The University of Hawaii's Outreach College will continue management of the 24th and 25th Dissertations Symposium in Chemical Oceanography (DISCO), a conference originally begun in 1978. These symposia provide recently graduated or soon to graduate, PhD level chemical oceanographers with an opportunity to present their dissertation research in front of their peers, and to forge professional relationships that will facilitate their future research and academic careers. The meeting will also offer the opportunity to interact with their peers in physical oceanography given the Physical Oceanography Dissertation Symposium will run concurrently with DISCO, as well as engage in discussions with agency personnel to better understand funding mechanisms and strategies. DISCO XXIV and DISCO XXV will be held in Honolulu, Hawaii from October 5-9, 2014 and October 2-6, 2016, respectively. Applicants eligible for participation in a given DISCO meeting are those individuals who have received their doctoral degrees in ocean chemistry within one year preceding that symposium or who are certified by the degree-granting institution as graduating within one year after that symposium. An applicant pool will be developed for the meetings from a broad international announcement to chemical oceanographers at academic institutions in the US and other countries, as well as an announcement in EOS magazine. From this pool, agency personnel will select invitees. This symposium is jointly sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
Broader Impacts: As in previous years, these Symposia will aid in furthering the professional development of early career chemical oceanographers, both U.S. and international, who will play a critical role in improving our understanding of ocean and earth science processes. Because the worldwide marine chemistry research community is relatively small and spread out, these Symposia offer an important opportunity for early-career U.S. and non-U.S scientists to meet and develop life-long associations. The meeting location in the Hawaiian Islands provides an important opportunity for the majority of participants to arrange time to witness marine basaltic volcanism first-hand, visit the acclaimed Hawaiian Ocean Time-Series locale, and see the iconic site of atmospheric carbon dioxide monitoring on Mauna Loa.
