The requested funding will be used to continue providing guidance on major ocean-related science, engineering, and policy issues to the federal ocean agencies, including the National Science Foundation. The Ocean Studies Board (OSB) is the focal point within the NRC for ocean-related science, engineering, and policy issues. The board explores the science, policies, and infrastructure needed to understand, manage, protect, and restore coastal and marine environments and resources. The board exercises leadership within the ocean community by helping identify and communicate the needs of the field, responds to specific requests from government agencies and Congress, and oversees a variety a study projects related to ocean science and engineering and their impacts on policy. The operations of OSB are funded by a number of federal agencies, including the ONR, NOAA, USGS, and NASA.
Broader Impacts
The OSB strives to increase public awareness of ocean issues, to support ocean science education, and to enhance the dissemination and impact of OSB reports. The OSB also supports the recruitment of minorities into the earth sciences through participation in mentoring and fellowship programs. To further outreach and dissemination, the OSB prepares a 2-4 page nontechnical overview of each new report that is broadly distributed in print and electronically. In addition, the booklets that comprise the Ocean Science Series are intended to help readers interpret information about the state of our oceans and to better understand the role of ocean science.
