
GRIIDC Hosts 2018 Advisory Committee Meeting in Austin
The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information & Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) Advisory Committee (AC) meeting was held August 16-17, 2018 in Austin, Texas. The meeting provided an opportunity for GRIIDC to report on program updates and discuss challenges and issues with the GRIIDC AC, who provide advice and feedback on the development and implementation of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) Scientific Database. Participants from various groups were in attendance including GRIIDC, the GoMRI Research Board, the GoMRI Administrative Unit, GoMRI Research Consortia, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
A welcome reception was held the night before the meeting for attendees to meet and socialize. The meeting started with GRIIDC Director Dr. Jim Gibeaut welcoming attendees and noting the large number of research consortia present at the meeting. Attendees learned about the current status of datasets submitted to NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information; GRIIDC’s computing strategy for the future; GRIIDC’s current and future software development; the NCEI data review and archive process; and the Deepwater Horizon long term data management coordination. Informative discussions were held after each topic, demonstrating the collaborative nature of this committee.
Representatives from 13 research consortia presented updates about their respective programs and progress of data submissions. Day one of the meeting ended with a discussion about research consortium close out lessons learned. Many participants concluded the day with a group walk to the Congress Avenue Bridge to view the Mexican free-tailed bats!
Day two’s discussion focused on GRIIDC’s program future and open science by design. Overall, the meeting was a success as it brought participants together to discuss issues and clarify specific topics. The GRIIDC team is excited to continue working with previously funded research consortia as well as the newly funded groups in order to fulfill the program’s mission to ensure a data and information legacy that promotes continual scientific discovery and public awareness of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.