Prof. Jack Barth Named Principal Investigator of the Ocean Observatories Initiative Cyberinfrastructure Data Center
The U.S. National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) is pleased to announce that Dr. Jack Barth, oceanographer and Professor of Oceanography at the Oregon State University’s (OSU) College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS), has been recently appointed as the Principal Investigator for the OOI Cyberinfrastructure Data Center operated out of OSU.
Dr. Barth brings extensive expertise in coastal ocean dynamics, marine ecosystems, and hypoxia, with a research focus on the complex spatial and temporal variations of coastal circulation and water properties and their influence on marine ecosystems. A leader in high-resolution ocean observations, he has played a pivotal role in advancing ocean observing systems and dissemination of the data they produce.
With a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, Dr. Barth has led numerous research initiatives resulting in over 140 scientific papers, mentored more than 20 graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. His research interests include high-resolution observations from the inner continental shelf to the adjacent deep ocean in an eastern boundary current upwelling system; influence of physical processes on the formation of low-oxygen (hypoxic) zones on the continental shelf; and the development of ocean observing systems.
Dr. Barth was involved in the genesis of the OOI, attending the first community meeting in 2004, then serving on the NSF Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Network (ORION) Executive Steering Committee from 2004-2007. He led the Request for Assistance that resulted in the OOI Coastal Endurance Array. Jack served as Project Scientist with the OSU Implementing Organization through the building and installation of the Endurance infrastructure before stepping aside to lead the Marine Studies Initiative at OSU. In his return to the OOI, Dr. Barth will promote the Data Center and the use of its open access data for scientific research, educational activities and public outreach. He will work closely with other members of the CI team to improve the quality, accessibility, and usefulness of the data for a wide range of projects conducted by the user community.
Dr. Barth continues to shape the field through policy and advisory roles, including his just-completed service on the Oregon Ocean Policy Advisory Council’s (OPAC) Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee. A Fellow of The Oceanography Society and the American Meteorological Society, Dr. Barth’s role as Principal Investigator of the OOI will further strengthen the initiative’s mission to advance ocean observing science and technology. His leadership and expertise will help drive new innovations and enhance our collective understanding of ocean systems to support scientific discovery.
(c): Oregon State University