Ocean Discovery

Ocean Leadership manages national and international programs that facilitate scientific discovery.  

The Census of Marine Life (CoML) is a global research initiative to assess and explain the changing diversity, distribution and abundance of marine species in the world's oceans. Related activities integral to this research include the design and implementation of standard databases for marine species in collaboration with other international efforts, and the design and implementation of innovative biological sampling techniques for the marine environment. Ocean Leadership provides a home to the International Secretariat as well as the coordinating office of the U.S. Program.

The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) is an interagency program established by the U.S. Congress in 1996 to coordinate and strengthen oceanographic efforts through partnerships among federal agencies, academia, industry, and other members of the oceanographic community.  Ocean Leadership serves as the NOPP Program Office.

The Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) is managed by Ocean Leadership. OOI coordinates the science, technology, education and outreach of an emerging network of science-driven ocean observatories. 

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. 

The US Implementing Organization (USIO) (Ocean Leadership, Texas A&M University, and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) 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. 

The U.S. Science Support Program, associated with IODP, supports U.S. scientists participation in IODP. 

Ocean Understanding

Ocean Leadership has an active education component designed to provide educational materials to help students and teachers bring ocean science into the classroom. 

The Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) is a national network of collaborative partnerships that link academic centers of ocean sciences research to schools, school districts, and informal learning centers such as aquariums and science museums.  The Network’s mission is to spark and nurture collaborations among scientists and educators to advance ocean discovery and make known the vital role of the ocean in our lives.

Deep Earth Academy develops programs and materials based on the expeditions and discoveries of scientific ocean drilling research and related programs to strengthen students’ mathematics, science, and analytical skills for a lifetime of learning.  

Diversity programs and partnerships provide learning opportunities, mentoring, fellowships and other horizon-building experiences for minority students to explore careers in the Earth System sciences. 

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.

Ocean Action

External Affairs, including Communications, engages all audiences, students, teachers, elected officials, and the general public, to  better understand the significance of research discoveries, as well as the relevance and value of oceans research.