GRIIDC AC Meeting Held in Austin

The annual 2016 Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information & Data Cooperative (GRIIDC) Advisory Committee (AC) meeting was held September 1-2 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 provides advice and feedback on the development and implementation of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) Scientific Database. Members from 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) were in attendance.

A welcome reception was held the night before the meeting for participants to meet and socialize while enjoying delicious Austin fare. The meeting started with GRIIDC Director Dr. Jim Gibeaut welcoming attendees and emphasizing the importance of data management and data sharing to the GoMRI legacy. Dr. Peter Brewer, GoMRI Research Board Data Committee Co-Chair, elaborated by discussing ongoing efforts to obtain and associate data with journal articles.

Attendees learned about current GRIIDC program processes including the ERDAPP and THREDDS Data Server, 3D dataset footprints, archival of data to the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), linking publications to datasets, the dataset package review process, and data compliance. A group discussion followed on challenges and questions regarding the submission of large datasets such as passive acoustic data, video data, and model data to GRIIDC.

Representatives from each Research Consortium presented updates about their respective programs and progress of data submissions. GRIIDC provided an update on new system developments, including organizational features that will facilitate the data submission process and the establishment of GRIIDC as a DataONE member node which will provide searchable metadata to millions of users.

Dr. Gibeaut concluded the meeting by addressing GRIIDC’s legacy and future, including its expansion beyond GoMRI funded research and integration with other repositories. The GRIIDC team is excited to establish these new partnerships, fulfilling 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.

The Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is a 10-year independent research program established to study the effect, and the potential associated impact, of hydrocarbon releases on the environment and public health, as well as to develop improved spill mitigation, oil detection, characterization, and remediation technologies. An independent and academic 20-member Research Board makes the funding and research direction decisions to ensure the intellectual quality, effectiveness and academic independence of the GoMRI research. All research data, findings and publications will be made publicly available. The program was established through a $500 million financial commitment from BP.