Ocean Societal Indicators (OSI) Task Team

Goals and Rationale

In March of 2020, the IOOC created a task team called the Ocean Societal Indicators Task Team charged with linking social science indicators with physical and natural observations data on our oceans, Great Lakes, and coasts. The overarching objectives of this task team include: 

  • Objective 1: Produce a baseline synthesis of existing ocean societal indicators and efforts incorporating social science into ocean observing management.
  • Objective 2: Identify ocean societal indicators.
  • Objective 3: Recommend path for implementation.

The full scope of work of the task team is linked here.

Completed Activities

The IOOC Ocean Societal Indicators Task Team sunset in July 2023. While in session, the Task Team:

  1. Solicited existing ocean societal indicators from U.S. federal agencies to understand to what extent they incorporated social science into ocean observing management programs,
  2. Identified types of ocean-related societal indicators and data from federal programs that could be clearly connected to data from ocean observing systems, and
  3. Identified gaps in and opportunities and recommendations for integrating social indicators into ocean observing programs.

This work culminated in an official IOOC Summary Report, which outlines recommendations for federal agencies, social and ecological scientists, and other relevant stakeholders to further integrate societal indicators into ocean observing management. The Task Team additionally developed an open-access, online Ocean Societal Indicators Database as a starting point for gathering ocean societal indicator data from various sources. 

Task Team Members

  • Erin Satterthwaite, UCSD (Co-Chair)
  • Patricia M. Clay, NOAA (Co-Chair)
  • Rachel Seary, NOAA
  • Joel Scott, NASA
  • Laura Lorenzoni, NASA
  • Elizabeth Larson, NASA
  • Jonathan Blythe, BOEM
  • Abigail Harley, NOAA
  • Emily Smail, NOAA
  • Marilyn Tenbrink, EPA
  • Victoria Ramenzoni, Rutgers University
  • Cassandra Wilson, COL (Staff Support)

Contact

If you have any questions concerning this task team, reach out to iooc@ucar.edu.