NOPP Partnership Forums

NOPP Partnership Forums are a newly established component of NOPP focused on facilitating partnerships in ocean science, research, and education that address pressing ocean science topics and priorities. Partnership forums, convened individually or in conjunction with scientific conferences, are in-person meetings between Federal agencies, academia, and the private sector including industries, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. Keep scrolling to learn more about previously convened NOPP Partnership Forums.

NOPP Technological Innovation to Map, Explore, and Characterize the US EEZ Forum

EEZ forum
Participants and speakers at OCEANS 23 for the 2023 NOPP Technological Innovation to Map, Explore, and Characterize the US EEZ Forum.

The 2023 NOPP Technological Innovation to Map, Explore, and Characterize the United States EEZ Forum was held at the OCEANS 23 conference in Biloxi, MS on September 26, 2023. Deerin Babb-Brott (OSTP) gave a White House Administration overview followed by Steve Thur (NOAA)’s agency overview from a NOAA perspective on the topic. Alan Leonardi (NOPP Office) then moderated a panel discussion between Rodney Cluck (BOEM), Isabel Houghton (Sofar Ocean), Hailey Bathurst (Sea Ahead), and Jeremy Weirich (NOAA), before opening up to audience questions and input.

The forum discussion emphasized the critical importance of collaborative partnerships, technological innovation, and sustained funding in advancing ocean exploration and mapping efforts. Furthermore, it highlighted the role of public-private collaborations in leveraging industry expertise and resources to achieve common goals while addressing challenges such as data standardization, funding timelines, and environmental stewardship. The 2023 NOPP Technological Innovation to Map, Explore, and Characterize the United States EEZ Forum Report can be found here.

Thank you to the NOAA NOMEC Council for co-hosting this forum with the NOPP Office, and to all the speakers for their contributions and participation.

 

NOPP Ocean Life Forum

Group photo of the 2023 Ocean Life Forum event attendees taken on the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) campus.
Group photo of the 2023 Ocean Life Forum event attendees taken on the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) campus.

NOPP’s inaugural Partnership Forum, the 2023 NOPP Ocean Life Forum, was held at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Edgewater, MD on August 9 and 10th, 2023. The Forum brought together 57 leaders and experts from the Federal government, Indigenous communities, academia, non-profit, and philanthropic organizations to identify the most pressing priorities for advancing marine biodiversity science and stewardship at the national scale. It featured a series of plenary events, including a Fireside Chat with Dr. Ellen Stofan, Smithsonian Institution Under Secretary for Science and Research, and Dr. Sarah Kapnick, NOAA Chief Scientist, followed by working sessions and breakouts focused on identifying foundational elements to strengthen and sustain national scale ocean biodiversity coordination. The 2023 NOPP Ocean Life Forum Report can be found here. 

Thank you to our co-sponsors, Smithsonian Institution, IOOS Association, and NOAA.