Virtual Sequential Labs for Selection of the Next OOI Pioneer Array Location

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) Coastal Pioneer Array was commissioned in 2016 and is located off of the coast of New England. It was developed as a relocatable asset, deployable over time periods appropriate to the scientific questions at hand. It has been four years since the commissioning and now is the appropriate time to consider the next location for the Pioneer Array.

The proposed project will assist NSF in determining the next location for the Pioneer Array. The Sequestial Labs proposed would increase community participation in the scientific endeavors funded by NSF. The workshops are directly related to NSF’s objective to enhance infrastructure for research and education and the outcomes would contribute to enhancing oceanographic science and would have important scientific, educational, and societal benefits.

The PI requests funding to hold community Sequential Lab events (Micro Labs and Innovation Labs) that will bring ocean scientists, educators, and other stakeholders together virtually to evaluate future location options for the Pioneer Array. These Labs will inform the selection of the next Pioneer Array site, as well as identify new science opportunities that can be offered by the next site.

This information will assist the National Science Foundation and the OOI Program informing design decisions regarding sensor configurations of the future Pioneer Array. The Labs will be modeled after the Ideas Lab approach that has been effective in promoting innovation, collaborations, and idea sharing. The services of a facilitator will be utilized to design and deliver the Sequential Labs.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.