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Action Agenda 2030

Achieving our Vision
Creating Action Agenda 2030

In 2020, CIMRS engaged NOAA staff and staff from numerous colleges at Oregon State University to develop a survey to assess CIMRS accomplishments and articulate key focal areas for the future based on existing and emerging NOAA needs and priority issues associated with marine and coastal science and technology.

 

Outcomes of the survey were used to engage with focus groups consisting of individuals with areas of expertise identified as important to NOAA and OSU marine and coastal scientists. Discussions included artificial intelligence, robotics, ocean and coastal mapping, surveying and monitoring, outreach, human dimensions and social sciences, engineering, physical and chemical oceanography, seafloor processes, ocean acoustics, marine species and ecosystems, coastal hazards and resilience, and the changes occurring in oceans as a result of climate change stressors.

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Following the focus group discussions and survey, CIMRS developed its Action Agenda 2030, a forward-thinking strategic vision, goals, and strategies that positions CIMRS to efficiently and effectively address emerging priority coastal and marine issues into the future with its numerous partners sited at NOAA laboratories throughout the nation.

Our Vision

 

Our vision is to be a model of excellence and innovation conducting world-class transdisciplinary research focused on addressing important challenges facing the Pacific Northwest coast and ocean, leveraging NOAA expertise, facilities, and resources with Oregon State University academic strengths.

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Our Goals 

 

Research 

Conduct innovative, world-class, transdisciplinary marine and coastal research that meets NOAA's mission and strategic priorities and OSU-CIMRS expertise while advancing our understanding of and ability to respond to marine and coastal processes.

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Workforce 

Foster the development of a diverse, skilled, trained, and experienced workforce to contribute to innovative marine and coastal research and technologies.

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Outreach 

Build enhanced awareness, appreciation, and connection to the OSU-CIMRS brand to create a community of support and investment in the unique products and services CIMRS offers and develop a shared understanding of the value and benefits of CIMRS.

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Partnership 

Strengthen existing and develop new partnerships to achieve CIMRS' mission and to  better position CIMRS as the "go-to" organization for joint NOAA-academic marine ecosystem and coastal research.

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Management 

Strengthen CIMRS organizational and administrative management components to ensure long-term sustainability and serve as a global leader in contributions to marine and coastal science priorities.

Action Agenda 2030 Brochure

Our Guiding Principles

 

  • We embrace collaborations and partnerships with other academic institutions, agencies, industries, and international entities to address the complex and challenging issues facing our ocean and coasts.
     

  • We believe it is our responsibility to guide and develop the next generation of marine scientists by fostering an environment that welcomes and supports a diversity of students with the skills, abilities, knowledge, training, and expertise to conduct meaningful research and invent and maintain needed technologies that inform our understanding of marine and coastal processes.
     

  • We strive to be sustainable, creating a balanced funding portfolio that makes commitments to large-scale, long-term research while supporting a suite of short-term research studies capable of addressing more immediate challenges.
     

  • We prioritize our efforts in CIMRS focal areas, but consider emerging opportunities that use our areas of expertise to contribute to our overall understanding of marine and coastal processes and issues.
     

  • We are committed to transdisciplinary research, acknowledging that understanding complex ocean and coastal issues requires researchers working from many different disciplines, including social sciences, to explore research questions at the intersection of their respective fields.

Our Strategies

Research Goal: Conduct innovative, world-class, transdisciplinary marine and coastal research that meets NOAA's mission and strategic priorities and OSU-CIMRS expertise while advancing our understanding of and ability to respond to marine and coastal processes.

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1a. Foster multi-disciplinary collaborations to address complex scientific questions by engaging representatives from numerous OSU and other colleges, agencies, NGOs, and industry.

 

1b. Integrate human dimensions and social science disciplines in all research projects conducted through CIMRS by enhancing engagement with OSU colleges that have faculty and staff with this expertise.

 

1c.  Create and sustain a diverse research portfolio focused on CIMRS focal areas.
 

1d. Expand CIMRS research capacity to include regional marine ecosystem forecasting, supporting high resolution modeling and downscaling coupled with climate-ecosystem modeling that address ecosystem and economy-relevant questions.

 

1e. Expand ocean and coastal mapping, geomatics, and monitoring to support ecosystem-based management decisions, enhanced resilience through better geospatial data and modeling, and support of coastal resource management.

 

1f. Assess gaps in CIs and CI consortiums to determine if CIMRS can and should fill those gaps.

 

1g. Serve as a leader in the testing and developing new technologies that ultimately become NOAA standards.

 

1h. Support Blue Economy by helping NOAA transition new technologies to industry, as well as develop industry internships and partnerships.

Workforce Goal: Foster the development of a diverse, skilled, trained, and experienced workforce to contribute to innovative marine and coastal research and technologies.

2a. Establish pathways for engineering students and those from other underrepresented colleges to compete with other types of students for fellowships and other opportunities at OSU through CIMRS (e.g., engineering students may currently not be competing as well with students from other disciplines whose writing and other skills may be stronger).

 

2b. Foster workforce development in ocean technology industries by partnering with Oregon Institute of Technology to provide training and opportunities to students annually.

 

2c. Contribute to the development of a workforce capable of implementing advanced, cutting edge technologies by training and graduating students with the technical skills (e.g., survey techs, electronic techs) to support the collection and assessment of data and information.

 

2d. Increase traditionally underrepresented groups in CIMRS research and activities.

 

2e. Expand experiential learning opportunities for students.

 

2f. Establish 5 joint OSU-NOAA positions that link MSI initiatives.

 

2g. Be a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion by becoming a venue for training,  dialogue, and support, including ongoing mentoring, introduction, and application training and guidance to students to help them succeed in attaining other NOAA-related experience and scholarships (e.g., NOAA's Hollings and EPP scholarships).

 

2h. Work with NOAA representatives to identify the skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKAs) the next generation of marine scientists needs to address emerging issues and technologies relating to marine and coastal research, and revisit these SKAs bi-annually.

 

2i. Create opportunities for student fellowships, internships, research, and field experience, and exposure to the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

 

2j. Develop mechanisms to allow exchange of personnel at all levels between CIMRS and industry.

 

2k. Enhance support for CIMRS scientists so that they are more like academic collaborators versus temporary technicians.

Outreach Goal: Build enhanced awareness, appreciation, and connection to the OSU-CIMRS brand to create a community of support and investment in the unique products and services CIMRS offers and develop a shared understanding of the value and benefits of CIMRS.

3a. Host a summit or workshop annually to help identify emerging issues, potential collaborations and priorities.

 

3b. Feature an OSU representative at NOAA NW, PMEL, and AFSC to share CIMRS research.

 

3c. Develop a "four slides per project" approach to describing the work of CIMRS and share with OSU, PSU, University of Oregon, and other academic institutions (e.g., in Northern California and Idaho) as well as private industry to expand understanding of opportunities to collaborate with CIMRS.

 

3d. Participate in the Hatfield Research Summit annually/bi-annually to increase collaboration across the Hatfield campus.

 

3e. Identify and communicate the values CIMRS offers to enhance understanding, promote collaboration, and shift the emphasis from being a funding transfer mechanism to an entity that adds significant value to NOAA interests (e.g., workforce development).

 

3f. Enhance collaborative opportunities with NOAA Marine Ops and the Rainier and Fairweather mapping ships. Make full use of proximity to NOAA MOC-P and engage mapping and fisheries vessels in mutually beneficial research.

 

3g. Implement actions that integrate NOAA line offices and strengthen visibility and engagement with NOAA entities (e.g., PMEL, AFSC, NWFSC, WRC, and NOS), adding value to NOAA programs and deliverables.
 

3h. Work in partnership with Oregon Sea Grant to conduct outreach to coastal communities and enhance outreach and information associated with marine and coastal research issues.

 

3i. Create and maintain a new CIMRS website so that updated information on OSU research and expertise is communicated efficiently and effectively. Include equipment and technologies available through CIMRS, serving as a clearinghouse for finding researchers to conduct NOAA work.

 

3j. Use social media platforms to highlight most recent CIMRS research and technological developments.

 

3k. Host science-management conferences to stimulate conversations and collaborations.

 

3l. Maintain an updated portfolio of programs and evaluate proposals in a portfolio context, not on individual merit. Articulate the process CIMRS undergoes to vet potential research projects, sunset research programs, and commit to longer-term scientific studies.

 

3m. Work with OSU Administration to highlight the contributions CIMRS makes in helping the university achieve its strategic plan, particularly as it relates to being a global leader in a) providing unique experiential learning opportunities b) engaging people to address the health and well-being of the ocean and coastal communities, and c) conducting and supporting interdisciplinary research, education, and engagement.

 

3n. Strengthen awareness and collaborations with OSU researchers and the new University of Washington cooperative institute, CICOES (Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies), to enhance awareness and understanding of what differentiates the two institutes as well as how they can be supportive and complementary of one another.

Partnership Goal: Strengthen existing and develop new partnerships to achieve CIMRS' mission and to  better position CIMRS as the "go-to" organization for joint NOAA-academic marine ecosystem and coastal research.

4a. Conduct a bi-annual horizon scanning exercise with industry and international partners to match science needs with economic growth and commercial opportunities, and assess cross-cutting issues. Approach industry with a "value-driven" mindset focusing on mutual benefits and advancing the blue economy.

 

4b. Conduct a bi-annual horizon scanning exercise with NOAA staff and co-develop research proposals.

 

4c. Expand academic partners within the State of Oregon, in Northern California, and across NOAA Science Centers.

 

4d. Expand partnerships with the National Science Foundation OOI-based collaborations.

 

4e. Foster the benefits of co-location with Hatfield Marine Science Center and Marine Studies Initiative to develop, promote, and support dedicated graduate and post-doctoral opportunities.

 

4f. Develop long-term multi-year strategic alliances with industry representatives (e.g., https://ccom.unh.edu/partners, Blue Technology) to enhance collaboration through integration and understanding of cultures and expectations.

 

4g. Explore opportunities to engage with new federal partners.

 

4h. Strengthen collaborations with the National Ocean Service that results in a stronger contribution to their Priorities Roadmap.

Management Goal: Strengthen CIMRS organizational and administrative management components to ensure long-term sustainability and serve as a global leader in contributions to marine and coastal science priorities.

5a. Develop and support a benthic sorting lab for the West Coast (both science and sample processing).
 

5b. Convene CILC (CI's on the Left Coast) bi-annually as part of CIMRS' horizon scanning exercise to define emerging priorities and discuss ways to work together to achieve mutual interests.

 

5c. Develop a diversified funding portfolio for CIMRS that results in a long-term sustainable funding stream well beyond the next 10-year NOAA funding cycle for cooperative institutes.

 

5d. Host focused workshops and discussions with OSU, NOAA, and industry/community to ensure projects support priority outcomes.

 

5e. Consider expansion/modification of CIMRS Executive Board representation to incorporate industry representatives and strengthen the guidance role of the Board.

 

5f. Participate in the development of an Innovation Fund through Newport partners (HMSC, MSI, CIMRS, etc.).

 

5g. Earmark a portion of the CIMRS budget portfolio to sustain long-term programs, develop new, short-term opportunities, and sunset others.

 

5h. Partner with the OSU Foundation to identify private donors interested in supporting CIMRS research.

 

5i. Champion investments made by OSU in new areas and faculty that leverage NOAA investment.

 

5j. Consider the merits of aligning CIMRS fiscal year with NOAA's fiscal year.

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