Gathering at AGU 2023
CPAESS Communication Specialist Rachel Gulbraa who works with NOAA’s Ocean Exploration explains the varied important work that the Okeanos performs during each expedition.
From December 11-15, 2023 the annual American Geophysical Union (AGU) convened in San Francisco, California. CPAESS staff were ready to make the most of this renowned opportunity by meeting with each other and presenting their work at the conference with 27,934 registered attendees from over 100 countries (Source).
The weekend prior to AGU, our partner NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration provided tours of their ship the Okeanos to the registered public. On this fascinating tour, they explained the many cooperative efforts that NOAA engaged in to optimally utilize this only federally funded vessel used exclusively for ocean exploration including the use of remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) to collect data, the execution of sea-floor mapping, cooperative marine archeological research, and numerous biological and ocean life exploration and observation on the vessel. CPAESS is proud to have eleven staff members working with NOAA’s Ocean Exploration as well as partnering with them on the NOAA Explorers-In-Training program. It was a thrill to meet with our NOAA colleagues and the ship that is so often integral to their work.
While the Okeanos was docked outside San Francisco’s Exploratorium Museum, CPAESS Communication Specialist Rachel Gulbraa who works with NOAA Ocean Exploration, gave a talk inside the museum about what happens on the ship and the nature of its ocean exploration work. Her talk was well attended and was included in Local News Matters - Bay Area coverage of the tour, her talk, and the tabling event at the Exploratorium. This unique work aboard the Okeanos is truly fascinating and uniquely valuable. For example, the mapping executed by the ship is critical as only 50% of the seafloor near the United States has been mapped. Worldwide the figure is only 25%.
CPAESS Researcher Peijin Zhang, NASA Jack Eddy Fellow enjoys breakfast and a friendly chat with UCAR President Tony Busalacchi and NCAR ASP Fellow Osamu Miyawaki.
During AGU, CPAESS staff gave seventeen different oral presentations and poster sessions. Some of our staff were also able to attend the UCAR | NCAR Presenters Breakfast on Tuesday morning including our NASA Jack Eddy Fellow Peijin Zhang. It was a great opportunity for CPAESS staff, who are located all across the United States to meet with their UCAR and NCAR colleagues and leaders.
CPAESS took advantage of this conference gathering many of our staff together to hold two different luncheons with our postdoctoral fellows and alumni. On Tuesday, CPAESS Event Planning Lead Maggie Costley arranged a delicious and informative luncheon at Marlowe's for our NOAA Climate and Global Change postdoctoral fellows and alumni. CPAESS Deputy Director Cindy Bruyère opened the luncheon up and we had with NOAA Climate Program Office Deputy Director Dr. Ben DeAngelo and Dr. Alicia Karspeck of [C]Worthy as guest speakers. We packed the restaurant and it was an excellent opportunity for current and past fellows to meet each other and network with NOAA and UCAR leadership.
On Thursday, another luncheon for the NASA Jack Eddy Postdoctoral Fellowship was held for alums and current fellows. In addition to our Madhulika “Lika” Guhathakurta, Senior Advisor at NASA Heliophysics; Simon Plunkett, NASA Program Scientist; John McCormack, NASA Program Scientist; and Bill Kuo, UCAR Community Programs Director numerous students and alumni were able to chat with each other, share their research, and learn about upcoming opportunities.
Dr. Bill Kuo and Dr. Cindy Bruyère gather with remaining NASA Jack Eddy fellows and alumni after the luncheon at AGU.
CPAESS staff Kate Rodd and Dawn Mullally shared the numerous educational opportunities we offer for students at the UCAR NCAR table. Additionally, Dr. Nicholas Gross gave heliophysics demonstrations with silly putty at the booth to illustrate the importance of this important emerging field and our NASA Heliophysics Summer School. We tried to meet as many staff people as possible to appreciate and learn about their studies, and you are a truly impressive lot. We look forward to seeing many of you at AMS and the AGU Ocean Sciences.
CPAESS Deputy Director Cindy Bruyère, NOAA Climate and Global Change Fellows Jhordanne Jones and Aaron Potkay, and CPAESS Program Specialist Kate Rodd at the UCAR NCAR Booth.
