January 2021 marks the beginning of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021 – 2030). The goal of the Decade is to unite ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework to ensure sustainable use of ocean resources and reverse the cycle of decline in long-term ocean health. In a two-day virtual event, on February 3 and 4, the US National Committee for the Ocean Decade, chaired by MTS member Larry Mayer and vice chaired by MTS Past-President Rick Spinrad, kicked off the US activities by fostering engagement, dialog, and ideation around transformative research efforts. Over 800 individuals attended and more than eighty transformative concepts called “Ocean-Shots” were presented to address the challenges of the Decade.