Standing Committee to Advise the Gulf Research Program (GRP) on the Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems Initiative
The Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS) Initiative is part of the Gulf Research Program (GRP) focused on improving the skill of sustained continuous operational forecasts, and associated physical understanding, of ocean dynamics for the reduction of risks in offshore energy exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) where deep-water drilling and production occur and/or anticipated. UGOS stemmed from the 2018 NASEM consensus study Understanding and Predicting the GoM Loop Current. Since 2018, UGOS has supported research related to ocean observations and modeling in the GoM to improve understanding and forecasting of the Loop Current dynamics.
In progress
Description
The Understanding Gulf Ocean Systems (UGOS) Initiative seeks to improve forecasts of the Gulf of Mexico circulation in spatial and time scales useful for a broad community of stakeholders. The UGOS Standing Committee is charged to guide, implement, and assess how the research outputs meet UGOS goals and objectives. Specifically, the UGOS Standing Committee:
- Provides advice and expert guidance to help meet the objective to improve Gulf of Mexico operational forecasting system capabilities with optimized observations for the benefits of all stakeholders with the intent of transitioning the system to industries and government agencies.
- Facilitates and encourages discussions/interactions among public, private, and academic sectors, including approaches for improved collaborations and partnerships (domestic and international) in GoM.
- Identifies project/program scientific gaps and execution risks and suggests ways to address those gaps.
- Determines what success looks like and set the metrics accordingly.
- Suggests experts to serve as external reviewers for proposals submitted to funding opportunities associated with the UGOS program activities.
- Reviews project final reports and provides feedback to UGOS PIs.
- Documents the UGOS Legacy.
- Convenes workshops and planning meetings or other activities pursuant to the UGOS objectives.
Contributors
Sponsors
Internal Funding
Staff
Michael Feldman
Lead
Megha Khadka
Major units and sub-units
Gulf Research Program
Lead
Gulf Research Program Executive Office
Lead
Gulf Environmental Protection and Stewardship Board
Collaborator