2013 Coastal Ocean Circulation GRC/GRS, being held June 1-2; June 2-7, 2013 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Gordon Research Conferences, East Greenwich RI

Investigators

Abstract

In June 2013, the Coastal Ocean Circulation Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and an associated Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) will be held at the University of New England to advance our understanding of coastal ocean circulation, and to enhance the development of junior scholars. The Gordon Research Conference brings together a diverse set of scholars working in coastal and estuarine oceanography to share the latest discoveries and theories in both formal presentation and informal settings. The Gordon Research Seminar, which will be held the weekend prior to the GRC and is a new addition for 2013, is a one day workshop organized and administered by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars to provide them with an opportunity to share their work and to develop connections with peers. Discussions with other GRC chairs have indicated that the inclusion of a GRS has facilitated the interaction of graduate students with senior scientists during the GRC itself. The Coastal Ocean Circulation GRC is widely held to be the most important meeting in the community scientifically, and it is almost certainly the most valuable conference for scholars early in their careers due to the opportunities for interaction with colleagues spanning a wide range of career stages. Intellectual Merit The program for the 2013 Coastal Ocean Circulation GRC will highlight the latest developments in the field, both scientifically and technologically, and will synthesize recent advances in the understanding of the physical processes determining circulation and mixing in the coastal ocean. Invited speakers have been drawn from international leaders and emerging stars in the field, and lectures will address diverse range of topics, including a range of physical processes, the dynamics of specific environments, interdisciplinary applications, and technological development. The steering committee members will also serve as discussion leaders and will work to ensure provocative discussion that is inspired by the lectures. This free exchange of ideas is a hallmark of the Gordon Research Conferences in general, and is one of the characteristics that make this meeting so important in the field of coastal and estuarine physical oceanography. Almost half of the conference time is allocated to informal interactions among participants, which is extremely effective at aiding the development of junior scientists, and reinforces the free and open discussion culture of the GRC. Broader Impacts Over the last decade, the coastal ocean circulation GRC has made a concerted effort to ensure participation by women and under-represented minorities, as well as scientists with disabilities. This year, the GRS offers a new opportunity to engage these groups in the GRC, and we will take explicit steps to reach out and ensure their participation, most notably through travel and registration grants to students and postdoctoral scholars from these groups. For 2013, the scientific steering committee, which is itself diverse in its members, has ensured that the invited speakers include members of groups that are traditionally under-represented in the field. This is particularly valuable at the GRC, where the informal interactions of the week provide an opportunity for members of under-represented groups that are established in their careers to provide mentoring to and to become role models for more junior scientists. Past GRC's have led to new collaborations that cut across disciplines and career stages, and have provided opportunities for junior scientists to build their careers. The addition of the GRS in 2013 will reinforce this attribute of the meeting, and will provide the students in attendance an opportunity to develop confidence in their work, and to establish connections with both their peers and senior scientists that are much deeper than those that are possible at other scientific meetings.