vy^\ 



cooperation in research for weapon systems induced by World War II. 

 And money was available. The NACA helped bring on the age of the 

 airplane, it was an integrating device to harness what otherwise was 

 scattered or partial. The conditions which made these agencies so 

 singularly appropriate do not exist for ocean engineering today. A 

 relationship has to be established outside of the Navy, not preserved. 

 The analogy between the atmosphere's heights and the ocean's depths 

 for those to whom ocean program seemed as impelling as a space 

 program has been spectacularly unconvincing. And no war-end millions 

 (with which ONR was launched) are there to be used. 



But, if a catalyst to stimulate engineering in the oceans is needed 

 since a programmatic solution does not seem sensible, there is no good 

 reason why results similar to those produced by ONR and NACA could 

 not be achieved, albeit in a somewhat different way. An organization 

 is therefore proposed whose function it would be to provide technology- 

 gathering and technology transfer, to stimulate industrial efficiency and 

 development in the oceans, to work on the ocean's problems a few 

 years ahead, to back good people and good ideas, and to set standards 

 for and back-up the regulators and the issuers of permits and safety 

 certifications in the oceans. 



The panel therefore recommends an Institute for Engineering 

 Research in the Oceans reporting to the Administrator of NOAA as 

 the proper focus for marine affairs, but independent of the mainline 

 components in that agency as too limiting, too confining for an orga- 

 nization which is to serve users in a broad range of government, indus- 

 try, and research. 



There are a number of government agencies whose need for ocean 

 engineering expertise make them possible hosts for such an Institute 

 such as the Department of Interior, the Navy, the Coast Guard, EPA, 

 the National Scicence Foundation, the National Bureau of Standards, 

 NASA, etc. But as we stated earlier, none of the civilian agencies 

 presently has a responsibility for general oversight of national ocean 

 engineering needs. NOAA, as the focus for marine affairs, is the most 

 appropriate agency to hold in trust, so to speak, an Institute which 

 would be geared to encourage needed progress in ocean engineering 

 activities. 



This Institute could not easily be part of the Sea Grant Program 

 for it is essential that this Institute work with all types of organiza- 

 tions and individual practitioners and that it conduct its own in-house 

 research. It must also be in a position to develoj) the special relationship 

 with the Navy which would facilitate transfer of what can and should 

 be transferred to the civilian sector from the Navy's extensive store of 

 ocean engineering expertise. An organization close in its management 

 of research in support of standard-setting functions in ocean engineering 



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