NOPP at the Ocean Sciences Meeting
This past week, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program attended the 17th biennial Ocean Sciences Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. The Ocean Sciences meeting provides a venue for the scientific exchange of a vast array of marine scientific classifications. During the six day meeting, the NOPP Award for Excellence in Partnering was presented. The NOPP award recognizes the successful efforts of partners in conducting a superior project, as well as to identify to the ocean sciences community and its supporters what constitutes a successful NOPP effort. This award is given out annually to a NOPP-funded project that best exemplifies the partnership objectives of NOPP. This year’s winner of the NOPP Award for Excellence in Partnering is Dr. Andrew Barnard from WET Labs and his team for their project entitled “Long-term in situ chemical sensors for monitoring nutrients: phosphate sensor commercialization and ammonium sensor development.”
Dr. Barnard brought together a project team of chemical and environmental research scientists from both freshwater and oceanic communities, leading in situ instrument manufacturers, operators, and ocean observing and resource managers. The goal of the project was to develop a reliable and accurate long-term in situ nutrient sensor system using methods that are both user friendly and can be readily adapted for several nutrients.
Dr. Barnard and his team effectively transitioned the sensors into key local, state, and federal monitoring programs, as well as ocean observing and scientific research projects. In doing so, they illustrate what the NOPP program is all about; collaboration and partnership with the goal of advancing ocean research and education.
The NOPP Office would once again like to congratulate Dr. Andrew Barnard and his team on winning this award!
