During the month of January, the NOPP staff attended a Capitol Hill Briefing titled “Technology Transfer for the Blue Economy: Opportunities for Growing the Economy and Employment” hosted by the Marine Technology Society in conjunction with the House Oceans Caucus and the Congressional Technology Transfer Caucus. The panel was made up of oceanography and technology experts including Dr. Mike McPhaden from the NOAA/Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Dr. Fritz Stahr, Manager of the Seaglider Fabrication Center at the University of Washington, USN Rear Adm. Fred Byus (Ret.) of Battelle Maritime Systems Business Unit and Dr. James Bellingham at the Center for Marine Robotics at WHOI. The development of ocean technology to advance research and knowledge of the ocean environment and resources is a key focus of the NOPP. Some highlights from the briefing included a discussion of the TAO/TRITON moorings array as well as ocean gliders, two tools that make the ocean more accessible and data collection cost effective.
NOAA is partnering with XPRIZE, a company that develops competitions to incentivize radical breakthroughs that benefit humanity, to develop a mapping challenge with a goal of mapping 500 square kilometers of ocean floor in 24 hours, equivalent to over 93,000 football fields! You can learn more about the challenge and vote to make it an active challenge on the XPRIZE website.
The NOPP is pleased to congratulate Dr. Craig McLean (former co-chair of the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Partnerships) on his promotion to Director of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research!
In addition, the NOPP is currently seeking to fill the position of Program Coordinator. This is an early career opportunity for an individual with a background in an ocean-related field or environmental policy. For more information or to apply please visit the NOPP website.
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