About

The Consortium for Ocean Leadership is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization that represents more than 100 of the leading public and private ocean research and education institutions, aquaria and industry with the mission to advance research, education and sound ocean policy.

The organization also manages ocean research and education programs in areas of scientific ocean drilling, ocean observing, ocean exploration, and ocean partnerships.

In addition to its advocacy role as the voice of the ocean research and education community in Washington DC, Ocean Leadership also manages a variety of community-wide programs including:

• Integrated Ocean Drilling Program – Ocean Leadership leads the efforts for U.S. activities in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), which is the successor to the Ocean Drilling Program. IODP builds on and expands the explorations of ODP through enhanced collaborations with Japan, China, South Korea and a consortium of European countries. For more information about IODP and Ocean Leadership’s role in the program, please contact Margo Morell.

• National Oceanographic Partnership Program – The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) is an innovative collaboration of  federal agencies that funds research partnerships among academia, government, industry, and non-governmental organizations.  Established by Congress in 1996, NOPP coordinates and strengthens oceanographic efforts in the areas of data, resources, education and communication.  For more information about NOPP, please contact Allison Miller.

• Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative – The mission of the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) is to improve society’s ability to understand and mitigate the impacts of hydrocarbon pollution and stressors of the marine environment, with an emphasis on conditions found in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the knowledge accrued will be applied not only to resolve but also to improve the long-term environmental health of the Gulf of Mexico. Ocean Leadership serves as the home for part of the GoMRI Administrative Unit. For more information about GoMRI, please contact Leigh Zimmermann or Kristen Yarincik.

• Census of Marine Life – The Census of Marine Life (CoML), completed in 2010, was a global network of researchers in more than 80 nations engaged in a 10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans.  The world’s first comprehensive census of the past, present, and future of life in the oceans was released in October 2010. Ocean Leadership provided a home to the International Secretariat as well as the coordinating office of the U.S. Program. For more information about CoML, please contact Heather Mannix.

• U.S. Science Support Program – The U.S. Science Support Program, associated with IODP, supports U.S. scientists participation in IODP. For more information about this program, please contact Charna Meth.

• Ocean Observatories Initiative – The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) is a program that focuses the science, technology, education, and outreach of an emerging network of science driven ocean observing systems. For more information about this program, please contact Emily Griffin.

• Ocean Drilling Program – The Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) was a 20-year international partnership of scientists and research institutions organized to explore the evolution and structure of the Earth through scientific ocean drilling. Although ODP has concluded, Ocean Leadership is developing the program’s Legacy with its partners, Texas A&M University and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. For more information on the ODP Legacy Project, please contact Margo Morell.

• National Ocean Sciences Bowl – The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is an academic competition for high school students designed to stimulate interest in the ocean sciences.  Established in 1998, NOSB has grown to 25 regional competitions with approximately 2,000 students from almost 300 schools participating annually.  NOSB has reached over 16,000 students and teachers throughout the nation, inspiring many to become the next generation of marine scientists, policy makers, teachers, explorers, technicians, and ocean advocates.  For more information about NOSB, please contact Melissa Brodeur.

• In addition to these programs, Ocean Leadership has an active education and community engagement program designed to help students, teachers, elected officials, and the general public better understand the significance of research discoveries, as well as the relevance and value of oceans research. For more information on Ocean Leadership outreach activities, contact Kevin Wheeler.

Ocean Leadership was established as a private, non-profit corporation in 2007 and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

How to download and use the Ocean Leadership logo.