The NOAA Science
Seminar Series began in 2004 and is a voluntary effort by
over 70 NOAA seminar coordinators to integrate and distribute a list of
NOAA-hosted, publicly accessible science seminars. In 2020
we shared listings for over 500 seminars!
All NOAA Program Offices are welcome to share their hosted science-related
seminars as part of the NOAA Science Seminar Series effort.
To become a seminar calendar contributor, e-mail Hernan Garcia.
Once you are approved as a contributor to the calendar, you are able to add
& update seminars on the calendar. We use the data from this Google calendar to populate the
listings for both e-mails and the seminars page.
We ask seminar contributors to follow our formatting and content guidelines,
which helps us keep the seminar listings consistent across all our contributors.
Abstract: The new topical resource collections that include NOAA videos, lesson plans, webinars, web stories, virtual reality, and much more are a great one-stop-shop for educators interested in topics, such as climate change, ocean acidification, ocean sound and the impact of noise. This webinar will dig into the collections for coral reefs and kelp forest ecosystems so that you can start using these educational materials right away to bring the ocean into your classroom or facility.
Dr. Reagan M. Errera, Research Ecologist, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; Dr. Richard Stumpf, Oceanographer, NOAA National Ocean Service
Title: NOAA One Health Pre-Summit Webinar -- Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes NOAA One Health Pre-Summit Webinar Series
Presenter(s): Dr. Reagan M. Errera, Research Ecologist, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory; Dr. Richard Stumpf, Oceanographer, NOAA National Ocean Service
Sponsor(s): NOAA One Health and NOAA's Regional Collaboration Network
Remote Access: Please Register at:https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8845304295478442845 After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. For your awareness, this webinar will be recorded and shared online.
Abstract: In preparation for the NOAA One Health Summit (August 15-16 in Washington DC) we're hosting a webinar series to highlight specific health work being done in each of eight NOAA regions. The fourth webinar, which will be held on June 6 @ Noon ET / 9am PT / 6am HT, features NOAA experts discussing the health impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms in the Great Lakes.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Recordings or other materials will be available after the seminar.
Remote Access: Connect with Google Meet meet.google.com/kti-ktaw-nes, Phone Numbers (US)+1414-856-5982 PIN: 248 179#
Abstract: As unstructured tidal models are becoming increasingly capable of resolving both global and coastal scales, the inclusion of self attraction and loading (SAL) effects is essential for accurate solutions. SAL effects can be considered by three primary practical approaches: a simplified scalar approximation, using SAL terms from other models, or by "online" approaches involving a spherical harmonic transformation (SHT) of the computed mass anomaly. Recently, an online SAL calculation for the MPAS-Ocean model has been evaluated and shown to significantly improve accuracy over a simplified scalar approximation for SAL. For unstructured models, however, a performant online calculation of SAL is complicated by a lack of support for unstructured meshes and distributed parallelism in existing libraries for calculating SHTs. In this talk, we present a parallel methodology for computing SAL effects that increases the efficiency and accuracy of unstructured tidal models. This approach allows for self-consistent global SAL effects to be included within models that also provide high-resolution in coastal regions.
Title: Leveraging satellite observations for freshwater monitoring on Cape Cod
Presenter(s): Megan Coffer, GST
Abstract: Secchi disk depth was evaluated for nearly 400 freshwater ponds across Cape Cod, Massachusetts, using Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. A random forest model was generated to predict satellite-estimated Secchi disk depth based on field-measured Secchi disk depth. Then, a time series of Secchi disk depth was generated for nearly 400 ponds across the Cape using satellite observations. Results indicated that Secchi disk depth changed significantly in 16 ponds across the Cape, with all but one pond indicating decreased water clarity conditions. This project directly fulfills a stakeholder request made by the Cape Cod Commission to improve their spatial and temporal capacity for monitoring water quality across the Cape.
Abstract: Phytoplankton size distributions are a powerful predictor of long-term marine food webs and fisheries health. A lesser-considered impact of global climate change on phytoplankton is how ocean warming and acidification will increase their susceptibility to pathogens such as marine fungi. Our research investigates the diversity, rates, and specificity of marine fungi predating near-shore phytoplankton, using a mesocosm experiment. With a multi-'omics approach, we are testing prediction that global change will decrease the specificity of interactions while increasing infection rates. We hope to incorporate our results into predictive models supporting proactive ecosystem-based management.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: A recording will be available after 24 hours by contacting kate.taylor@noaa.gov.
Accessibility: Captions are added to the recordings of presentations once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.Summary: Many stock assessments assume and model a well-mixed population although fish populations experience spatially varying mortality and population dynamics. Atlantic Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) are currently assessed as a single Atlantic Coast stock from Maine to North Carolina, although the population is known to be comprised of several biologically distinct stocks and has experienced increased disease prevalence and mortality in the Chesapeake Bay. This talk will focus on the on-going development of a spatially explicit statistical catch-at-age model to estimate abundance and mortality rates of Striped Bass in the Chesapeake Bay and along the Atlantic coast.Keywords: Spatial Stock Assessment, Atlantic Striped Bass, Chesapeake Bay
Bio(s): Samara Nehemiah is a Ph.D. student at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory working on developing new statistical methods to estimate abundance of fishes in the Chesapeake Bay. She is a current NMFS-Sea Grant Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Fellow, working with mentor, Dr. Amy Schuller (Southeast Fisheries Science Center)
Dr. Leila J. Hamdan, University of Southern Mississippi, Associate Vice President Research, Coastal Operations and Professor " School of Ocean Science and Engineering
Title: How shipwrecks shape microbial biodiversity of the deep-sea (and why it matters)NOAA Central Library Seminars
Presenter(s): Dr. Leila J. Hamdan, University of Southern Mississippi, Associate Vice President Research, Coastal Operations and Professor " School of Ocean Science and Engineering
Sponsor(s): NOAA Central Library and NOAA Ocean ExplorationSeminar Contacts: library.seminars@noaa.govLocation: Webinar
Accessibility: Captions are added to the recordings of presentations once uploaded to the NOAA Central Library YouTube Channel. Sign language interpreting services and closed captioning are available, but need to be requested at least 5 days before the event.Summary: Artificial features including shipwrecks and energy infrastructure shape the biogeographic patterns of macro-organisms in shelf and slope environments; how they influence microorganisms is unclear. Historic shipwrecks are abundant, isolated habitats with global distribution, providing a means to explore contemporary processes shaping marine biogeography. Shipwrecks may function as islands of biodiversity for microbiomes, creating a patchwork of habitats with influence radiating out into the seabed. This presentation will provide case studies of the impact that built structures in the Gulf of Mexico have on microbiome richness and diversity in the surrounding environment. The presentation will also provide evidence of an island effect on seabed microbiomes and the emergence of ecological transition zones where built habitats meet the surrounding environment. The goal of this work is to provide new information on how the built environment shapes microscopic life on the seabed.Keywords: Shipwrecks, deep-sea, microbiology
Bio(s): Dr. Leila J. Hamdan serves as the Associate Vice President for Research, Coastal Operations and as Acting Director of the School of Ocean Science and Engineering at the University of Southern Mississippi. She is also a Professor of Marine Microbial Ecology. She received her BS in Biology from Rowan University of New Jersey, and a MS and PhD from George Mason University in Virginia. Prior to joining USM, she was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Associate, a Research Microbial Ecologist in the Marine Biogeochemistry Section at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. Dr. Hamdan's research centers on biogeography and exploring natural and built features in the deep sea. She received the National Oceanographic Partnership Program's Excellence in Partnering Award in 2017 for leadership of a team of natural and social scientists on a study of the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon Spill on historic shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico. She is currently the President of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation, USM Principal Investigator for the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute and lead for the future NSF research vessel Gilbert R. Mason.
Title: Juvenile snow crab habitat and response to warming in the Chukchi Sea Part of NOAA EcoFOCI Seminar Series
Presenter(s): Daniel Cooper, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center
Sponsor(s): This seminar is part of NOAA's EcoFOCI bi-annual seminar series focused on the ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea and U.S. Arctic to improve understanding of ecosystem dynamics and applications of that understanding to the management of living marine resources. Since Oct 21, 1986, the seminar has provided an opportunity for research scientists and practitioners to meet, present, develop their ideas and provoke conversations on subjects pertaining to fisheries-oceanography or regional issues in Alaska's marine ecosystems, including the US Arctic.
Abstract: Juvenile snow crab habitat in the Chukchi Sea was studied during a period of ocean warming. During a cold year early in study, most juvenile crab of all sizes inhabited cold (<2C) areas. In later years, the smallest size classes were restricted to cold areas, or were effectively absent, and larger juveniles were present in warmer areas. Juvenile snow crab could be impacted by the recent reduction in habitat with cold summer bottom temperature in the Chukchi Sea (and Bering Sea).
Bio(s): Dan Cooper is a Research Fisheries Biologist at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center who studies juvenile fish.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Presentation slides may be requested directly from the speaker. This presentation may be recorded and if so, available on the NOAA PMEL YouTube Channel.
Bio(s): Geoff has spent 15 years developing novel unmanned maritime craft. To date he has commissioned over 40 unique unmanned systems for multiple mission sets to customers worldwide. Geoff co-founded Mythos AI with senior developers from the silicon valley self-driving car industry with the goal of becoming the world leader in marine autonomy . Mythos AI's technology aims to scale the domain while driving it towards a sustainable future. The company is developing self-driving and automated workflows for vessels in the busiest inland waterways. They create critical digital twins of approaches, turning basins, and berths while simultaneously training autonomy in congested port environments. The company has a vision of turning global shipping into something that operates more like a conveyor belt of commodities moving around the globe then the process it is today.
Abstract: Mythos AI has revolutionized the multibeam acquisition process by introducing groundbreaking automation that will reshape the industry in a truly innovative and disruptive manner. By developing vessel autonomy designed specifically for the task of multibeam surveying Mythos AI's technology removes challenges and barriers associated with high fidelity bathymetric data acquisition.
In this presentation we will discuss how Mythos AI's technology is dramatically increasing survey productivity in congested waterways and how it will evolve into a push button, trusted, single source for bathymetric data across agencies.
Title: Florida Deep-water Mapping Prioritization - How to use the online tool
Presenter(s): Cathleen Yung, Geospatial Coordinator, Seasketch & Spatial Priorities, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping; and Cheryl Hapke, Ph.D., Research Professor, Coastal Geology, University of South Florida.
Abstract: FCMaP is presenting this instructional webinar on how to use the prioritization tool for seafloor mapping between 20 - 200m. Participants will be given access to an online tool to provide input on where, when, and why seafloor data are needed. The prioritization will be discussed at the mid-year forum and a final product available to the public on the FCMaP Hub.
Bio(s): Cathleen Yung, Geospatial Coordinator, Seasketch & Spatial Priorities, NOAA Office of Coast Survey, Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping. Cheryl Hapke, Ph.D., Research Professor, Coastal Geology, University of South Florida
Will Fennie, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center; and Al Hermann, NOAA Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, & Ecosystem Studies at the University of Washington
Title: How oceanographic conditions shape early rockfish survival in the California Current and plans to translate this work to pollock in the Gulf of Alaska and Biogoechemical modeling of the Northeast Pacific; past, present, and future resources for fisheries oceanography Part of NOAA EcoFOCI Seminar Series
Presenter(s): Will Fennie, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center; and Al Hermann, NOAA Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, & Ecosystem Studies at the University of Washington
Sponsor(s): This seminar is part of NOAA's EcoFOCI bi-annual seminar series focused on the ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea and U.S. Arctic to improve understanding of ecosystem dynamics and applications of that understanding to the management of living marine resources. Since Oct 21, 1986, the seminar has provided an opportunity for research scientists and practitioners to meet, present, develop their ideas and provoke conversations on subjects pertaining to fisheries-oceanography or regional issues in Alaska's marine ecosystems, including the US Arctic.
Abstract: This seminar will discuss modeling and observational tools employed in the EcoFOCI program including techniques from the California Current system to study how ocean conditions experienced in early life affect fish species growth and survival and a brief history of our modeling activities, the present status of model products, how we serve these to the public, and our plans for the future. Over several decades at the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory we have applied numerical models to infer past, present and future states of these regional oceans and their biota. These estimates are provided to fisheries scientists to help identify local biophysical dynamics, and to managers to help develop effective management strategies in the face of short- and long-term environmental changes. As global warming generates extreme ocean conditions (i.e., marine heatwaves) we can gain insight into how larval fish growth and mortality will change in warmer conditions. The California Current Large Marine Ecosystem experienced anomalous ocean warming from 2014 to 2016, creating novel conditions. Otolith microstructure of juveniles of the economically and ecologically important black rockfish (Sebastes melanops) collected from 2013 to 2019 were examined to quantify the implications of changing ocean conditions on early growth and survival.
Bio(s):Will Fennie is a research oceanographer in the EcoFOCI group at the NOAA AFSC. Will's work uses otolith microstructure analysis to understand how oceanographic conditions during early life affect larval and juvenile fish growth and survival. Al Hermann collaborates with physical oceanographers, biologists and chemists on numerical models of the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and Pacific Northwest as part of the EcoFOCI group at NOAA PMEL. Increasingly this work is focused on model-based regional downscaling of anticipated global climate change. Related work centers on 3D visualization of physical and biological model output; this includes individual-based models of fish.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Presentation slides may be requested directly from the speaker. This presentation may be recorded and if so, available on the NOAA PMEL YouTube Channel.
Abstract: In an effort to address key capability gaps, the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) has established a Wildland Fire Program focused on impactful service delivery. NESDIS Wildland Fire Program projects, aimed at addressing critical active fire capability gaps, are underway, with product and service demonstrations expected to begin by July 2023. The improved products are generated using the Next Generation Fire System (NGFS), which consists of a sensor agnostic (applicable to geostationary or low earth orbit satellites) active fire algorithm and higher order capabilities, including alerting, incident situational awareness tools that are highly tolerant of cloud cover, and an event-based data model that combines time-resolved satellite fire detections with complementary geospatial data layers. Terrain corrected GOES-R ABI imagery and fire detections have also been developed. In addition, a lightning prediction model, customized for incident management, is under development. With Alaska wildland fire applications in mind, this presentation will introduce the NESDIS Wildland Fire Program, highlight product development and demonstration activities, and facilitate continued dialogue with stakeholders.
Bio(s): Mike Pavolonis serves as the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Wildland Fire Program Manager. His responsibilities include NOAA-wide and interagency coordination and implementation of new initiatives aimed at delivering impactful products and services for wildland fire applications. For the last 17 years, Mike has worked for the NOAA/NESDIS Center for Satellite Applications and Research, where he also serves as the Aviation Science Team lead. Mike has over 20 years of experience developing novel satellite products and holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from the University of Wisconsin " Madison. He also obtained a B.S. in Meteorology from the Pennsylvania State University.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Slides, links shared during the presentation, and a recording may be found after the meeting at the URL listed above.
Title: Career Pathways to Collaborative Science Success
Presenter(s):
Julie Gonzalez, PhD Candidate, University of California - Davis
Chris Peter, Research Coordinator, Great Bay NERR
Kelly Darnell, Interim Director, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
Caitlin Young, Science Coordinator, NOAA RESTORE Science Program
Doug George, NERRS Science Collaborative Program Manager, NOAA Office for Coastal Management
Sponsor(s): This webinar is co-sponsored by the NERRS Science Collaborative and NOAA RESTORE Seminar Contacts: Doug George (douglas.george@noaa.gov) or Nick Soberal (nsoberal@umich.edu) Location: Webinar
Abstract: Curious about collaborative science but unsure how to get started? Maybe you're an early career scientist and you're worried that collaborative science goals won't align with the metrics and rewards of the academic tenure-track system. Or maybe you're a resource manager or steward who is intrigued about the advantages of a collaborative approach but you're not sure how it could fit into your work.No matter your career track or level of experience, we believe collaborative science should be accessible and that there are countless entry points and pathways to success. If you are - or are working with - someone wondering how to get started doing collaborative science, this webinar is for you. Hear from collaborative science practitioners at different moments in their careers to discuss what it takes to do collaborative science, how it's different, and why it makes a difference. Collaborative Science Conversations The NOAA RESTORE Science and NERRS Science Collaborative programs are back at it, teaming up to bring you the voices of project teams from the field through our Collaborative Conversations webinar series. These sessions dig into the unique value of collaborative science, what it feels like in practice, and tips and strategies for success.
Bio(s): Please visit here for more information about the webinar.Subscribe to the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series 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!
Abstract: We will review recent and current climate conditions around Alaska, discuss some forecast tools, and finish up with the Climate Prediction Center's forecast for July 2023 and the summer 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.
Remote Access: Connect with Google Meet meet.google.com/kti-ktaw-nes, PhoneNumbers (US)+1414-856-5982 PIN: 248 179#
Abstract: We use salinity observations from drifters and moorings at the Quinault River mouth to investigate mixing and stratification in a surf-zone-trapped river plume. We quantify mixing based on the rate of change of salinity DS/Dt in the drifters' quasi-Lagrangian reference frame and estimate a constant value of the vertical eddy diffusivity of salt of Kz = (2.2 0.6) - 10'3 m2 s'1, based on the relationship between vertically integrated DS/Dt and stratification, with values as high as 1 - 10'2 m2 s'1 when stratification is low. Mixing, quantified as DS/Dt, is directly correlated to surf-zone stratification, and is therefore modulated by changes in stratification caused by tidal variability in freshwater volume flux. High DS/Dt is observed when the near-surface stratification is high and salinity gradients are collocated with wave-breaking turbulence. We observe a transition from low stratification and low DS/Dt at low tidal stage to high stratification and high DS/Dt at high tidal stage. Observed wave-breaking turbulence does not change significantly with stratification, tidal stage, or offshore wave height; as a result, we observe no relationship between plume mixing and offshore wave height for the range of conditions sampled. Thus, plume mixing in the surf zone is altered by changes in stratification; these are due to tidal variability in freshwater flux from the river and not wave conditions, presumably because depth-limited wave breaking causes sufficient turbulence for mixing to occur during all observed conditions. This has implications for predicting the transport of pollutants, nutrients, and sediment delivered to the coastal ocean by small rivers.
Title: Net Community Production rates by O2/N2 gas ratios at M2 in the Southeastern Bering Sea and The changing southeastern Bering Sea: 29 years at M2 Part of NOAA EcoFOCI Seminar Series
Presenter(s): Haley Cynar, PhD Student, Oregon State University and Phyllis Stabeno, Ph.D., NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory
Sponsor(s): This seminar is part of NOAA's EcoFOCI bi-annual seminar series focused on the ecosystems of the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea and U.S. Arctic to improve understanding of ecosystem dynamics and applications of that understanding to the management of living marine resources. Since Oct 21, 1986, the seminar has provided an opportunity for research scientists and practitioners to meet, present, develop their ideas and provoke conversations on subjects pertaining to fisheries-oceanography or regional issues in Alaska's marine ecosystems, including the US Arctic.
Abstract: We will describe the changing conditions in the southeastern Bering Sea and estimates of ocean productivity from moored instruments at NOAA site M2. The biophysical mooring at M2 has marked the changes in the Bering Sea for 29 years. Patterns of primary productivity in the Bering Sea, which typically consist of a spring bloom, intermittent summer production, and a possible fall bloom are of importance to the ecosystem and fisheries in the region that depend on this influx of organic material. An important productivity metric, net community production (NCP) is considered to be an estimate of the maximum organic carbon available to be exported out of the surface ocean, with implications for the ecosystem, fisheries, carbon budgets, and climate modeling. NCP rates were estimated based on the oxygen/nitrogen (O2/N2) ratio from instruments deployed on the M2 mooring in the Southeastern Bering Sea in 2021, and will be discussed here in concert with productivity estimates from other methods and co-located sensors. The biophysical mooring at M2 has marked the changes in Bering Sea for 29 years.
Bio(s): Haley Cynar is a PhD student at Oregon State University in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, with a concentration in Ocean Ecology and Biogeochemistry. Her research focuses on measures of ocean productivity using dissolved gases and isotopes as tracers of biological productivity. Phyllis Stabeno is a physical oceanographer at Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. She conducts research into the impacts of climate change on high-latitude marine ecosystems.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: Presentation slides may be requested directly from the speaker. This presentation may be recorded and if so, available on the NOAA PMEL YouTube Channel.
Samantha Borisoff, Climatologist with the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University; and Janice Barnes, Principal at Climate Adaptation Partners
Remote Access: Heat Season Preparedness and City Pilots
Sponsor(s): NOAA's Eastern Region Climate Services Webinar Series
Presenter(s): Samantha Borisoff, Climatologist with the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell University; Janice Barnes, Principal at Climate Adaptation Partners
Sponsor(s): NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service/National Centers for Environmental Information/Regional Climate Services.
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 June conditions and Janice Barnes will lead our focus on heat season preparedness with a focus on the climate and equity heat pilots conducted around the US.
Slides, Recordings, Other Materials: If interested in obtaining a PDF of the slides and/or the recording, see the Northeast Regional Climate Center.
Abstract: Mapping of the ocean floor has been identified as an international grand challenge because no existing technology offers both high-resolution and fast coverage rate. Meter-scale resolution seafloor maps, necessary for applications such as search and resource exploration, are obtained by sending sensors deep into the ocean " a slow and difficult approach to mapping large areas. Low-frequency sonar can propagate across the long distances underwater potentially providing fast coverage, but diffraction and ship size constraints limit the attainable resolution. A novel future mapping capability could deploy a small fleet of USVs to create a sparse array ten to a hundred times larger than existing, fixed hull-mounted arrays. The larger effective array produces a narrower beam enabling higher resolution maps at deeper depths. To demonstrate that this is feasible, our team conducted a series of risk reduction efforts culminating in the deployment of a rigid sparse aperture sonar array (8 m - 8 m) in Cape Cod Bay.