National Ocean Exploration Forum 2015 and 2016 Reports Available
February 27, 2017
The final reports from the 2015 and 2016 National Ocean Exploration Forums are now available.
The 2009 legislation that formalized NOAA’s ocean exploration responsibilities requires NOAA to hold periodic national meetings to “establish an ocean exploration forum to encourage partnerships and promote communications among experts and other stakeholders in order to enhance the scientific and technical expertise and relevance of the national program.” OER has been working with partners to co-host national forums since 2013.
Characterizing the Unknown: A National Ocean Exploration Forum 2015, was held on November 19-20, 2015, at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. It was the third in a series of annual symposia focused on establishing a formal, dedicated national strategy and program of ocean exploration as called for in the statute authorizing NOAA’s ocean exploration program. Download the final report from the National Ocean Exploration Forum 2015 (pdf, 18.4 Mb).
National Ocean Exploration Forum 2016: Beyond the Ships 2020-2025, was held on October 20-21, 2016, at the Rockefeller University. This forum focused on the tools and technologies needed to propel deep-sea exploration foward in the next decade. Download the final report from the National Ocean Exploration Forum 2016 (pdf, 2.6 Mb).