1998 Year of the Ocean Marine Science, Technology, and Research 



advances in understanding the ocean and in the development of technologies for observing it 

 have set the stage for much greater research achievements," this comes at a time when "resources 

 necessary to obtain this understanding are increasingly scarce." 



Dr. Press continued, "As the context in which oceanography is conducted changes, how 

 can federal agencies, private industry, local jurisdictions, and oceanographers in academic 

 institutions, government, and the private sector strengthen and improve their cooperative efforts? 

 In general, partnerships must be extended beyond financial relationships to include the sharing of 

 intellect, experience, data, instrument development, facilities, and labor." 



The proactive nature of such a proposal is founded upon the recognition of certain trends 

 and "drivers" which point oceanographic researchers toward new areas of applicability. Some 

 examples include: 



Global environmental concerns. The debates concerning sustainable development, as well as 

 renewed interest in "open ocean" resources (living and non-living), an ongoing crisis in world 

 fisheries and the global loss of marine biological diversity, and the potential impacts of climate 

 change on coastal ecosystems and ocean ecosystem processes, have put an emphasis on the 

 careful use and understanding of the environment, including those ocean areas outside of the 

 Exclusive Economic Zones of coastal nations. 



Explosions in technology and communications. The ability to place highly sensitive 

 instruments deep in the ocean, or far into space, with long-term monitoring and observation 

 potential has only recently become a reality. Similarly, high-speed, wide bandwidth data 

 transmission now allows information and documentation to be sent to and from the most remote 

 sites on Earth, with relative ease. These data can be assimilated into a new generation of high 

 fidelity models, run on supercomputers, and shared among researchers and educators via virtual 

 oceanographic data systems currently under development. 



Restructuring of national security. Our nation's security demands diligent consideration to a 

 diverse set of threats. Vulnerability includes the economic infrastructure and the communications 

 networks upon which society depends so critically. As delineated in the Potomac Declaration," 

 National Security now includes economic security, food security, and environmental security. 



National educational reform. A recognition of the need for systemic reform in this country's 

 educational systems, from kindergarten through graduate school has developed rapidly since 

 1990. All levels are being rethought, with respect to curriculum reform, teacher enhancement, 

 career guidance, and integrated, constructivist, and cooperative learning, as well as use of 

 educational materials. Contemporary thought, as embodied in the National Academy of Sciences 

 National Science Education Standards, concludes that science education must be more than 



2 Document produced by the Advisor>' Committee on the Protection of the Seas (ACOPS) Meeting in Washington. D.C. May. 

 1997. ACOPS is an independent non-governmental organization primarily made up of foreign individuals. The Potomac 

 Declaration does not necessarily reflect United States Policy. 



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