OOIFB Town Hall Highlights the Value of Cross-Network Collaboration
At Ocean Sciences 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, the Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB) hosted a Town Hall titled “What Questions Can We Answer Through Cross-Networking?” to explore how collaboration among global ocean observing networks can accelerate scientific discovery.
The session brought together researchers, observing system operators, and educators to discuss how partnerships across observing programs can strengthen the ocean science community. The event focused on building connections, sharing successes, and identifying ways to address common challenges related to data sharing, joint field operations, and emerging technologies.
The discussion was moderated by Dax Soule (Queens College), Chair of the OOIFB, who opened the session with a brief overview of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative and the role of the Facility Board in fostering community engagement.
A panel of experts representing major observing programs provided perspectives on collaboration across international networks:
- Jim Edson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Ocean Observatories Initiative
- Meaghan Paulson, Ocean Networks Canada
- Lucie Cocqempot, IFREMER
- Sebastiaan Swart, University of Gothenburg
- Yavor Kostov, British Antarctic Survey
Panelists emphasized the importance of improving data accessibility, coordinating field operations, and sharing technological innovations to expand the scientific impact of ocean observing systems. The conversation explored how cross-network connections can support data quality and interoperability, strengthen local community engagement, address emerging ocean observation needs, and help fill temporal and spatial gaps in ocean observations. Together, these efforts illustrate how collaboration across observing networks can enable researchers to better understand large-scale ocean processes and environmental change.
During the open Q&A session, attendees shared ideas and perspectives on strengthening connections across the observing community. The Town Hall reinforced the growing importance of collaboration in ocean observing and the role partnerships play in advancing our collective understanding of the ocean system.
From left to right: Yavor Kostov (British Antarctic Survey); Sebastiaan Swart (University of Gothenburg); Lucie Cocqempot (IFREMER); Meaghan Paulson (Ocean Networks Canada); Jim Edson (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Ocean Observatories Initiative); and Dax Soule (Queens College). (c): Amber Coogan, WHOI
Panel discussion during the OOIFB Town Hall at Ocean Sciences 2026. (c): Amber Coogan, WHOI
Panel discussion during the OOIFB Town Hall at Ocean Sciences 2026. (c): Amber Coogan, WHOI