did you know that MTS has thirteen awards and a Fellows cadre? This is your opportunity to help outstanding engineers, scientists, and technologists receive recognition for their accomplishments, dedication, and contributions to the marine industries. The criteria for the awards vary, but in many cases the awardee does not need to be an MTS member. Award nominations are due on May 31, so let’s make it hard on our awards committees by submitting great candidates. Nomination forms can be found here.
 
Elections
We are always looking for folks to step up to a national role in MTS. This year we have two offices up for election. The first is the VP for Budget and Finance. Our current VP, Mike Pinto, is serving the final year of his second term and is not eligible to run again. The second position is our VP of Sections Affairs. Nominations are due on June 15.  
 
Webinars
MTS has teamed up with The Ocean Exchange™ with a fabulous kick off to our Webinar Series - Engaging with the Blue Economy. The webinar series will focus on all facets of the Blue Economy with the goal of recognizing the importance of the Ocean to our lives every day. As one of our panelists put it – it promised on brain food and it delivered! If you missed the event, I encourage you to listen to the recording here
Thank you for the positive post webinar emails both MTS and the Ocean Exchange received. Here is one we would like to share from Barb Ryan, World Geospatial Industry Council. "First and foremost, Congratulations to Ocean Exchange on its 10-year Anniversary and on its perseverance. Secondly, appreciation is extended to the Marine Technology Society (MTS) for the partnership with Ocean Exchange. Coordination between and among organizations working in the Ocean domain (as well as the Atmospheric and Terrestrial domains) is absolutely essential if we have any hope of addressing the major environmental issues facing us today. Issues like climate change, disaster resilience, energy transition, public health, etc., all encompassed under a banner of sustainable development can only be addressed with better public-private partnerships and the will/intent to work together. Thank you for including WGIC in this important debate."
Don’t miss the next in the series – April 7, 2021 –Mobile Power Generation – Yi Chao, Seatrec; Carrie Schmaus, Water Power Technologies Office; and Robert Cavagaro, Pacific Northwestern National Lab. Register here
As we remain hopeful that 2021 will allow us to get back to some semblance of normalcy, our thoughts are with all our society members who have suffered losses both personally and professionally during the pandemic. Our conference teams both OTC, and OCEANS2021 continue to work towards having both in person and virtual events. For the latest news continue to check the MTS website for the latest information. My heartfelt thanks to the local organizing committees and professional conference organizers who are putting in the extra hours of planning and re-planning due to the pandemic. 
 
What does 675 mean to MTS? In 2020, we published 654 papers and held 21 webinars, & sessions with additional papers presented at Under Water Intervention. And we look forward to even more this year. Check out for the latest events and happenings.
 
We would like to welcome our new Corporate Members: NavSim Technology, Inc.; Pirie & Smith Limited; Seatrec, Inc.; and Saildrone, Inc. We look forward to working with you!
I am always happy to engage with our members. You can reach me by email at [email protected].
 
Best Regards,
Zdenka Willis
President, MTS