February 21, 2021

National Ocean Science Bowl Seeks Career Mentors & Volunteers

Have you conducted innovative research that you’d like presented to a broader audience?

Beginning March 1, 2021, the MTS Board of Directors will include a Vice President of ECOP. ECOP members are defined as “an individual who is within 10 years of their last professional degree and self-identified as an ECOP.” We would like to thank the talented candidates who ran for office.

MTS now offers a new Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) membership category. ECOP members are defined as “an individual who is within 10 years of their last professional degree and self-identified as an ECOP.” This membership ($50) will come with all the rights and privileges of Society membership. Contact Josh Baghdady for more information on how to join or visit www.mtsociety.org/membership. 

Seastate Podcast - Donald Massa and Dawn Massa Stancavish Discuss Electroacoustics

Teledyne Podcast - Brian Bradley Talks about the Benefits of Hands On Training

MTS Now Accepting Applications for Student Scholarship Program

MTS Now Accepting Nominations

The NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) announces the 2022 Call for Nominations.

Getting involved in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainability

Happy New Year!  I have so many exciting things to share with our membership.  MTS has welcomed our first Chartered Marine Technologists; the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development has kicked off; and we are in the process of electing our first MTS Vice President of Early Career Ocean Professionals. 

2020 highlighted a year of civil unrest with racial injustices at its forefront. Well known to many, the summer of 2020 featured the unfortunate incident of a Black birder being threatened simply for trying to bird in central park. Sparking an eerie shared experience, a group of Black birders founded #BlackBirdersWeek. Aiming to dispel the myth that Black birders don’t exist, the week took social media by storm and other STEM disciplines started their own virtual movements. A tweet that has now received over 300 likes, by Dr. Tiara Moore started the foundation for #BlackInMarineScienceWeek, with organizers quickly responding and developing a committee. The week ran November 29-Dec 5, 2020 and made a huge impact globally. With over 1 million social media engagements, hundreds of participants, 50 panelists, 35 sponsors (including the Marine Technology Society), and 14 organizers, the inaugural #BlackInMarineScienceWeek turned out better than what was ever expected!

The book on CD-ROM, Operational Effectiveness of Unmanned Underwater Systems (OEUUS), was published in 1998 by the MTS ROV Committee and has been on sale by MTS for the last 20 years. Recently, the ROV Committee chair, Chuck Richards, decided to make it available for free on line due to the historical perspective it presents on the technology. The OEUSS was produced to provide guidance and information to those who use, plan to use, or are just interested in unmanned underwater systems and their associated technology. The publication’s 600 pages provide a discussion of the systems and what can be expected of them. In essence, it explains what they are, what they can and cannot do, where they are operating and how successful they are, what you should be aware of and what can be expected in the future. It provides an understanding of the “operational effectiveness of unmanned underwater systems.”

We are happy to announce that after the review and adoption of the proposed changes to our Bylaws, the Marine Technology Society will be launching three new initiatives aimed at engaging Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP).

The Powering the Blue Economy™: Ocean Observing Prize challenges innovators to integrate marine renewable energy with ocean observation platforms, ultimately revolutionizing our ability to collect the data needed to understand, map, and monitor the ocean.

For the United States, November has our Thanksgiving and I would like to start by thanking all of you have volunteered on MTS efforts.  Thank you to the Section and Committee leaders, the 2020 Awards Committee, 2020 Board Nominating Committee, academic advisors for our Student Sections, the Captain Don Walsh joint (with SUT) selection panel, Local Organizing Committees for OCEANS 2020-2024, Editorial board, Woman Leaders in Technology and Science organizing committee, the many presenters on our webinars, and board members.