EAGER: Advancing the future of U.S. seagoing oceanographic research through a Chief Scientist training cruise

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Abstract

The study of oceanography requires seagoing research for collection of data and at sea experimentation. However, for first time researchers the planning, organizing, logistics and paper work involved in a major research cruise, especially one that involves work in foreign waters (EEZs) can be daunting. Additionally, at sea research involves substantial additional grant costs attributable to the ship operation. As a consequence, beginning in 2011 the University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) began a program of Chief Scientist training cruises to introduce prospective early career scientists to the process of planning, acquiring, effectively utilizing, and reporting on time at sea for multi-disciplinary research and education. To date there have been 5 successful Chief Scientist training cruises, with a sixth cruise, focused on Robotic Platforms, scheduled to take place this November. This proposal would fund a sixth Chief Scientist Training Cruise training cruise to be conducted aboard the R/V Thomas G Thompson. The training program is modeled on the proven successful one that have already occurred. This would be the first training cruise conducted using a Global Class research vessel, With this proposal funds will be used to conduct a general Chief Scientist Training Cruise in 2016. The training cruise will follow the proven model of previous successful ones and provide a forum for early career marine scientists to learn how to plan, acquire utilize and report on at sea research for multidisciplinary research and education. The cruise will utilize the R/V T.G. Thompson, and it will be the first Chief Scientist training cruise on one of UNOLS? Global Class research vessels. As such, the ship will be able to accommodate up to 20 trainees. In addition to instruction on duties and responsibilities of a Chief Scientist, the cruise will offer new investigators opportunities to test compelling research areas that could be used for the basis of future proposals. Given the declining number of vessels in the UNOLS fleet and the tight operations budget, the need to teach early career scientists how to use our limited infrastructure resources effectively and collaboratively is more important than ever.