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Deliverables & Capacity Building

Deliverables

  1. Connect all available data bases via the IAEA’s MARiS portal, including data collected via the GEOTRACES and HAM data bases and individual studies.  MARiS is a publicly accessible database in the same spirit embraced by GEOTRACES (http://www.egeotraces.org/) and various time-series programs (HOT (http://hahana.soest.hawaii.edu/hot/hot-dogs/interface.html), PAPA (http://oceanobservatories.org/infrastructure/ooi-station-map/station-papa/), etc.) (WG Members lead:  Morris, Aoyama, Masque; Associate Member: Schlitzer)
  2.  Review papers in peer reviewed journals on ocean radionuclide distributions and future challenges in their measurement and application, including an analyses of information gaps and future research needs. (All WG Members)
  3. Production of education tools at the primary school, undergraduate, and graduate level.  This includes eLectures (https://www.aslo.org/aslo-publications/limnology-and-oceanography-e-lectures/) and eposters (http://www.eposters.net/), online course materials based on courses already being taught by SCOR WG Members (e.g. Johnson, 2014). An international graduate student volunteer group will be created to assist in these efforts (WG Member lead Dai).
  4. Public communication and dissemination (web tools and fact sheets) that include basic information on radiation literacy and marine radioactivity using lessons learned from Fukushima to motivate and attract attention (see example at http://www.ourradioactiveocean.org/ ) (WG Members lead: Benitez-Nelson, Masqué, Buesseler, Dai; Associate Member: Johnson).  A goal will be the translation of public information into multiple languages.
  5. International symposium in year 3 - Radionuclides and Marine Processes – attended by academia, industry, national laboratories, with published scientific abstracts, following the model of the MARC Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry Conferences.  Seek partnership with IAEA (WG Member- Morris) and other EU sponsors (WG Members lead: Oughton, Charmasson, Delfanti) and US private foundations (WG Members lead:  Buesseler, Benitez-Nelson)

Capacity Building

Members will participate individually and collectively in efforts to increase public and scientific understanding of marine radioactivity and radioecology. This SCOR WG will seek financial support as needed from the national agencies of WG Members, international organizations like the IAEA and IOC/UNESCO and groups such as, IUR, etc. and private funding sources.  By developing tools for web based training, the next generation of graduate students will be exposed more readily to the concepts needed to understand radioactivity and radioecology in the marine environment.  By increasing interactions among WG Members and knowledge of national programs, student exchanges and mentoring and sampling opportunities will be enhanced.  With web-based sources to promote public understanding about radioactivity and open-access publication of synthesis papers and symposium volumes, there will be new resources to help expand the field and provide information to the public and policy makers.

Activities will include the web-based education materials and documents as well as online courses explained above. But more specifically, RiO5 will also work to-

  • Coordinate short term training of both junior and senior researchers at WG Member laboratories
  • Facilitate participation of young researchers in oceanographic cruises to be trained in sampling and analyses
  • Seek and facilitate appropriate ways of funding for young researchers, for attending research conferences, short-term stays at research centers or PhD or postdoc fellowships
  • Approach the IAEA for Technical Cooperation for developing countries. Some of RiO5 Members already collaborate with the IAEA on this and the WG can work with the IAEA to identify future requirements for capacity building
  • Pursue capacity building for developing country scientists through participation of developing country scientists in WG, holding first meeting in China in conjunction with a three-day training workshop, and seeking assistance from SCOR to involve participation of developing country scientists in WG activities
  • Routine activities of outreach activities are also anticipated through national and regional user groups, such as COSEE China (China Ocean Science Education Excellence Partnership) which is officed at Xiamen U.