OOI Data Ambassador Program
OOI Data Ambassadors are internal experts whose knowledge and experience with OOI data help strengthen our data systems and support the broader user community. By highlighting their areas of expertise, we aim to connect users with the people behind the data and showcase the depth of insight across the OOI program.
Have a question or want to connect with one of our Data Ambassadors? Reach out to ooi@whoi.edu.
Meet Our OOI Data Ambassadors
Dr. Jack Barth
Expertise: Dr. Jack Barth is an expert in coastal ocean dynamics, with a research focus on the spatial and temporal variability of circulation and water properties in upwelling systems. His work explores how physical processes shape marine ecosystems, particularly the formation of hypoxic (low-oxygen) zones on continental shelves. He is a recognized leader in high-resolution ocean observations, employing advanced platforms like gliders and moorings to monitor fine-scale changes in coastal environments. Dr. Barth has also played a pivotal role in the development of ocean observing systems, contributing to both their technical implementation and the dissemination of the data they produce. With a strong commitment to teaching and mentorship, he has helped shape the next generation of ocean scientists while advancing long-term monitoring strategies.
Core Areas of Data Application:
- Upwelling and cross-shelf transport
- Hypoxia and ecosystem impacts
- Physical-biological interactions
- Real-time monitoring and research
Dr. Edward Dever
Expertise: Dr. Edward Dever brings deep expertise in coastal ocean observing systems, cross-shelf exchange, and air-sea interaction. A key contributor to the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) from its inception, Dr. Dever played a central leadership role in the design, construction, and ongoing operation of the OOI infrastructure. He currently leads the Northeast Pacific Endurance Array, setting scientific priorities and overseeing deployment and recovery efforts. His research focuses on understanding physical transport processes across the continental shelf and how these processes influence ocean conditions and ecosystem dynamics.
Core Areas of Data Application:
- Cross-shelf exchange and transport
- Air-sea interaction
- Marine carbonate system variability
- Long-term coastal monitoring
Dr. James Edson
Expertise: Dr. Edson is a marine meteorologist who studies the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere to improve marine weather forecasts. His expertise lies in boundary layer meteorology with a focus on surface layer turbulence and air-sea interaction. He has been actively involved in developing ocean observing systems such as the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO), its Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT), and sensor packages for the NSF Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and Tropical Pacific Observing System (TPOS). He brings extensive experience managing large-scale research programs including the Coupled Boundary Layers and Air-Sea Transfer (CBLAST) program for the Office of Naval Research. A long-time contributor to OOI, Edson served on the ORION Science & Technology Advisory Committee and chaired the OOI Program Advisory Committee from 2008 to 2013. He accepted the position of Lead PI of OOI’s Program Management Office (PMO) in 2022.
Core Areas of Data Application:
- Air-Sea Interaction and marine atmospheric surface layer turbulence
- Parameterization of momentum, heat and mass fluxes
- Gas Exchange
- Sensor development and motion correction
Dr. Deborah Kelley
Expertise: Dr. Deb Kelley is an expert in underwater cabled observatories, seafloor volcanic systems, and hydrothermal vent ecosystems. As the Director of the Regional Cabled Array (RCA)—the cabled component of the Ocean Observatories Initiative—she has led the development, deployment, and ongoing operation of nearly 900 km of high-power, high-bandwidth fiber optic cables on the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate. This infrastructure enables real-time, two-way communication with over 140 seafloor and water column instruments, supporting high-resolution studies of dynamic ocean processes. Her research explores the physical, chemical, and biological interactions among active submarine volcanoes, hydrothermal systems, and the unique ecosystems they support. She is also deeply involved in education through the VISIONS at-sea program, where she has brought more than 150 undergraduate students to sea for hands-on oceanographic research.
Core Areas of Data Application:
- Submarine volcanism and hydrothermal activity
- Geologic-biologic seafloor interactions
- Continuous deep-ocean observations
- Extreme environment ecosystem studies
Dr. Albert Plueddemann
Expertise: Dr. Albert Plueddemann brings expertise in upper ocean physics, surface forcing, and the design and operation of ocean observing systems. He leads the Coastal Global Scale Nodes (CGSN) component of the OOI, overseeing the Global Arrays in the Irminger Sea and Station Papa, as well as the Coastal Pioneer Array at the shelf break front in the North Atlantic. Plueddemann played a key role in the design and implementation of the Pioneer Array, as well as its relocation from the New England Shelf to the Middle Atlantic Bight. His research focuses on interaction between air-sea fluxes and the ocean surface boundary layer, including both deep-water and continental shelf environments.
Core Areas of Data Application:
- Air-sea interaction
- Upper ocean response to surface forcing
- Surface boundary layer dynamics