NOAA Science Seminar Series

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Building Resilience: Environmental Trends and Variability in Coastal Fisheries in Mobile Bay.

Part 2 of 4 in NOAA's RESTORE Science Program Seminar Series: Applications of Long-Term Research in the Gulf of Mexico



Presenter(s): John Lehrter, PhD, Professor of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab.Blair Morrison, Science and Monitoring Program Lead, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program.

Sponsor(s): NOAA RESTORE Science Program, and NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) Science Seminar Series.

Seminar Contacts: Moe Nelson, david.moe.nelson@noaa.gov ; and Katie Loesser, katherine.loesser@noaa.gov

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Register at https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/noaa_restore_science_seminar_july_29/event/registration.html . You may enter the webinar via your browser or the Adobe Connect app (download here).Test your ability to use Adobe Connect here. After the webinar, a link to the recording will be posted online.

Accessibility: TBD

Abstract: In 2019, five projects were funded by the NOAA RESTORE Science Program's Long-Term Trends competition to investigate trends in living coastal and marine resources in the Gulf of Mexico and the processes driving them. These projects were funded for five years with the potential to be renewed for up to ten years of continuous funding. This seminar series will highlight these projects and their efforts to connect their results with the end user community. Join this series to learn more about these exciting efforts and hear lessons learned from teams that have prioritized end user-driven processes in their research.This week's focus will be on Building Resilience: Environmental Trends and Variability in Coastal Fisheries in Mobile Bay. The abundance of oysters, blue crabs, and spotted seatrout is rapidly declining in the Gulf of Mexico. These species have provided valuable food, raw material, recreation, and cultural resources to humans since the Gulf was settled. Today, the ecosystem services provided by these species are threatened, or near collapse in Gulf estuaries. This is partially due to human activities and environmental trends such as fisheries harvest and changes in water and habitat quality. Many of the underlying mechanisms that relate long-term trends and short-term variability in the environment to changing populations of oyster, blue crab and spotted seatrout are unquantified or unknown. This project is working to identify temperature, salinity (freshwater), oxygen (hypoxia), and pH (acidity) thresholds for oyster, blue crab, and spotted seatrout populations based on current and future habitat conditions, including climate variability and human-induced stressors. The project team will provide Mobile Bay decision-makers a process for evaluating various scenarios, management actions, and outcomes based on single and multiple thresholds for oyster, blue crab, and spotted seatrout populations. This information will help identify what individual or combined stressors affect these economically and culturally important species plus evaluate how management actions may improve the resilience of these populations to environmental change.

Bio(s): John Lehrter, PhD, Professor of Marine Sciences, University of South Alabama and Dauphin Island Sea Lab.Blair Morrison, Science and Monitoring Program Lead, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials:
The webinar will be recorded, and the video will be archived in Adobe Connect. A pdf of the slides may be provided upon request.

Subscribe / Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: U.S. Eastern Region NOAA Climate Services

Remote Access: DOT Climate and Transportation Resilience

Sponsor(s): NOAA's Eastern Region Climate Services Webinar Series

Presenter(s):
Samantha Borisoff, Climatologist with the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University; Morgan Zabow, NOAA/OAR/CPO/National Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS)


Sponsor(s): NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service / National Centers for Environmental Information / Regional Climate Services.

Seminar Contact(s): Ellen Mecray

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Please register here. After registering, you will get a confirmation email with a link to the webinar. Audio is over the computer, so adjust the volume on your computer speakers or headset. Users should use either Google, IE or Edge on Windows, or Safari if using a Mac. Questions will be addressed in the chat and the Q/A windows.

Abstract: The webinar will feature a recap of July conditions and Morgan Zabow will offer an update on the heat season, extreme heat, and community-scale work with NIHHIS.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: If interested in obtaining a PDF of the slides and/or the recording, see the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your comments and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: The role of surface potential vorticity in the vertical structure of mesoscale eddies

Presenter(s): Wenda Zhang (Princeton University)

Sponsor(s): NOAA Coastal Ocean Modeling Seminars: https://coastaloceanmodels.noaa.gov/seminar/

SeminarContact: Alexander.Kurapov@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Connect with Google Meet meet.google.com/kti-ktaw-nes,
Phone Numbers (US)+1414-856-5982 PIN: 248 179#

Abstract: Ocean mesoscale eddies constitute a majority of oceanic kinetic energy and play a pivotal role in the mixing of momentum, heat, salt, carbon, and other properties in the ocean. State-of-the-art ocean climate models, which partially resolve mesoscale eddies (i.e., eddy-permitting), requires parameterizations to account for the missing eddy feedback to large-scale circulations. This work formulates and implements a parameterization for the vertical structure of and energetics of mesoscale eddies in idealized eddy-permitting simulations of Modular Ocean Model (MOM6). The parameterization emphasizes the primary role of the surface potential vorticity (PV) in setting the energy source and cascade of eddies. Due to isopycnal outcropping and interior PV homogenization, the surface meridional PV gradient is substantially stronger than the interior PV gradient, yielding surface-trapped baroclinic instability. Eddies generated through this instability have a surface-intensified vertical structure dependent on their horizontal scales. Based on this understanding, we formulate a scale-aware parameterization that captures the vertical structure of the eddy kinetic energy and its dependence on model resolution. This vertical structure is then combined with an energy backscatter parameterization to represent the momentum flux from subgrid eddies. The parameterization improves the simulation of global kinetic energy distributions, large-scale circulation pathways, and isopycnal structures in idealized eddy-permitting models, indicating an important role of the vertical structure in the parameterization of eddy energetics.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Spruce beetles under changing climate conditions

Presenter(s): Nancy Fresco, UAF Scenarios Network for Alaska + Arctic Planning

Sponsor(s): NOAA/OAR/Climate Program Office and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP)

Seminar Contacts: Alison Hayden (abhayden@alaska.edu) & Genie Bey (genie.bey@noaa.gov)

Remote Access: https://uaf-accap.org/event/spruce-beetles/

Abstract: Historically, Alaska's cold climate has protected much of the state from major outbreaks of spruce beetles. Interior Alaska has primarily been protected by rapid fall cooling and extremely cold winters, while other regions have been protected by cool summers that limit beetle maturation. A new integrated model suggests that ongoing climate change will remove these protections across large parts of Alaska. Northern forest managers will increasingly need to undertake management planning that no longer relies on the protection of historically cold climate.

Bio(s): Nancy Fresco is a Research Associate Professor at the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Her academic background is in biology, landscape ecology, and forestry. For the past 16 years she has been the Network Coordinator for the Scenarios Network for Alaska and Arctic Planning, SNAP. SNAP's scientists, programmers, spatial analysts, and communications experts create resources to aid in adaptation planning by connecting northern climate data and model projections to the real-world needs of a wide range of stakeholders and collaborators.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Slides, links shared during the presentation, and a recording may be found after the meeting at the URL listed above.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Early Encounters on a Western Frontier: The Search for Svyatoy Nikolai (1807-1808)NOAA Library Seminars

Presenter(s): Katie Wrubel, Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Resource Protection Specialist and Madeline Roth, PhD Graduate Student in Integrated Coastal Sciences, East Carolina University

Sponsor(s): NOAA Library and Ocean Exploration

Seminar Contacts: library.seminars@noaa.gov

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/4427700


Accessibility: Captions are available during the live presentation and once uploaded to the NOAA Library YouTube Channel automatic captions are added. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.

Abstract: The Svyatoy Nikolai, a survey vessel for the Russian American Company, was lost at the turn of the 19th century in the waters of today's Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS). In 1808, the ship and crew (composed of men and women; Russian, English, and Aleut) departed Alaska to map the Pacific coastline and identify potential locations for an Oregon-based colony. The ship was driven ashore and abandoned at the Washington coast. To better understand this history, and the larger region's maritime heritage, a remote sensing and archaeological survey was undertaken during the summer of 2023. Funded by NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, this presentation discusses the results of the 2023 fieldwork and the broader maritime heritage of the Olympic Peninsula.

Keywords: Shipwreck, Russian-America, Heritage

Bio(s): Katie Wrubel has served as the resource protection specialist for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS) since 2020. Katie completed her master's degree in environmental science at Washington State University Vancouver in 2013 where she was a NOAA Dr. Nancy Foster Scholar. After graduate school, she was a Washington Sea Grant Marc Hershman Marine Policy Fellow at the Nature Conservancy where she focused on marine spatial planning with tribal and nontribal partners. From 2014-2020, Katie worked as the Natural Resource Policy Analyst for the Makah Tribe in Neah Bay, Washington.

Madeline Roth is a maritime archaeologist and PhD student at East Carolina University. Madeline worked for the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Maritime Heritage Program where she developed an interest in Euro-Pacific encounters in the Pacific Northwest. She is currently pursuing an Interdisciplinary PhD in coastal resource management. Her research addresses community participatory research and heritage governance in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.

Recordings: Recordings will be shared 24 hours after the event on the NOAA Library YouTube channel.


Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Student Experiences Three-Minute Thesispalooza
NOAA Gulf of Mexico Forum Webinar Series


Presenter(s): Amanda Free, Margaret Davidson Fellow, Mississippi State University and Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; Abiola Obafemi, Knauss Fellow, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, National Sea Grant Office; Hameed Ajibade, Knauss Fellow, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, National Sea Grant Office; Tyler Thaden, Student Volunteer, National Weather Service - Tampa Bay Area, Florida; Kailee Quessenberry, Student Volunteer, National Weather Service - Tampa Bay Area, Florida; Aaron Serre, Pathways Intern, National Weather Service - Huntsville, Alabama; Beyza Gul, NOAA Fisheries William M. LaPenta Intern, Southeast Fisheries Science Center; Hannah Withers, Legal Intern, Louisiana Sea Grant Law and Policy Division; Renata Kamakura, National Academy of Sciences Science Policy Fellow, Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System

Sponsor(s): NOAA's Gulf of Mexico Regional Collaboration Team, a part of NOAA's Regional Collaboration Network

Seminar Contact(s): Kristen Laursen, Kristen.R.Laursen@noaa.gov , NOAA Fisheries and Regional Collaboration Network

Remote Access: Please register at:https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/9057900375092584791

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.


Abstract: The NOAA Gulf of Mexico Forum Webinar Series is thrilled to feature Students, Interns, and Fellows sharing their experiences with NOAA and NOAA-related programs. Each will present a three-minute thesis-style talk about their experiences, project, or research. Session Outline:- Amanda Free, Margaret Davidson Fellow, Mississippi State University and Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, "Identifying Fecal Contamination Sources in the Grand Bay NERR"

- Abiola Obafemi, Knauss Fellow, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, National Sea Grant Office, "Investigating the response of the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) to low dissolved oxygen conditions"

- Hameed Ajibade, Knauss Fellow, Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, National Sea Grant Office, My work on Renewable Offshore Wind Energy at NOAA: Insights and Experiences as a John Knauss Fellow"

- Questions -

- Tyler Thaden, Student Volunteer, National Weather Service - Tampa Bay Area, Florida, "Assessing the Components of the Significant Tornado Parameter (STP)"

- Kailee Quessenberry, Student Volunteer, National Weather Service - Tampa Bay Area, Florida, NWS Tampa Volunteering and Heat Risk Project

- Aaron Serre, Pathways Intern, National Weather Service - Huntsville, Alabama "A Quantitative Analysis of Tornadoes in National Weather Service Huntsville's County Warning Area"

- Questions -

- Beyza Gul, NOAA Fisheries Intern, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Behavioral responses of sperm whales to anthropogenic activity

- Hannah Withers, Legal Intern, Louisiana Sea Grant Law and Policy Division, "Helping Communities Navigate Federal Disaster Aid Under the Stafford Act"

- Renata Kamakura, National Academy of Sciences Science Policy Fellow, Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System, Heat in Coastal Cities: Marine Heat Waves and Urban Temperatures

- Questions -

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: This webinar will be recorded and shared online. Please contact Kristen.R.Laursen@noaa.gov for the recording and/or PDF of this webinar.


Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Considerations for designing and implementing a successful close-kin mark-recapture project to estimate abundance and mortality of data-limited marine species (National Stock Assessment Science Seminar Series)

Presenter(s): John Swenson, PhD candidate, University of Massachusetts

Sponsor(s): NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA LibrarySeminar Contacts: Dr. Bai Li (bai.li@noaa.gov) and Library Seminars

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/4456661/register

Accessibility: You are able to get live closed captions during the presentation by selecting the CC button in your Vimeo player. Captions are added to the recordings of presentations once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel. Sign language interpreting services and Federal Relay Conference Captioning (RCC) service are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.


Abstract: Close-kin mark-recapture (CKMR) is a genetics-based method for estimating population abundance and mortality that has much promise for improving stock assessments and monitoring programs, especially for data-limited species. In this talk, I will describe the theory behind CKMR and discuss its practical advantages and challenges, including sampling and lab work considerations for robust and unbiased genotyping and kin-finding. Notable applications of CKMR, both recent and ongoing, will be highlighted. Finally, I will delineate the major cost categories and suggest rough sample size requirements and timelines for planning a CKMR project.Keywords: Abundance, Genomics, Conservation Management


Bio(s): John is a late-stage PhD candidate in the Molecular Ecology and Conservation Lab at the University of Massachusetts. His research endeavors to inform the conservation and management of vulnerable marine species (e.g., many elasmobranchs) using the close-kin mark-recapture framework, which fuses cutting-edge genomic techniques with recent advances in bioinformatics and population dynamics modeling.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your comments and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Providing guidance on accessing high-resolution and COMSAR data for government use.
IOCM Seminar Series

Presenter(s): Brenda Ellis, KBR Contractor suporting the Technical Support Services Contract at the USGS EROS Data Center in Sioux Falls, SD

Sponsor(s): NOAA's Office of Coast Survey (OCS)

Seminar Contact(s): iwgocm.staff@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Virtual only. GoToWebinar https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7126461965352183894

Accessibility: Please email iwgocm.staff@noaa.gov at least 5 days before the webinar with requests.

Abstract: High-resolution imagery and COMSAR data are available from several sources and can be leveraged for a variety of purposes. The goal is to provide guidance on accessing this data from sources that are freely available to US Government employees. The Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy (CRSSP)is a program implemented by the USGS in partnership with NOAA, NGA, and other Federal civil agencies. The CRSSP Imagery-Derived Requirements (CIDR) tool is the platform that Federal agency employees can use to request remotely sensed data by detailing specific data requirements.

Bio(s): Brenda Ellis - Lead IT Customer Support Analyst. She leads the Commercial data and Emergency Operations Team at EROS as well as provides support for the Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy Imagery-Derived Requirements (CIDR) tool and Earthexplorer site.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Materials will be emailed to all registrants after the seminar.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail:
Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: From esoteric to essential: the evolution of deep-pelagic time-series research in US waters, with examples of resource management application

Part 3 of 4 in NOAA's RESTORE Science Program Seminar Series: Applications of Long-Term Research in the Gulf of Mexico



Presenter(s): Tracey Sutton, PhD, Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center, Nova Southeastern University; and Ian Zink, PhD, OHC RC Deepwater Horizon Restoration Program, NOAA Fisheries.

Sponsor(s): NOAA RESTORE Science Program, and NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) Science Seminar Series.

Seminar Contacts: Moe Nelson, david.moe.nelson@noaa.gov ; Varis Ransi, varis.ransi@noaa.gov; and Katie Loesser, katherine.loesser@noaa.gov

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Register at https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/noaa_restore_science_seminar_aug_7/event/registration.html . You may enter the webinar via your browser or the Adobe Connect app (download here).Test your ability to use Adobe Connect here. After the webinar, a link to the recording will be posted online.

Accessibility: TBD

Abstract: In 2019, five projects were funded by the NOAA RESTORE Science Program's Long-Term Trends competition to investigate trends in living coastal and marine resources in the Gulf of Mexico and the processes driving them. These projects were funded for five years with the potential to be renewed for up to ten years of continuous funding. This seminar series will highlight these projects and their efforts to connect their results with the end user community. Join this series to learn more about these exciting efforts and hear lessons learned from teams that have prioritized end user-driven processes in their research. This week will focus on deep-pelagic time-series research.

Most people would have a hard time telling you why life in the deep ocean interior matters, beyond the aesthetic appeal of otherworldly creatures living on our own planet. As pelagic science has evolved, from institution-led expeditions (pre- 1960's) to spatiotemporally limited academic research (1970's-early 2000's) to the current manifestation of NOAA-funded time-series research, so too has our appreciation of the biodiversity and ecosystem services of deep-pelagic communities (animals living in the water column below 200 m during daytime). In this vein we will present a synopsis of an ongoing time-series program, the DEEPEND (Deep-Pelagic Nekton Dynamics) consortium, borne from initial surveys to assess the offshore natural resource damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (DWH) and evolved into the largest-scale time series of its kind in oceanographic history. In the 14 years since the first survey, we have learned that the open-ocean Gulf of Mexico is astonishingly diverse, with more recorded fish species than any other marine system in US continental waters, including coastal habitats. We have also learned that the open Gulf is highly connected, from the surface to great depths, through interlinked ecologies and behaviors. We have also learned that the deep-pelagic Gulf, despite its size (> 90% of the Gulf's volume), is not immune from human disturbance. Current population levels of deep-pelagic organisms are roughly one-third those surveyed shortly after DWH. We seek to understand the effect these declines may have on higher-level predators, many of which are managed or protected. At least 137 species of fishes, cetaceans, and seabirds utilize deep-pelagic taxa as their primary or regular prey in the Gulf. Lastly, we also seek to better understand the links between the offshore and inshore Gulf fauna, especially in areas along the continental slope that are foci for restoration activities. We will provide summaries to date, and highlight plans for upcoming work.

Bio(s): Tracey Sutton, PhD, Guy Harvey Oceanographic Research Center, Nova Southeastern University.Ian Zink, PhD, OHC RC Deepwater Horizon Restoration Program, NOAA Fisheries.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials:
The webinar will be recorded, and the video will be archived in Adobe Connect. A pdf of the slides may be provided upon request.

Subscribe / Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Catch and Release: Large Whale Entanglement Response and the Science that Goes with it

Presenter(s): Ed Lyman, Large Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator, NOAA's Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Sponsor(s): NOAA/NOS Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Seminar contact: Claire.Fackler@noaa.gov, (805) 570-1113

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2248154272551019613

Abstract: Join Ed Lyman, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's Large Whale Entanglement Response Coordinator, to learn about the risks posed by entanglement threat to one of our large whale species " the humpback whale, and the authorized network response to free them and other whales from life-threatening entanglements. Ed has been responding to entangled large whales for 30 years and has been involved in over a hundred entanglement response efforts. The talk will focus on sanctuary and nearby waters that are the humpback whales' principal breeding/calving grounds in the North Pacific. Discover how trained and experienced responders free 40-ton entangled whales using cutting-edge tools, techniques and technologies through some exciting imagery. While freeing a whale is beneficial and rewarding, it is the science associated with the effort, such as the use of telemetry, drones, AI image recognition, and photogrammetry, that facilitates the response and helps us better understand the threat as to reduce it in the future for whales and humans alike.

Are our seminars recorded? Yes, you can find them here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/webinar-series-archives.html

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. See https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/NOAAScienceSeminars.php

NOAA Science Seminars

Title: Agency Priorities for Mapping US Shallow Coral Reef Ecosystems

Presenter(s): Jennifer Kraus (Office of Marine and Aviation Operations), Sarah Hile (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science), and Christine Addison (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science)


Sponsor(s): NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program

Seminar Contact(s): caroline.donovan@noaa.govLocation: Webinar

Remote Access: Video call link: https://meet.google.com/pgn-asvi-kgp
Or dial: (US) +1 402-921-2224 PIN: 488 546 477#

Abstract: NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP) has identified a need for priority locations based on emerging management requirements in shallow coral reef areas in US shallow coral reef jurisdictions. The priorities provided by participating agencies will inform research and monitoring activities, address current and future management needs, and maximize opportunities to leverage and complement existing regional efforts. To meet this need, NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) developed a systematic, quantitative approach and online GIS application to gather seafloor mapping priorities from researchers and coral reef managers.

Bio(s): Jen Kraus has been with NOAA since 2015 when she joined as a NOAA Corps Officer. Her first assignment was aboard the NOAA Ship Rainier, where she trained as a NOAA Hydrographer, surveying the waters in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and California. She then moved over to NOS and worked on various habitat mapping projects before finishing her NOAA Corps career at OMAO headquarters. She transitioned over to the civilian side this past March, taking on the position of OMAO Agreements Liaison.

Christine has been with NOAA since 2001. She focuses on resilience projects involving corals, marshes, and impacts of storm surge under sea level rise. She manages and analyzes diverse data sets and creates visualizations to illustrate trends for end users. Early in her career, she studied coral and reef fish communities across the Caribbean and U.S. East Coast. She holds a BS in Biology and an MS in Marine Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Sarah has been a CSS, Inc. contractor with NOAA/NCCOS since 2004. She focuses on ecosystem monitoring and assessments, and scientific publication design. She coordinates support for ONMS' condition reports, works on the mapping-related activities for the Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) Restoration project and for various projects in the Pacific. Early in her education and career, she studied trophic ecology of sharks, and coral and reef fish communities across the Caribbean. She holds a BS in Environmental Science and Biology and an MS in Coastal Zone Management from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland.
NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly email: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your comments and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Uncovering the influence of microplastics on disease dynamics in a commercially valuable fish and virus system



Presenter(s): Meredith Seeley, Assistant Professor, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), Gloucester Point, VA.

Sponsor(s): NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) Marine Debris Program, and NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) Science Seminar Series.

Seminar Contacts: Moe Nelson, david.moe.nelson@noaa.gov ; and Amy Uhrin, amy.uhrin@noaa.gov.

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Register at https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/nos_science_seminar_august_12/event/registration.html. You may enter the webinar via your browser or the Adobe Connect app (download here).Test your ability to use Adobe Connect here. After the webinar, a link to the recording will be posted online.

Accessibility: TBD

Abstract: Microplastics are a persistent and increasing environmental hazard. They have been reported to interact with a variety of biotic and abiotic environmental systems, but the ramifications of such interactions are challenging to disentangle, particularly when microplastics are a co-stressor with other environmental perturbations, including pathogenic disease. We investigated virus-induced mortalities in a commercially important salmonid following exposure to microplastics, plastic microfibers, and natural(non-plastic) microparticles. We found that microplastics or microparticles alone were not lethal. Mortality increased significantly when fish were co-exposed to virus and microplastics, particularly microfibers, compared to virus alone. This presents the unique finding that microplastics (not natural microparticulate matter) may have a significant impact on population health when presented with a pathogenic stressor. Further, we found that mortality correlated with host viral load, mild gill inflammation, immune responses, and transmission potential. In following studies, the particle shape was found to be key in eliciting increased virulence, whereby fibers elicited greater response than particles of similar chemical makeup. Moreover, we found that chronic plastic exposure pre-virus was required for increased viral virulence. We hypothesize that microplastics can compromise host tissues, allowing pathogens to bypass defenses. These effects may be difficult to predict in real-world scenarios, however. In further research, these same particles following UV-exposure (akin to environmental conditions) elicited slightly different results. This presentation will present the findings of these studies, and provide a perspective on research needs for addressing the complex effects of microplastics in stressed aquatic systems.

Bio(s): Dr. Meredith Evans Seeley is an Assistant Professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), William & Mary. She holds a PhD in Marine Science from VIMS and M.S. in Marine Science from The University of Texas Marine Science Institute. She was a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Hawaii Pacific University Center for Marine Debris Research. Her research addresses the sources, fate and effects of pollutants in marine and aquatic environments. This work is largely focused on organic contaminants, including plastics (macro, micro and nano), petroleum from oil spills, and tire and road wear particles. In addition to addressing contaminant measurement challenges from the laboratory, Meredith is passionate about novel approaches to understand the effects of contaminants on aquatic systems, particularly at the population or community level. Overall, her research is motivated by the need for science to inform smart, realistic pollution mitigation strategies.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials:
The webinar will be recorded, and the video will be archived in Adobe Connect. A pdf of the slides may be provided upon request.

Subscribe / Unsubscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar weekly email: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: August NOAA NWS Alaska Climate Outlook Briefing


Presenter(s): Rick Thoman, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy

Sponsor(s): NOAA/OAR/Climate Program Office and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP)

Seminar Contacts: Alison Hayden (abhayden@alaska.edu) & Genie Bey (genie.bey@noaa.gov)

Remote Access: https://uaf-accap.org/event/aug2025-climate-outlook/

Abstract: We will review recent and current climate conditions around Alaska, discuss forecasting tools, and finish up with the Climate Prediction Center's forecast for September 2024 and the fall season. Join the gathering online to learn what's happened and what may be in store with Alaska's seasonal climate.

Bio(s): Rick Thoman is the Alaska Climate Specialist with ACCAP and has many years of experience producing reliable Alaska climate change information and graphics describing Alaska's changing environment. His work spans the bridge between climate modeling, Alaska communities, and the media.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Slides, links shared during the presentation, and a recording may be found after the meeting at the URL listed above.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Highlighting the Useability of NOAA NESDIS Information in the Formal and Informal Sectors

Presenter(s): Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux, Distinguished Professor and Vermont State Climatologist, University of Vermont

Sponsor(s): System Architecture and Engineering (SAE) and the NESDIS User Engagement Council (UEC)Seminar Contacts: Zach Thal, (zach.thal@noaa.gov) and Amber Hill, (amber.hill@noaa.gov)Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Register here: NESDIS Meet the Users Speaker Series Registration Form_LesleyAnn - Google Forms

Abstract: Dr. Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux will discuss the multiple ways in which she, as a teacher, scholar, and Vermont State Climatologist, uses NESDIS information in Vermont. These applications include: a) Using Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) and earth-observation imagery to explain 3-D concepts in introductory atmospheric sciences classes; b) Incorporating data from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), National Weather Service (NWS), and National Climate Assessment (NCA) in the drafting of Vermont's initial Climate Action Plan and c) Applying GOES imagery to demonstrate the process-based dynamics of the 2023 and 2024 catastrophic flooding in Central Vermont.

Bio(s): Dr. Dupigny-Giroux, a Professor of Climatology at the University of Vermont, has long been a pivotal figure in climate science and education. Since 1997, Dr. Dupigny-Giroux has served as the Vermont State Climatologist, overseeing crucial meteorological data and providing expertise on local climate impacts. From 2020 to 2022, she led the American Association of State Climatologists, influencing climate policy and collaboration nationwide. In academia, Dr. Dupigny-Giroux teaches a range of climatology courses, including Physical Geography, Remote Sensing, and Land-Surface Processes, often engaging students in Service-Learning initiatives with municipalities and federal entities like NOAA. Her research spans interdisciplinary fields such as hydroclimatic natural hazards, climate literacy, and geospatial climate and land-surface processes, all crucial in understanding our evolving climate. A recognized authority on floods, droughts, and severe weather, Dr. Dupigny-Giroux examines their profound impacts on Vermont and communities around the U.S. Northeast. To learn more about how Lesley-Ann and the University of Vermont are using NOAA data, please contact meet.the.users@noaa.gov.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Life Lessons from a New eDNA Laboratory

Part of the NOAA Omics Seminar Series

Presenter(s): Nicole Housley, Microbiologist, Azura Consulting LLC-National Seafood Inspection Laboratory, NOAA

Sponsor(s): NOAA Omics

Seminar Contact(s): Nicole Miller, NOAA 'Omics Portfolio Specialist, noaa.omics@noaa.gov

Remote Access: Register Here

Abstract: In response to the new NOAA Omics Strategy that was released in February of 2020 NOAA laboratories are now venturing into new omics-based analyses. Specifically, focus is shifting to eDNA analyses that will be essential to increasing sampling efficiency, ecosystem assessments, and decreasing environmental impacts. However, it can be overwhelming trying to determine where or how to start, especially if this is a new technique to the laboratory. Recently, the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory embarked on a pilot project to learn how to do all things related to eDNA. Through gel images and sequencing analyses this poster will discuss the approach taken, why certain decisions were made, and which choices ultimately led to the success of the pilot project.

Bio(s): Nicole Housley graduated in 2004 from the University of Mississippi with a B.A. in Biochemistry with a minor in Biology. Nicole worked for 16 years at the University of South Alabama performing microbiology research before moving to the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory to become the contractor Microbiologist performing analyses on animal by-products for the Seafood Inspection Program.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: A recording of this presentation will be made available on the NOAA Omics website. View past omics seminar recordings here: https://sciencecouncil.noaa.gov/NOAA-Science-Technology-Focus-Areas/NOAA-Omics

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Teaching Hope: Blue Carbon and Climate Change

Presenter(s): Sara Hutto, Conservation and Climate Program Coordinator; and Jennifer Stock, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Greater Farallones Association and Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries

Sponsor(s): NOAA/NOS Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

Seminar contact: Claire.Fackler@noaa.gov, (805) 570-1113

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8139042905077563996

Abstract: Drought, fires, floods, bleaching corals...as impacts from our changing climate become increasingly publicized, and with climate anxiety on the rise among our youth, it's critical that educators bring messages of hope into their classrooms. In this webinar, you'll learn from a NOAA educator and scientist about the inspiring role the ocean plays in mitigating the climate crisis as a carbon sponge. You'll learn about the role of "blue" carbon - the species and habitats that absorb and store carbon in the ocean - and how NOAA is working to better understand and protect these vital resources. You'll also hear about the new Blue Carbon Education and Communication Toolkit, so you can bring these messages into your classroom (or wherever you interact with young people!). Please join us to explore messages of hope in a time of a changing climate.

Are our seminars recorded? Yes, you can find them here: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/teachers/webinar-series-archives.html

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. See https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/star/NOAAScienceSeminars.php

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Carbon Sequestration and Storage in Puerto Rico Mangroves

Presenter(s): Jahnelle Howe, NOAA EPP MSI Graduate Fellow

Sponsor(s): NOAA Office of Education (OED), Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI)

Seminar Contact(s): Natasha White; NOAA/OED/EPP/MSI, natasha.white@noaa.gov

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Please register for the seminar: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6094444959284406880

Abstract: Mangroves are coastal forests that persist in the ocean-land continuum and provide critical habitats for fish and wildlife. They contribute to coastal resiliency by acting as natural barriers to storm surges and preventing erosion, flooding, and disasters. Mangrove ecosystems contribute to global carbon cycles by acting as a sink of atmospheric CO2, thereby having the potential to mitigate climate change. Blue carbon refers to the carbon sequestered in litter and soil in coastal ecosystems and the oceans, having a particularly high rate of carbon storage. However, due to anthropogenic and natural hazards and climate change, the loss of mangroves poses a risk of releasing sequestered carbon stored deep within the soil into the atmosphere once exposed. This work is particularly important for Puerto Rico as mangroves are essential for coastal protection from storms (wave action, erosion, lessening impacts to communities) and critical for economically significant artisan fishers. This study focuses on two mangroves in Puerto Rico, La Parguera and Laguna Grande, for blue carbon quantification and assessing whether extreme events, including hurricanes and environmental factors such as temperature and precipitation, impact these ecosystems and their capacity to sequester blue carbon. Furthermore, this study also reviews the socio-economic conditions influencing blue economy building and blue carbon sequestration related to coastal communities' dependency on values and services provided by these ecosystems in Puerto Rico.

Bio(s): Ms. Jahnelle Howe is a NOAA EPP/MSI Center for Earth System Sciences and Remote Sensing Technology (CESSRST) fellow and a doctoral candidate pursuing a degree in earth and environmental sciences at the CUNY Graduate Center, New York. Ms. Howe is the recipient of the 2023 NOAA EPP MSI Graduate Fellowship. Under the guidance and mentorship of NOAA mentor Dr. Ashok Deshpande and Academic Co-Advisor Dr. Shakila Merchant, Jahnelle conducted her one-year internship at the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) facility in the James J. Howard Marine Sciences Laboratory, Sandy Hook, NJ. Before pursuing her doctoral degree, Ms. Howe completed her undergraduate degree in environmental science from Lehman College in 2018 and her Master's degree in earth and atmospheric sciences, CCNY in 2020 - both degrees supported by the NOAA EPP/MSI CESSRST Program. During her Master's degree, Ms. Howe had the opportunity to sail aboard the NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer, conducting sea-floor mapping research. She also conducted a 12-week NOAA Experiential Research and Training Opportunity (NERTO) internship at the NOAA Ocean Service Office of Coastal Management in Charleston, South Carolina. Ms.Howe is passionate about science communication and actively engages in blogging through her website - Epiphany of Science. During her tenure as a NOAA fellow, Ms. Howe engaged in CUNY summer bridge and outreach and mentored many undergraduates and NYC high school students. Ms. Howe plans to work for a government agency that aligns with her passion for science, service, and engagement.

Are your webinars recorded?: Yes, a link to the recorded webinar will be provided to all registrants after the event.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: U.S. Eastern Region Climate Services

Remote Access: DOT Climate and Transportation Resilience

Sponsor(s): NOAA's Eastern Region Climate Services Webinar Series

Presenter(s):
Samantha Borisoff, Climatologist with the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University; and Matt Rosencrans, NOAA/NWS/Climate Prediction Center


Sponsor(s): NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service / National Centers for Environmental Information / Regional Climate Services.

Seminar Contact(s): Ellen Mecray

Location: Webinar

Remote Access: Please register here. After registering, you will get a confirmation email with a link to the webinar. Audio is over the computer, so adjust the volume on your computer speakers or headset. Users should use either Google, IE or Edge on Windows, or Safari if using a Mac. Questions will be addressed in the chat and the Q/A windows.

Abstract: The webinar will feature a recap of August conditions and Matt Rosencrans will offer an update on the 2024 US Atlantic Hurricane season.

Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: If interested in obtaining a PDF of the slides and/or the recording, see the Northeast Regional Climate Center.

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your comments and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: NOAA Fisheries research geared towards climate-ready fisheries management in the northeast U.S.

Presenter(s): Vincent Saba, NOAA NEFSC

Sponsor(s): U.S. Climate-Fisheries Seminar Series; coordinator is
Vincent.Saba@noaa.gov Location: Webinar

Remote Access: TBD

Abstract: TBD

Bio(s): TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the One NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information.

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: U.S. Surgeon General's Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing: A NOAA PerspectiveNOAA Library SeminarsModerators: Alexandra Brown, NOAA Wellness Program Coordinator; and Kaitlyn Shaw, Mindful NOAA Co-program manager

Panelists:

• Mia Infante, Communications Specialist, NESDIS Chief of Staff Office
• Nicole Fernandes, Policy Analyst, NOAA's National Ocean Service Policy and Constituent Affairs Office
  
• Brittany Struck, Natural Resource Management Specialist Panelist
• Andrelyn, C. Moore, Diversity Equity Inclusion & Accessibility Specialist, NOAA's Office of Inclusion and Civil Rights (OICR)
• Sudhir Raj Shrestha, Technical Manager for NWS Office of Water Prediction (OWP) Web and Data Services(WDS) program

Sponsor(s): NOAA Library



Seminar Contact(s): NOAA Library Seminars (library.seminars@noaa.gov);

Remote Access: https://vimeo.com/event/4443056


Accessibility: Captions are available during the live presentation and once uploaded to the NOAA Library YouTube Channel automatic captions are added. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.

Abstract: Video premier of NOAA employee's perspective on the Surgeon General's Framework for Mental Health and Wellbeing followed by a panel discussion with participants on implementation of the framework at NOAA. Event will be hosted by Wellness Program Coordinator, Allie Brown and Mindful NOAA Co-program manager, Kaitlyn Shaw.

Keywords: Wellness, Wellbeing, Mental Health

Bio(s): See speaker bios on website: https://libguides.library.noaa.gov/seminars/upcoming

Recordings: Recordings will be shared 24 hours after the event on the NOAA Central Library YouTube channel.


Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an e-mail to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information. We welcome your suggestions and ideas!

NOAA Science Seminar Series

Title: Environmental Drivers of Poor Fish Recruitment in the South Atlantic

Presenter(s): Ana Vaz, NOAA/NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC)

Sponsor(s): U.S. Climate-Fisheries Seminar Series; coordinator is Vincent.Saba@noaa.gov Location: Webinar

Remote Access: TBD

Abstract: TBD

Bio(s): TBD

Subscribe to the NOAA Science Seminar Series weekly e-mail: Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the One NOAA Science Seminar Series website for more information.