Host:  Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett

Meeting goal:  Finalize product for Ocean Literacy outreach to public audience; review proposal for NEOSEC-sponsored network of networks; discuss status of the Collaborative and set agenda for the next year, including potential 2nd Ocean Literacy Summit.

Proposed Network of Networks/OS Education Portal

Catherine Cramer, Communications Coordinator for COSEE-NE, distributed a draft proposal to expand  NEOSEC and its offering to member institutions and networks.  Catherine and Pam DiBona (New England Aquarium) worked with Ines Mergel, a post-doc at Harvard’s JFK School of Government, to develop a Letter of Intent which includes a needs assessment for internet-based tools, development of a website containing those tools, and follow-up impact assessment to determine whether those tools increased efficiency and/or effectiveness of the member groups that used them.  Catherine distributed a list of existing networks in New England and the Gulf of Maine which might be recruited to join NEOSEC and/or this effort.

Discussion regarding who should be part of NEOSEC followed. Attention turned to what NEOSEC would like to do, relying on that to determine membership. All examined the mission and vision for NEOSEC.

So the question became, how can a Network of Networks (i.e., NEOSEC) coordinate and draw on the richness represented in our membership and potential membership?  As Pat Harcourt (Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve) put it, we need to think about the value that could come from belonging to NEOSEC.  The group brainstormed a list:

• Conduct synergistic projects
• Host a hub for OSE networks
• Facilitate and strengthen partnerships between scientists and all types of educators
• Peer-review OSE materials
• Become a service organization for members
• Conduct joint fundraising
• Provide forums for sharing models and stories (e.g., Summits)
• Complement/augment ongoing efforts by individual networks and organizations
• Establish a web presence
• Produce practical, needed materials
• Establish OS in state education standards

The Networking Subcommittee will conduct followup to this discussion via conference calls, and report to the larger group in March.

Product for Ocean Literacy Outreach

Wendy Lull (Seacoast Science Center) presented a report from the Outreach Subcommittee, which in July was charged with proposing means for Ocean Literacy outreach to the general public, especially those who visit member institutions.  The subcommittee examined several options for outreach and their costs:

• A standing banner (approximately 7’ tall by 2½’ wide), similar to the one produced by COSEE-NE and the Census of Marine Life, Gulf of Maine Area for the National Marine Educators’ Association annual conference.  Cost:  $500 per banner, including metal stand.

• A rack card (8½” tall by 3½” wide) that could be handed out at institutions and other outlets, like fish markets and ferry and cruise ship terminals.  Cost:  $20K to $30K for 50K pieces

• Restaurant placemats, similar to those used at clam shacks.  Cost:  $10K to $14K for 150K pieces

The group acknowledged that these tools are not mutually exclusive, and members would find different formats useful for their purposes:  each institution can determine which format would work best for them to communicate the NEOSEC-generated message.  Additional outreach tools were considered by the subcommittee and generated at the current meeting but set aside as overly ambitious or onerous for initial implementation.

Wendy reminded everyone of the draft message for the materials reviewed and approved at the July meeting, which first, highlights the reader’s connection to the ocean, and second, directs them to visit NEOSEC institutions and/or website for more information.  The flip side of the banner or card would include a map (and the website could include an interactive one) highlighting NEOSEC member institutions, and indicating those that welcome visitors. 

The group also discussed evaluation of this effort, and the best ways to determine impact of the chosen tools.  Carol Baldassari (Program Evaluation Research Group, Lesley University) cautioned the group not to let evaluation determine the product, but rather the other way around.  The

Outreach Subcommittee will conduct followup and report to the larger group in March.

NEOSEC funding & future efforts 

2008 budget

Pam reported that NSF granted $34,500 supplemental funding to COSEE-NE to sustain NEOSEC for the next year; COSEE-NE PIs have also earmarked funds remaining in the COSEE-NE budget (approximately $43,000) to sustain NEOSEC through January 2009.  A working budget for 2008 includes funding to continue NEwswave, the biweekly e-newsletter which currently has more than 900 subscribers; staff the Collaborative (currently one day per week of Pam’s salary & fringe); reimburse members for travel to meetings; and conduct another Summit, including supplies, publications, and participant support costs. 

Gail suggested that with $500,000, NEOSEC could do everything on the wish list generated earlier in the day – which launched a discussion of whether NEOSEC should consider pursuing membership, and subsequent funding, as part of the national Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence.

Should NEOSEC become a member of the national COSEE network?  How can we – and should we – grow NEOSEC?

Background:  The regional and thematic Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEEs) around the country have come together to form a national COSEE network.  Currently, Gail Scowcroft (Graduate School of Oceanography, URI), Pam, Annette deCharon (COSEE Ocean Systems, UMaine Darling Marine Center), and Billy Spitzer (COSEE New England) are serving as the Interim Network Leadership Team (interim through October 2008 pending selection by NSF of a new Central Coordinating Office), facilitating national network efforts at the discretion of a National Network Council.  So long as a Center is funded by federal dollars, it can be a voting member of the Council, which seeks to leverage the joint strengths of existing Centers toward several National COSEE goals:

1. Increase public understanding of the ocean and its relevance to our social and economic well-being and the quality of our lives
2. Better integrate the ocean research and science education enterprises
3. Increase and diversify the ocean workforce
4. Increase the access to, and participation in, ocean sciences and ocean sciences education by underrepresented and underserved populations
5. Improve the quality of K-12 ocean sciences teaching

The COSEE Council recently voted to allow associate (non-voting) membership in the Network for networks previously funded as COSEEs (e.g., COSEE New England), so long as they can show that their work is in line with the Network goals.

Discussion on this question ranged from question of the benefits of the affiliation (connections to national efforts could help our regional ones, including access to funding), to wondering who would represent NEOSEC to the Network, to its implication for our own programming (we would not be subject to national-level evaluation or direction), to whether we ultimately want to seek funding as a New England regional COSEE in two years (how would that change our own governance structure?  Our chairpersons do not receive funding to serve in that capacity; would that change with a PI structure?).

The group concluded that we want to focus at the regional level, to “float our New England boats,” and continue work on how we can best do that.  We will not plan to become COSEE New England without deliberate discussion and consideration of all of the implications.  Meanwhile, Gail et al. will continue to inform NEOSEC of COSEE Network developments, and vice versa.

There was some discussion about how an organization becomes a member of NEOSEC currently.  To date, it has been up to Pam to correspond with interested parties and describe member institutions' commitments.  Where the goals are compatible, individual representatives are invited to join a conference call or meeting to explore the possibilities further.  Once a member, organizations can appoint a representative and alternate to the Governing Council, which, according to previous determinations, is responsible for planning, prioritizing, tasking work groups, monitoring progress on activities, and facilitating communication within the region.  The Council, with sitting Chair, Past-Chair, and Chair-Elect, holds periodic conference calls and in-person meetings.  Pam will confirm the membership roster and add a list of NEOSEC members to the website.

Second Ocean Literacy Summit?

Following up on a successful Ocean Literacy Summit in November 2006 which led to the work of our existing subcommittees, the group decided that NEOSEC should host a second Summit.  Some initial discussion resulted in the following directions:

Audience:            Similar to first Summit -- NEOSEC members and potential members, teachers and pre-service teachers, informal educators, state science coordinators.  If we can retain a well-known speaker, we may want to open up the keynote speech to the public.

Programming:      Include exhibits, perhaps include our OL outreach banners; agenda (with concurrent sessions) should focus on sharing information about existing projects and initiatives, and creating opportunities for partnerships; include a section which showcases NEOSEC efforts; perhaps focus on one OL Principle. 

Logistics:             Create an agenda that can become a wall poster post-Summit; bring in business-school students to help with marketing; consider webcasting the proceedings.  We may want to invite existing and potential funders to a breakfast/lunch associated with the Summit.  A save-the-date announcement should go out in March 2008.  An easy-to-reach location and early November 2008 target date was suggested.

A new Ocean Literacy Summit Planning Committee will conduct followup via conference calls and report to the larger group in March.

Next meeting dates & locations

Subcommittees will work on their own next steps via email and conference calls during January and February.  Pam will help schedule those.

The NEOSEC Governing Council (i.e., one person from each participating organization) will hold a conference call on March 13th, 2008 to receive updates from the subcommittees.  This will be the first of planned bimonthly check-in calls; Pam will propose a schedule for these.

The next in-person meeting will be held in Portsmouth NH on May 16th, 2008.  At that meeting, each member organization should bring seven slides that describe “How my organization is implementing Ocean Literacy.”  The goal is to learn more about what members do day-to-day, so the assignment should be interpreted broadly!

Next Meeting:  May 16, 2008 at Seacoast Science Center, Rye NH