This project will be conducted by Clare Reimers of Oregon State University and plans to utilize US academic research vessels, R/Vs New Horizon and Endeavor, for two training program cruises involving 14 participants per cruise. Members of the UNOLS Office and an impressive number of scientists from throughout the oceanographic community also will contribute to the effort as either at sea mentors, workshop speakers, or lenders of equipment.
The University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) Early Career Chief Scientist Training Program was created in 2011 to instruct scientists, new to leadership roles in sea-going research, in the essential "cradle to grave" phases of expeditionary oceanography. Areas of training included the initial proposal, ship time requests and scheduling, use of deep-submergence assets, science and cruise logistics planning, permits and international clearances, cruise execution, and post-cruise reporting. Through this grant, the program was continued, sponsoring in 2012 and 2013 two new participant-led multi-disciplinary cruises on UNOLS vessels together with pre-cruise informational short courses. Two Senior Scientists and two Marine Technicians worked with 14 participants per cruise to accomplish well-scrutinized science plans led by two participant co-chief scientists. The participants were chosen from a pool of applicants based on their passion for oceanography, their desire to take on cruise leadership, the quality and feasibility of a research project they wanted to bring to the cruise, and long-term research aims. The participants included graduate students, post-docs, research scientists, teaching faculty and a center director. Hallmarks of the program lauded by the participants were the insights given into ship operations; exposure to different marine science disciplines and sampling techniques; the establishment of collaborations and newly inspired science questions based on shared data; and understanding of what UNOLS is (and is not) and how UNOLS staff and marine technicians can assist with future seagoing projects. Strategies to head off common problems and to enhance the extent that planned science objectives are met at sea were openly discussed. Broader outcomes are expected to materialize in the achievements of a new generation of scientists prepared for leadership roles.
