“No water, no life. No Blue, no green.” – Dr. Sylvia Earle.
This quote by marine biologist Dr. Sylvia Earle, President and Chairperson for Mission Blue and The Sylvia Earle Alliance, and an ocean campaigner, succinctly highlights the importance of The Ocean; all life on the planet, as well as many livelihoods, are intrinsically linked to The Ocean. Dr. Earle is being featured as part of the United Nations World Oceans Day 2021, which this year will focus on “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods”.
Within NOAA’s Ocean Acidification Program (OAP), this World Oceans Day theme rings true in many aspects of our work -- we make it a priority to work closely with stakeholders to determine future research needs and fill knowledge gaps, and conduct outreach and education surrounding ocean acidification.
Within the Pacific Islands, NOAA’s OAP is working in collaboration with The Ocean Foundation to build capacity in the region, providing training on how to make OA measurements efficiently and accurately. In addition, ‘GOA-ON in-a-box’ kits have been distributed by the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) worldwide to enable local communities to carry out ocean acidification measurements, empowering them to monitor the local ecosystems on which they may rely for livelihoods.
NOAA’s OAP also works with The Ocean Foundation and GOA-ON to sustain and build the Pier2Peer mentorship program. This program matches up experienced ocean acidification scientists with mentees interested in expanding their research skills (i.e., data collection, analysis, experimental design etc.), aiding in the professional development of marine scientists worldwide. Currently, the program includes 180 mentees and 75 mentors, with 76 matched and active pairs.
The most recent issue of ‘The Pier Review’, a bimonthly newsletter which informs Pier2Peer members of the latest news (i.e., upcoming conferences, webinars, funding, job opportunities, and open access literature), highlights the work of Natalie Monacci of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and her mentee, Dr. Abraham Ekperusi of the University of Nigeria. While they have not been able to meet in person due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, they have cultivated their relationship virtually and with much success! It has been heartwarming to see the passion and dedication of these, and many other, Pier2Peer members during the past 15 months.
Dr. Abraham Ekperusi at the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) and Natalie Monacci at the University of Alaska Fairbanks began their Pier2Peer partnership in June 2020. Three months into the global pandemic, they were both well versed in virtual meetings and were able to begin sharing knowledge remotely. During video calls and email exchanges they discussed best practices, upcoming workshops and conferences, and emerging literature. In February 2021, Natalie was able to virtually meet the newly formed NMU Ocean Acidification Team to give them a lab tour, demonstrating analysis of discrete seawater samples as well as use of autonomous sensors she was preparing for an upcoming deployment.
They share about their experience in the Pier Review:
"Natalie has been of immense help to me as a mentor and to the NMU OA Team. She’s provided the relevant resources needed for a newcomer into the OA field. Aside from always being available for regular meetings, her wealth of knowledge and experience in the field has guided our team in the course of planning and conducting chemical monitoring along the Niger Delta coastline. She is always ready to advise and answer any questions that were presented to her prior to the team starting our fieldwork. She always provides us with relevant and upcoming events and literature in the field. In the real sense, she is like a mentor to the entire team. She is the unseen hand guiding the team in our journey into ocean acidification science and research.”
~ Dr. Abraham Ekperusi
“The work Dr. Abraham and the entire NMU OA Team are doing is extraordinary. I feel like a member of their team and cannot wait for what comes next”, Monacci says. Nearly a year into this partnership, Abraham and Natalie are working on obtaining funding for an in-person training on monitoring techniques and data management at the Ocean Acidification Research Center in Fairbanks, Alaska. ~Dr. Natalie Monacci
Not only does this year’s World Oceans Day theme of “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods” highlight the connection of The Ocean to many aspects of life, no matter where you live, it also highlights the way in which it can connect people, no matter where you live.
“No water, no life. No blue, no green.” – Dr. Sylvia Earle.
Credits:
Title image: Beach sunset panorama" Credit: Pexels Image 1: "In the water legs feet" Credit: pasja1000 Image 2: Scientist at our Ocean Acidification Monitoring Workshop Credit: The Ocean Foundation Image 3: The Nigerian Maritime University ocean acidification team Image 4: "Person ocean people" Credit: HangNelson67