DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

Sami Grimes Welcomes Baby Boy
Welcome to our newest NSGO member! Sami and Nick's son, Ogden Drew Pribich (nickname "Oggie" - pronounced "Aug-e"), was born at 8:08 AM on Sunday, 8/16/09. He weighed 7lbs. 11 oz. and was 21-1/4" long. Sami will be on maternity leave until December 31, 2009. Please contact the following people during this time: Regarding the new Sea Grant Planning, Implementation and Evaluation System or regarding Coastal Integration, please contact David Bylmsa (David.Bylsma@noaa.gov or 301-734-1287); if you are a program in need of a program officer, please contact Dorn Carlson (Dorn.Carlson@noaa.gov or 301-734-1080); and for all other concerns or matters, please contact Nikola Garber (Nikola.Garber@noaa.gov or 301-734-1079).

"Google Ocean" Training Calls
Google Earth is venturing into the water with new functionality called "Explore the Ocean." Google is interested in featuring Sea Grant content including photos, videos, stories and more. To learn more about this opportunity and how Sea Grant may contribute, we have set up two network training teleconferences in September. We invite folks from all of the Sea Grant networks to join us. The calls will be 90 minutes long and you will need to download Google Earth 5.0.
Call 1: September 16th 2 p.m. EDT
Call 2 (for those who cannot make the first call): September 30th 2 p.m. EDT
To register: Send your name, the call date you wish to join, and your e-mail address with subject line "Google Ocean" to Amy.Painter@noaa.gov

FY 2010 Omnibus Guidance and Q&A's Available
Guidance:
http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/admininfo/grants.html
Q&A's and Revised Appendix:
http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/admininfo/FY2010_Omnibus_Guidance.pdf

Annual Report Questions & Answers
Guidance:
http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/other/admininfo/grants.html
Q&A's:
http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/greenbook/2009_annual_report_questions_and_answers.pdf

Please read on for:

• Weekly Highlights
• Events & Announcements
• Sea Grant In the News
• Awards

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

• Sea Grant Advisory Board Meeting
  The next Board Meeting will take place in Seattle from Wednesday August 26th through Friday August 28th.
  An updated Agenda for this meeting is available at:
  http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/leadership/advisoryboard/agenda_0809.pdf

• Virginia Sea Grant Hires Janet Krenn
  Janet Krenn joined Virginia Sea Grant as a communicator. She is working with Margaret Pizer. Her background is in Environmental Sciences (water and soil chemistry) and Journalism. She has worked as a Science Editor in educational publishing and as a communications specialist for a start-up environmental laboratory.

• Woods Hole Sea Grant Hires Gregory A. Berman
  Gregory A. Berman joined Woods Hole Sea Grant on Aug. 3 as coastal processes specialist. Berman previously worked for Science Application International Corporation (SAIC), specializing in environmental assessments and shoreline stabilization projects for a variety of federal and commercial clients. He has also worked for the United States Geological Survey in Florida and Hawaii.

• Social Media Sites:

• Sea Grant Climate Change Network
  http://sgccnetwork.ning.com

• Sustainable Coastal Community Development Network
  http://sgsccdn.ning.com

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO): NOAA 2008/2009 Broad Agency Announcement
  Closes 9/30/2009. To view the FFO (NFA-NFA-2008-2001388): http://www.grants.gov

• Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO): NOAA Restoration Center Announces Funding Opportunities
  The NOAA Restoration Center is accepting applications for several habitat restoration funding opportunities through its Community-based Restoration Program. Opportunities include: FY 2010 Community-Based Marine Debris Removal Project Grants, due October 31, 2009; and, National and Regional Partnership Grants, due September 30, 2009. For more information on these and other opportunities: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/projects_programs/crp/index.html

• Sea Grant Federal Funding Opportunities Published
  • 2010 NMFS—Sea Grant Fellowships in Marine Resource Economics
  • 2010 NMFS—Sea Grant Fellowships in Population Dynamics
  • 2010 Sea Grant/Regional Team Climate Engagement
  • 2011 National Sea Grant College Program Dean John A. Knauss Fellowship
  To learn more: http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/funding/rfp.html

• Request for Proposals: FY 10 NOAA Climate Program Office Sector Applications Research Program (SARP)
  This competition will be announced soon. SARP funding is designed "to catalyze and support interdisciplinary applied research, outreach and education activities that enhance the capacity of key socio-economic sector and systems to respond to and plan for climate variability and change through the use of climate information and related decision support resources. " Interested Sea Grant programs should monitor the following web site for the full announcement:
  http://www.cpo.noaa.gov/index.jsp?pg=/opportunities/opp_index.jsp&opp=2010/program_elements.jsp

• National Information Management System (NIMS)
  http://www.nims.noaa.gov
  

SEA GRANT IN THE NEWS

Send your press releases and stories to oar.sg.news@noaa.gov. All submissions are added to Hot Items and submitted to a variety of NOAA communications outlets.

Headlines & News Submissions:

• August 10: New York Sea Grant Publication (Tourism and Community Sustainability in the Hudson River Valley)
  http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/hriver/article.asp?ArticleID=372
• August 13: Florida Sea Grant article (Shore Line: Goliath grouper biology study reveals their habits)
  http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/aug/13/shore-line-goliath-grouper-biology-study-reveals-t/?print=1
• August 14: Wisconsin Sea Grant Book Release (People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin's Love Affair with an Ancient Fish, by Kathleen Kline Schmitt, Ronald Bruch, and Frederick Binkowski chronicles the history of the sturgeon and the cultural traditions it has spawned)
  http://aqua.wisc.edu/publications/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=566
• August 14: Wisconsin Sea Grant press release (Shipwreck Explorers to Host Open House--6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Thursday, July 30)
  http://www.wisconsinshipwrecks.org/tools_research.cfm
• August 14: California Sea Grant article, San Francisco Chronicle (Snails threaten Tomales Bay Olympia oysters)
  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/14/BAIG1955JM.DTL
• August 17: North Carolina Sea Grant press release (Mariner's Menu: Blog Features Fresh Seafood Ideas--offers consumers seafood recipes, info. about local fisheries and traditions, and safety, handling and preparation tips)
  http://www.ncseagrant.org/home/about-ncsg/news-events?id=621&task=showarticle
  Blog: http://www.marinersmenu.org
• August 17: North Carolina Sea Grant press release (Ethical Angling Especially Important in Late Summer)
  http://www.ncseagrant.org/home/about-ncsg/news-events?task=showArticle&id=620&category=news&limitstart=
• August 17: Washington Sea Grant, Oregon Public Broadcasting News (Luring Salmon Back to the City -- eco-friendly seawall project is supported with WSG research funds)
  http://news.opb.org/article/5615-luring-salmon-back-city/
• August 17: Virginia Sea Grant announcement (Conch Reef Expedition Online--Join Marine Education Specialist and Bridge team member Chris Petrone and colleagues on a 5-day expedition to map the coral reefs around the Aquarius underwater habitat)
  Expedition homepage – http://www.vims.edu/blogs/conch_reef/index.php
  Expedition Ustream page – http://www.ustream.tv/channel/conchreef2009
• August 17: Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant television series (“Gambling Against Mother Nature”airs Wednesday, August 19th at 6:30pm on WKRG-TV (News Channel 5). The title of this second program is “Water Runs Downhill” and will focus on Coastal Watersheds. The full three part series will be available on DVD after the broadcast of all three programs. For a DVD, please contact Tracie Sempier at tracie.sempier@usm.edu
• August 19: North Carolina Sea Grant headlines
  http://www.ncseagrant.org/home/about-ncsg/news-events?category=news&limitstart=
  

AWARDS

• Wisconsin Sea Grant Receives ECO Award of Excellence
  ASC Communications Manager Stephen Wittman and Art Director Tina Yao have been recognized with an ECO Award of Excellence in environmental communications for their 2008 report, Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region. The national award was one of ten presented by Global Environmental Communications, LLC., an organization that supports professional environmental communicators.

• See 2009 Sea Grant Awards and Awards Archive

Questions: Contact Amy.Painter@noaa.gov
News or Awards Submissions: oar.sg.news@noaa.gov