1. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 July 2005 Workshop Report M. Richard DeVoe

2. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Observations and Data Transmission Current State Transition Actions Desired Future State (1 yr) Transition Actions Desired Future State (3-5 yrs) Operations  Autonomous systems running quasi-independently  Most systems research oriented and marginally “operational”  Initiate observation asset inventory  Characterize existing observation procedures/protocols  Define./instantiate obs-related testbed activities  Generate Operations Plan for confederated obs. system  Existing obs resources/assets inventoried  Focused testbeds addressing key obs-related applications/constraints  Preliminary Obs operations plan in place  Generate Operations plan for integrated observation system  Generate Observation Metrics Plan  Develop SLAs commensurate with support and expected use  Complete engineering trades  Optimized Obs operation strategy in place  Cost/benefit metrics routinely collected  Each assets works within a reasonable Service Level Agreement Infrastructure  Large number of assets in place, but not effectively managed from an enterprise perspective  Low bandwidth connections to instrumentation  Generate Preliminary Development Plan for coordinating/evolving federated obs assets  Set up effective cross-system linkages  All obs assets inventoried and managed  Coordinated regional approach for obs procurement/maintenance  Clear link between required obs infrastructure and desired end use  Develop Enterprise Obs Plan that response to desired architecture and leverages economies of scale  Optimized observations infrastructure in place Relationships and Procedures  Governance process still in development  Roles and responsibilities between stakeholders not well defined  Obs protocols not standardized  Ratify TOR  Use TOR to set up long-term governance structure  Articulate obs roles ands resp  Generate 5-year Strategic Plan  Generate work plan for this year  Set up committee to oversee certification process  Collect lesson learned from other RAs  Effective governance mechanism in place  Certification effort underway  5 year Strategic Plan in development with section on Obs/Data Trans.  Viable annual work plan in place  Effective liaisons in place with other RAs and relevant groups  Generate an RA obs development plan consistent with top-down and bottom-up drivers  Generate SECOOR obs protocol  Fully certified RA  SECOORA recognized as intellectual leader in RA development in obs coordination Resources  High dependency on earmarks  Limited coordination between projects  Sustainment activities in infancy  Generate viable Business Plan for obs sustainment  Generate viable Value proposition  Generate plan to diversify funding sources for obs sustainment  Generate and execute tactical plans for ob sustainment consistent with the overall business strategy  SECOORA can effective compete for grants, RFP, other opportunities related to obs sustainment  There is significant local and private sector investment in obs sustainment

3. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Observations and Data Transmission  Operations  Intra-regional coordination of data collection, formatting and QA/QC  Infrastructure  Inventory of assets, personnel, and redundancy  Prioritization of infrastructure replacement  Expansion plans  Relationships  Greater coordination among all partners and activities  Resources  Transfer of certain products to operational agencies  Define requirements and funding levels  Operations  Intra-regional coordination of data collection, formatting and QA/QC  Infrastructure  Inventory of assets, personnel, and redundancy  Prioritization of infrastructure replacement  Expansion plans  Relationships  Greater coordination among all partners and activities  Resources  Transfer of certain products to operational agencies  Define requirements and funding levels

4. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Data Management and Communications Current State Transition Actions Desired Future State (1 yr) Transition Actions Desired Future State (3-5 yrs) Operations  No international standard set  SEACOOS DMAC has standards and protocols  Rudimentary Equipment Inventory and Data Flow Monitor available from SEACOOS  Develop training materials and standards for interoperability  Expand Equipment Inventory beyond SEACOOS to broader SECOORA membership  Develop Ocean Data Partnership  Train membership to data standard for interoperability  Interactive Equipment Inventory on Web  Ocean Data Partnership accepted  Develop an Interactive Product Inventory  Maintain Equipment Inventory  Continually merge standards within RAs  Seek active participation in Ocean Data Partnership  International Data Standards in place with stakeholder and federal acceptance of data formats  Maintained Product Inventory, descriptions and portals  Training and business plan complete  Ocean Data Partnership transitioned to SECOORA governance  Infrastructure  Current Inventories incomplete across all levels  Wide range of usability across region, with different disciplines supported  No system engineering approach  Coordinate Inventories  Focus on disciplines most needed by stakeholders  Establish a System Engineering Approach  Inventory Coordination started  System Engineering Plan in place  Coordinate regional portals and and leverage IT infrastructure  Use SYSENG approach to coordinate and build enterprise  Inter-operative Enterprise in place maximizing regional assets Relationships and Procedures  Governance process still in development  Roles and responsibilities between stakeholders not well defined  No SECOORA Brand Identity  Use TOR/governance to set up long-term DMAC structure  Articulate DMAC roles ands resp  Generate 5-year Strategic Plan  Set up committee to oversee DMAC strategy  Collect lesson learned from other RAs  Effective governance mechanism in place  5 year Strategic Plan in development with section on DMAC  Viable annual work plan in place  Committee in place  Effective liaisons in place with other RAs and relevant groups  Host a number of stakeholder workshops with academia, govt and industry  Develop plan for multilingual products  Modify strategic plan based on stakeholdeer/membership needs assessment  SECOORA recognized as intellectual leader in RA development DMAC Resources  High dependency on earmarks  Limited coordination between projects  Very little coordination beyond SEACOOS for intra- region DMAC  Generate viable Business Plan DMAC  Stabilize funding sources by reaching out to other funding sources; Insurance, fisheries, local/federal government  Generate viable Value proposition  Generate plan to diversify funding sources DMAC sustainment  Generate and execute tactical plans for DMAC sustainment consistent with the overall business strategy  SECOORA can effectively compete for grants, RFP, other opportunities related to DMAC sustainment  There is significant local and private sector investment in DMAC sustainment

5. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Data Management and Communications  Operations  Identify and adopt international standard  Greater degree of buy-in  Involve additional players  Infrastructure  Apply a systems-engineering approach to tie users together  Relationships  Greater “brand” identity  Closer involvement with IOOS  Resources  SECOORA as clearing house for info on technologies, DM, and funding opportunities  Organize and inform user groups  Operations  Identify and adopt international standard  Greater degree of buy-in  Involve additional players  Infrastructure  Apply a systems-engineering approach to tie users together  Relationships  Greater “brand” identity  Closer involvement with IOOS  Resources  SECOORA as clearing house for info on technologies, DM, and funding opportunities  Organize and inform user groups

6. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Data Analysis and Products Current State Transition Actions Desired Future State (1 yr) Transition Actions Desired Future State (3-5 yrs) Operations  Need more participation from Private Sector  Sub-regional products not coordinated between agencies  Regional website not operational  Need consistent QA/QC model  Push for more Private Sector Involvement  Develop Regional Website that incorporates all sub- regional efforts.  Website should provide data archive, links to products/tools for Ecosystem mgt and climo  Develop QA/QC model  Increase in Private Sector Involvement  DMAC workshop held to address current shortfalls  New Regional Website that “operationalizes” SECOORA products  QA/QC model developed  Empower Oversight Committee to develop requirements for Product posted to web  Continue to foster more membership  Develop “one stop shop” portal for Regional Products  QA/QC model in place  Regional Website in place which provides data and product portal to “controlled” data in a professional website  Data is archived  Products heavily used and with feedback loop Infrastructure  Need more emphasis on IT Coordination  Separate sub-regional efforts in place  Independent use of assets  Need more database mgt coordination between assets  Develop a regional plan for IT Infrastructure and sharing of assets  Develop a web calendar showing cruise skeds to allow for piggybacking  Develop plan for system redundancy  Develop regional Equipment Inventory  Regional Plan for IT Infrastructure in place (RCOOS Design Doc)  Web Calendar in place for Cruise Sked  Equipment Inventory in place  Begin RCOOS Design Doc implementation  Sharing of assets/ship time beginning be implemented  Dynamic Equip Inventory in Place  RCOOS Design Doc in place  Assets successfully shared throughout region  Dynamic Equipment Inventory in place and used to manage Regional assets  System redundancy in place Relationships and Procedures  Governance process still in development  Roles and responsibilities between stakeholders not well defined  Strategy for incorporating all assets intra-Region and out- region, not in place  ID Success Stories  Hold workshops with willing users such as Fisheries and NWS to identify needed products  Define clear rules of engagement for various sectors  Increase coordination to have a unity of effort which may free funds  Develop 5 year Strat Plan  Success Stories posted on Website  5 year Strategic Plan in development with section on Data Analysis and Products  Viable annual work plan in place  Committee in place  Workshop scheduled and liaisons with other RA’s established  Generate Strategic plan consistent with top-down and bottom-up drivers  Committee in place for inter/intra-RA coordination for Data Analysis and Products  Clear relationships and procedures in place in which the RA operates with a unity of effort Resources  High dependency on earmarks  Limited coordination between projects  Sustainment activities in infancy  Personnel devoted to Regional Products limited  Generate viable Business Plan for Data Analysis and Products sustainment  Focus on developing on proof of concept product to demonstrate viability to resource managers  Stabilize funding sources by reaching out to other funding sources  Generate viable Value proposition  Greater coord between universities  Generate plan to diversify funding sources for Data Analysis and Products sustainment  Generate and execute tactical plans for Data Analysis and Products sustainment consistent with the overall business strategy  SECOORA can effective compete for grants, RFP, other opportunities related Data Analysis and Products sustainment  There is significant local and private sector investment in Product sustainment

7. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Data Analysis and Products  Operations  Enhance private sector involvement  Consistent QA/QC model  Web site development for product display  Infrastructure  Greater emphasis on IT and coordination  Relationships  General cooperation with federal agencies, educators, and private sector  ID product success stories  Resources  Focus product development on few regional products  Operations  Enhance private sector involvement  Consistent QA/QC model  Web site development for product display  Infrastructure  Greater emphasis on IT and coordination  Relationships  General cooperation with federal agencies, educators, and private sector  ID product success stories  Resources  Focus product development on few regional products

8. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Product Development and Marketing Current State Transition Actions Desired Future State (1 yr) Transition Actions Desired Future State (3-5 yrs) Operations  Need more input into SECOORA education products from private sector/maritime community  No/incomplete needs assessments of targeted user groups for OOS products/services  Limited teacher education programs  Respond to existing needs assessments as opposed to conducting more  Provide student opportunities to previously-unengaged schools  “Sponsor” peer-reviewed journals  Provide a regular column to national/regional newsletters  Identify innovative outreach methods  Develop Web components to allow K-16 educators to pull data and use them in curricula  Inventory regional O&E efforts and develop protocol for coordinating them  Fund public service announcements on tv/radio  Organize workshop tp inventory/prioritize ALL activities within SECOORA  Solicit private industry funds for low-income student scholarships for summer programs  Workforce training programs established with technical schools  Wide variety of users can pull information in a useful format at an appropriate level for each user  Scientists well versed in O&E tools/techniques to assist with products/services development Infrastructure  Poor educator/student interaction w/scientific community  Limited funding for staff/facilities  Need modern labs/instrumentation to teach scientific principles  Need no/low cost methods of reaching users to inform about programs and their usefulness  Establish mechanism to coordinate/best utilize O&E infrastructure across programs  Create a SECOORA brand for marketing materials  Provide outreach and education forums on the SECOORA Web site – keep separate  Engage civic organizations, museums, and aquaria in region  Identified funding sources to support infrastructure  SECOORA-funded competitive pilot project opportunities  Initiate design of museum- based education and outreach tools  Strategically-located educational kiosks  SECOORA member organizations cultivate private sector relationships  Provide online courses/resources for teachers and informal educators  Combine educational efforts among SECOORA members  Involvement in curriculum development to train workforce and build capacity  Support university projects  Coordinate educator workshops  Add infrastructure to classrooms to enhance education  Establish/support scholarship program (w/private sector?)  Displays in museums/aquaria across SECOORA region  Support Teacher-at-Sea program Relationships and Procedures  Building linkages w/”super users” leading to great outreach opportunities  Need sponsored workshops to bring together O&E professionals  Building linkages between subregional activities/systems  Participate in educational workshops in the region  Develop strategic plan with priorities  Subregional workshops to get local management community together with the COOS  Thematic workshops to coordinate regional/subregional outreach activities  In-reach at the regional and subregional levels  Organize sessions at educational and scientific conferences  Dedicated O&E team in each state  Develop media design services center  Identify long-term funding for building/maintaining relationships  Education programs all- inclusive of resource mgrs.  Support in-service training for educators/establish continuing education credits as incentive Resources  Limited resources to for Web development  Leveraging existing funds/programs to support regional outreach/educational efforts  Inventory funding needs of each existing O&E program  Inventory O&E programming services/products available  Have coordinators for themes (CZ mgmt, fisheries, etc.)  Data users engaged in all Web development initiatives  Focus groups to identify O&E needs  Centralized resources for regional O&E providers  Web-based resource sharing established  Develop reading list for teachers/students relevant to SECOORA mission  Develop curricula that could be bought by school districts  Develop “storytelling” concept  Allocate resources to provide internship/fellowship with SECOORA or RA partner  Long-term funding identified  Support O&E coordinator workshops to improve regional collaboration  Create virtual O&E network

9. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Product Development and Marketing  Operations  Many educational efforts in region; not able to reach all target users  Lack of financial commitment  Multi-state consistency in educational efforts  Infrastructure  Need SECOORA brand  Engage educational/technical training institutions  Relationships  Additional directed outreach at technical and non-technical functions  Resources  Funding  Operations  Many educational efforts in region; not able to reach all target users  Lack of financial commitment  Multi-state consistency in educational efforts  Infrastructure  Need SECOORA brand  Engage educational/technical training institutions  Relationships  Additional directed outreach at technical and non-technical functions  Resources  Funding

10. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Current State Transition Actions Desired Future State (1 yr) Transition Actions Desired Future State (3-5 yrs) Operations  Need national backbone coordination  Need additional observations (benthic/biological)  Enhanced user communications  Unclear what operational means  Establish robust offshore systems that can transition to operations  Coordinate experiment and model system design with the national backbone  Develop data modeling plans  Conduct gap analysis for measurements  Continued systems assessment  Short term demonstration  Improved regional coordination  Enhanced focus on coastal hazards  Biological observations  Observation technology assessment  Develop/test nowcast/forecast system  Coordinate data management at enterprise and regional levels  Further develop biological and chemical observations  Examine annual and interannual trends  Train next generation in development and operation of COOS technology  Operational nowcast/forecast system  Thorough data management  SECOORA-wide ecosystem analysis  Improved sensors and observations  Education (graduate degrees in operational oceanography) Infrastructure  Inventory of existing sensor capabilities  Inventory of communication infrastructure  Test/gain experience with sensors and offshore observing systems  Early quasi-operational capability models  Share capabilities and personnel  Develop cost estimates  Enhance benthic dynamics and habitats mapping  Develop sensor and computation testbeds  Improved sensor and observational technology development  Testbeds  Increased seafloor mapping Better dialogue and coordination  Improve technologies for HF radar, bio and water quality, metazoan detection, seafloor/seabed, air-sea, etc.  Continue development of acoustic arrays, biosensors, seafloor mapping  Acquires data and computers, and develop models for modeling center  Continue to enhance sensor and observational technology developments  Expanded geographic and data type coverage  Distributed modeling center to share resources (models, data, computers)  Improved coordination of build-out activities Relationships and Procedures  Poor communication in general (sub-region, region, between regions)  Little support for: fisheries, sediment transport, HF Radar tests, data management strategies  Developing communications between R-COOS and Federal Backbone  Coordinate and establish relationships with entities such as OMB, CEQ, ORION, etc.  Coordinate and establish relationships at the State and County levels, with Water Districts, etc.  Coordinate regional R&D efforts  Establish relationships with non-traditional funding sources  Links at national level  Links at local level  Regional-level R&D efforts  Increased funding from entities such as NIH, foundations, etc.  Expand/develop links with applied science and advanced materials academic sectors, Federal fisheries and EM contacts, and instrument manufacturers in the private sector  Improved regional-level R&D activities  Conduct R&D activities with other regions  Improved linkages with the academic sector, Federal agencies, and private industry  Significantly expanded and improved interoperability Resources  Continue RA and external coordination  Need external coordination  Resource needs are specific  Limited funding sources  Focus on model development, data coordination, grant applications, and national coordination  Seek out a stable funding source  Established regional resource coordination and Federal support  Peer review subregional assessments w/in RA  Concentrate on finding Federal resources  Share technical staff regionally  Establish central facility for regional obs systems  Identified sources of funding and other resources  Established R&D administration/staff  Observing system needs identified and met Research and Development

11. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 Research and Development  Operations  Need region-wide operational vision/systems assessment  Research on nowcast/forecast products  Infrastructure  Inventory existing technologies and user needs  Coordinated “centers” for modeling and observations  Relationships  Improve communications  Improve support for pilot projects  Resources  Simplify administration  Diversify funding sources  Operations  Need region-wide operational vision/systems assessment  Research on nowcast/forecast products  Infrastructure  Inventory existing technologies and user needs  Coordinated “centers” for modeling and observations  Relationships  Improve communications  Improve support for pilot projects  Resources  Simplify administration  Diversify funding sources

12. The SouthEast Coastal Ocean Observing SECOORA Workshop Regional Association (SECOORA) September 12-13, 2006 July 2005 Workshop Report M. Richard DeVoe