DIRECTOR’S UPDATE

We are pleased to present our new e-newsletter. This format replaces the NSGO newsletter and offers highlights and news in brief that our office would like to share with the network. Please read on for:

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

Alignment Update
This is an exciting time to be a part of Sea Grant as we take steps to establish ourselves as an integrated national program. We are pleased to report that most Programs have now submitted their aligned plans for review or approval. We had a productive and lively review of the plans on Thursday and Friday (June 11 & 12th). All told, the plans were impressive and reflect well on your programs and, by extension, on the National Sea Grant College Program.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

• Sea Grant is A-Twitter
  Visit the new National Sea Grant site to see what we’re up to: http://twitter.com/SeaGrant
• Sea Grant “Second Life” Tour
  Thanks to those who joined us on Monday, June 22 for a virtual tour of NOAA's Second Life presence. The tour was led by NOAA Second Life "avatar," Eric Hackathorn (Eric.J.Hackathorn@noaa.gov). Second Life is a 3-D online world with a growing population from 100 countries. "Residents" create and build everything from homes, vehicles, stores, and landscapes to educational areas.
  To learn more about NOAA's landscape, visit: http://www.slideshare.net/hackshaven/noaas-virtual-world-virtual-alaska and
  http://secondlifegrid.net.s3.amazonaws.com/docs/SecondLife_CaseStudy_NOAA_04.23.09.pdf
  For free software and more information, visit: http://www.secondlife.com
• Sea Grant Climate Change Network
  http://sgccnetwork.ning.com
• Sustainable Coastal Community Development Network
  http://sgsccdn.ning.com

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.

• June 1: Delaware Sea Grant News Story
  Solar-utility idea warms up in Lewes
  http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090601/NEWS/906010319/1006/NEWS
• June 1: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Press Release
  Get Smart Growth: New Publication Promotes Resource Protection in Indiana
  http://www.planningwithpower.org/
• June 2: Talk
  Dr. Nikola Garber (NSGO Director of Operations) spoke at the Ballston Science & Technology Alliance Café Scientifique on the topic “Oceans: Fueling our Economy.” More than 80 attended. Dr. Rick Spinrad (Assistant Administrator, NOAA Research) reported on Dr. Garber's talk in his OAR Update (June 11).
• June 2: North Carolina Sea Grant Online Discussion Board
  Science-Outreach TALK Targeting AIS, Linking Knowledge
  http://sgnis.org/science_outreach.htm
• June 3: Rhode Island Sea Grant Press Release
  Understanding Climate Change: What it Means for Rhode Islanders
  Free lecture kicks off 10th annual Sea Grant/URI series on June 18
  http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu./news/index.html
• June 4: NOAA Press Release
  NOAA and National Park Service Urge Beach-Goers to Break the Grip of the Rip
  http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090603_ripcurrent.html
  Thank You to the Sea Grant Programs Who Posted This and Other Rip Current Stories
  North Carolina Gov. Perdue Proclaimed June 7-13 Rip Current Awareness Week
• June 4: Rhode Island Sea Grant Press Release
  International Symposium on Integrating Offshore Renewable Energy Systems & Aquaculture
  http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/baird/2009/
• June 5: National Sea Grant Law Center
  Legal Programs Newsletter
  http://www.olemiss.edu/orgs/SGLC/Newsletter.htm
• June 8: California Sea Grant Press Release
  Newly Discovered Source of Methylmercury: Groundwater
  http://www.csgc.ucsd.edu/NEWSROOM/NewsroomIndx.html
• June 9: Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Press Release
  Hurricane expo kicks off storm season
  http://www.masgc.org/page.asp?id=3
• June 11: Alaska Sea Grant Fishlines Newsletter
  http://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/fishlines/2009/june.php
• June 12: Oregon Sea Grant News Story, Newport News Times
  Crabbers work with OSU to monitor ocean
  http://www.newportnewstimes.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=394&page=72
• June 12: Oregon Sea Grant News Story, The Oregonian
  Oregon goes on alert for destructive mussel and other invasives
  http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/06/oregon_goes_on_alert_for_destr.html
• June 12: Wisconsin Sea Grant Press Release
  Zebra Mussels Hang On While Quagga Mussels Take Over
  http://aqua.wisc.edu/news/Home/tabid/36/ctl/Details/mid/377/NewsReleaseID/43/Default.aspx
• June 16: New Hampshire Sea Grant Press Release
  New Study Focuses on Mercury Cycling in Great Bay Ecosystem
• June 16: Connecticut Sea Grant News Story, Groton Times
  Immersed in Education: The Aqua Kids focus on protecting aquatic environments
  http://zip06.theday.com/blogs/groton_times/archive/2009/06/10/immersed-in-education-the-aqua-kids-
  focus-on-protecting-aquatic-environments.aspx
• June 18: Michigan Sea Grant Upwellings Newsletter
  http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/upwellings/
• June 19: Delaware Sea Grant Reporter Newsletter
  http://www.ocean.udel.edu/seagrant/publications/reporter/2009/09.html
• June 19: MIT Sea Grant Story, the Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124421534407589317.html
• June 22: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant the HELM Newsletter
  http://www.iiseagrant.org/newsroom/helm/helm09_spr_web.pdf

AWARDS

• Delaware Sea Grant Wins Multiple National Association of Press Women Awards
  For details, go to: http://www.seagrant.noaa.gov/newsevents/awards.html
• Maine Sea Grant Wins Association for Communication Excellence Silver Award
  Communications Coordinator, Catherine Schmitt received a silver award for "A Coastal Companion: A Gulf of Maine Almanac, from Cape Cod to Canada." Schmitt's work is a 176-page journey spanning 12 months in the Gulf of Maine and its watershed. http://www.umaine.edu/news/view_release.php?x=1242132510
• North Carolina Sea Grant Wins NOAA Marine Sanctuaries "Volunteer of the Year"
  Marine Education Specialist Terri Kirby-Hathaway, who holds the education seat of the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, was honored for helping to bring a change in attitudes and opinions concerning ocean resources.
• View 2009 Sea Grant Awards and Awards Archive

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

• NOAA's ClimateWatch Magazine Workshop (June 1-2)
  103 participants (including 5 from Sea Grant programs and 4 from the NSGO) learned about effective storytelling and plans for the new Climate Services Portal site. Presentation files from the meeting are now available at: http://climate.noaa.gov/
• Coming Soon: Annual Report Guidance
• Network Staff Development Seminars
  

Session 1: General Q&A Fiscal
June 19, 2009
Summary: The Inspector General continues to look at awards and draw down of funds. The SF425 is replacing financial reporting forms 269, 272, and 270, and will be due every 6 months. All new awards require universities to fill out the SF425 financial reports. If there is + than or - than $5,000 on the financial form submitted in GOL, a reason must be given.

Coming Soon...
Session 2: Annual Reporting Guidance
July 8, 2009
2-4 p.m. EST
Call: 1-866-746-2456
Passcode: 3234152

• National Information Management System (NIMS)
  New link: http://www.nims.noaa.gov
• Knauss Update
  In May, the NSGO convened a 10 member selection panel to review and select the 2010 John A. Knauss Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellowship Program class. The NSGCP received 89 applications from 29 State Sea Grant Programs, the largest set of applications ever received. The selection panel recommended 51 applications for the finalists class. This years placement week will take place November 16-20, 2009.

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