696 



10 



The Partnership Steering Committee then met for two days, October 27-28, 1994 to 

 develop specific guidance for working groups in the development of an integrated 

 implementation plan for ocean science and technology wherein partnerships could play 

 an effective role. This Committee consisted of 27 members: eleven representing Federal 

 agencies, eleven representing academia, four from the marine industry, and the 

 President of CORE (see Appendix n for membership details). 



The Steering Committee believed that a broad thematic approach should be taken, 

 invoking themes of a nature highly relevant to society's needs. Four themes associated 

 with our national interests, and, hence, four working groups were suggested. These are 

 listed below and broadly defined as indicated. 



1. National Security - Ensuring that national interests are guaranteed at home 

 and abroad and that basic and applied ocean science remains an essential 

 element of this assurance. This category is meant to include issues associated 

 with preservation of our national interests, via military defense, and foreign 

 policy support. 



2. Economic Development - Use of the basic and applied knowledge of the 

 ocean and its resources for economic gain, including attention to marine 

 resources, transportation, recreation, development, and related industries. 



3. Quality of Life - Health and social well-being of people as derived from using 

 basic and applied knowledge of the ocean. Subject material includes the 

 topics of preservation/improvement/ stewardship of the environment 

 (pollution prevention, cleanup and remediation), shoreline protection, coastal 

 hazard mitigation and recreation. 



4. Communication / Education - Conveying an understanding of the importance 

 of oceans to national decision making, to the public at large, and to decision 

 makers and educators at every level using basic and applied knowledge of 

 the oceans, to include the exploitation of state of the art electronic networking 

 and computer based simulations/ demonstrations. 



During the sunvmer of 1995 four working groups were convened. Approximately 100 

 professionals from academia, government and the private sector met to discuss the role 

 of ocean sciences in these respective areas (See Appendix HI for membership details). 

 The groups worked toward several very specific objectives: 



• Identify the driving forces behind the new challenges to ocean sciences in each 

 thematic area. 



• Define those partnerships which have been undertaken in ocean sciences in the 

 past in each thematic area. 



• Identify future opportunities in ocean sciences relevant to the thematic area, and 

 specify those best suited to a partnership approach. 



• Indicate the characteristics unique to a partnership in this particular thematic 

 area in ocean sciences. 



