The Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Program is soliciting proposals for OCB activities that will take place or begin during the 2027 calendar year. In the coming year, we are able to support 1 topical workshop (to take place in summer or fall 2027) and 2-3 hub and/or small group activities. We seek proposals for OCB-relevant workshops and activities as follows:

• Workshops and training activities – These activities bring together practitioners across disciplines to build community and/or capacity on OCB-relevant topics (see scientific scope below). A training activity is typically limited to 30-40 participants, and a topical workshop is typically limited to 50-60 participants. A hybrid format is strongly encouraged to broaden input and impact. We also welcome proposals for fully virtual workshops and training activities. The participant selection process for training activities should use a pre-determined evaluative rubric. Budgets for these activities will be capped at $70,000.
• Small group activities – These activities have a specific focus and set of outcomes. They are typically limited to ~8-16 participants and 1-2 years in duration. The majority of participant interaction must take place virtually. Work is to be completed both synchronously and asynchronously via Zoom and collaborative tools (e.g., Google Suite). A small amount of funding (add-on hotel night, food and beverage) can be provided to accommodate a side meeting in conjunction with other workshops (OCB, AGU, OSM, etc.), and publication costs. If a small group activity is a follow-on or direct outgrowth of a previous OCB activity, this connection should be explicitly noted, and PIs must address how this activity will further advance progress. Budgets for these activities will be capped at $15,000.
• Regional hubs – This is a relatively new OCB activity model (based on the OCB-supported regional mCDR nodes) that aims to foster community building at the regional scale on OCB-relevant topics, including practitioners across sectors, disciplines, and career stages. A small amount of funding is provided to support one large gathering or a series of smaller gatherings (meeting-related expenses such as venue, catering, etc.), as well as associated outcomes (publications, outreach materials, etc.). There is no travel/lodging support available for these activities, as all participants should be local or within driving distance of a regional hub. Budgets for these activities will be capped at $10,000.

To get familiar with OCB’s current and previous activities, PIs should view the OCB website before preparing and submitting a proposal. If you have questions about the relevance, timeliness, appropriate format, etc. of a proposed activity, please contact the OCB Project Office for guidance. Proposals must be led by a US-based PI and all activities must take place in the US. To guide proposal preparation, we strongly encourage PIs to read OCB’s Code of Conduct and OCB Planning Guidelines before getting started.

Read the full solicitation

NSF has issued a Dear Colleague Letter seeking input on priorities, strategies, and technologies for future NSF ocean observing systems that support scientific and societal needs. Comment deadline is September 30.

Dear Colleagues,

On June 18, 2026, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced its intent to continue operations and maintenance of the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and to issue this Dear Colleague Letter soliciting perspectives on what ocean observation capabilities NSF should provide. NSF requests the public’s vision for an effective NSF ocean observation system that is scientifically relevant, technologically up-to-date, operationally viable and aligned with NSF’s mission and priorities. In particular, NSF seeks responses to one, some, or all of the following questions:

• How should NSF’s investments complement and/or differ from other national and international efforts; for example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ocean observation systems?
• What gaps exist in observations to address high impact science questions and what oceanic regions could benefit from NSF ocean observations system(s)?
• What types of observations would best advance the national interest?
• What types of observations (e.g., pre-selected sites vs. moveable assets) are needed and what technologies are ready for implementation to ensure advancement of the state of the science?
• Which elements in NSF’s existing observational portfolio should be maintained or updated to fulfil the identified needs?
• What other operational uses and stakeholders should be considered and how can their needs be best served?
• What are robust metrics to assess the scientific and societal impact and value of observations over time?
• How should NSF seek to balance the development of new ocean observing technologies with the collection of more data using established technologies?
• What additional factors should NSF consider?

In addition to OOI, NSF investments in ocean observations include mid-scale infrastructure (i.e., GO-BGC Argo program, Cascadia Offshore Subduction Zone Observatory), and individual research projects that provide time series and longer-term observations. The U.S. Academic Research Fleet, sub-seafloor drilling capabilities, remote sensing measurements, and any science questions best answered through term-limited research grants are not part of this request.

These NSF-supported ocean observing activities were developed over the last 25 or more years in response to specific science questions. NSF now seeks to revisit its ocean observation investments to ensure continued alignment with high priority science needs, using the best available technologies and approaches, and covering regions where oceans play a critical role in Earth system processes. We invite feedback that will help NSF ensure efficient and continued evolution of ocean observations. Input should consider:

• Alignment with NSF’s mission and with current science needs.
• Integration of existing efforts to better and more efficiently serve science.
• Development of new strategic partnerships.

Several U.S. federal and state agencies and other entities maintain robust ocean observation networks. Submissions should take these efforts into account and clearly identify the challenges and opportunities that NSF-led ocean observation system(s) could address.

NSF encourages responses both from individuals and aggregated responses from groups such as professional societies or other organizations.

Please use this form to submit your response to the above questions by September 30, 2026. Responses will be limited to 3,250 characters (including spaces; the equivalent of a single page of text in 12-point font) for each question. Materials received will help inform NSF’s future actions regarding ocean observations and help ensure that data services and tools align with stakeholder needs. All information provided to NSF may be made public without further notice. Please do not include any confidential business or sensitive personal privacy information. NSF will not respond to individual inquiries about this DCL.

Thank you for your engagement and contributions to the advancement of ocean science.

Sincerely,

Simon Malcomber
Chief Science Officer

Since the early to mid-20th century, shipboard marine ecological time series (METS), or sustained repeat measurements of physical, biogeochemical, and biological processes, have documented changes in ocean biogeochemistry and marine ecosystems. To date, numerous disconnected databases and interfaces for accessing data have made it difficult for prospective users to find and use these datasets. Limited data access, discoverability, reporting, and interoperability represent a barrier to analyses within and across METS. Standardized guidelines on METS sampling and analytical methods, data and metadata reporting protocols, data sharing culture, and data citation practices are needed to track and expand time series data usage and facilitate comparative studies across METS stations. It is this set of data-related challenges that the METS Research Coordination Network set out to address. This report is a summary of METS RCN activities and efforts, including a culminating community workshop that included representation from a globally distributed set of METS. The report provides informatics tools and resources that are specific to METS datasets and includes actionable recommendations for strengthening a global METS network and broadening applications and users of METS datasets.

Benway, H., Kinkade, D., White, A., Mickle, A., Buck, J., Shepherd, A., Pacheco, F., Lange, N., O’Brien, T., Berghoff, C., Miskin-Hymas, C., Guisewhite, N., Gonz.lez-D.vila, M., Santana-Casiano, M., Mansfield, T., Mieruch, S., Brearley, J.A., Blanco Bercial, L., Montes, E., Morkeski, K., Gerlach, D., Plueddemann, A., Wright-Fairbanks, L. (2026) FAIR Data Practices for Marine Ecological Time Series (NSF EarthCube Research Coordination Network). An OCB Report. 35pp. https://doi.org/10.1575/1912/73186 (repository direct url: https://hdl.handle.net/1912/73186)

OCB WORKSHOP From single cells to ecosystems: Quantifying the role of marine viruses in carbon transport models

February 8-10, Grand Galvez Hotel, Galveston, Texas (hybrid)

Viruses are a ubiquitous and integral component of Earth’s ecosystems, including marine microbial communities. Virally mediated mechanisms play a central role in carbon cycling and export processes. Despite their known prevalence and activity in marine systems, fundamental knowledge gaps preclude robust representation of viruses in marine ecosystem and biogeochemical models.

To build a more cohesive marine virus research community, this workshop will bring together the knowledge and perspectives of microbiologists, viral ecologists, geochemists, and ecosystem and biogeochemical modelers. Participants will discuss existing and aspirational datasets to inform representation of viruses in models. Discussions will also focus on identifying standardized protocols, field and laboratory experiments, and other community activities and tools that would help advance our understanding of marine carbon transport via viruses. This workshop will lead to the publication of a synthesis paper describing our current state of knowledge and a holistic roadmap for addressing gaps in our observations, process understanding, and technological and computing capabilities to propel marine virus research forward and improve our capacity to understand, model and predict their roles in marine ecosystem function. Keynote speakers will include:

• Joshua S. Weitz (Univ. of Maryland)
• Stephanie Dutkiewicz (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• Matthew Sullivan (Ohio State Univ.)
• Assaf Vardi (Weizmann Institute of Science)
• Kim Thamatrakoln (Rutgers Univ.)
• Debbie Lindell (Technion – Israel Institute of Technology)

Registration for the workshop will open in late summer 2026 and be announced via OCB communication outlets. We will also continue to add information to the workshop website. If you have any interest in attending, please fill out this preliminary expression of interest form to help inform our planning.