Oceanography | March 2016
MEETING REPORT
education? Should more graduate support be shifted toward
fellowships and away from research assistantships? What is the
appropriate balance between graduate student, postdoctoral,
and early career support?
My own view is that in order to have broad-scale success in
the proposed programmatic changes, we need to take a hard
look at the structural barriers that may be impeding those
changes. Readers may recall that one year ago this month,
Sea Change: 2015–2025 Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences was
released (http://www.nap.edu/read/21655/ chapter/1). That
report focused on ocean research priorities for the decade
ahead and made recommendations for the needed balance
between infrastructure and science to achieve those priori-
ties. In the wake of that report, on behalf of the contributors
to this special issue of Oceanography, I am arguing that a “sea
change” in graduate education is also needed. Just as a commu-
nity of oceanographers, selected and organized by the National
Academies, spent the better part of 18 months deliberating
the future of ocean sciences and then making recommenda-
tions to the National Science Foundation, we need a commit-
ment from the community, and from all federal agencies that
fund ocean sciences graduate education, to chart the future of
graduate education in the ocean sciences—a future that will
meet our social contract with our graduate students and with
society. TOS leadership will continue to push in this direction
because, frankly, if we want things to stay as they are, things
will have to change.
M. Susan Lozier, TOS President
Oceanography | March 2016
TOS Activities at OSM
The Oceanography Society sponsored several activ-
ities during the February Ocean Sciences Meeting in
New Orleans, Louisiana, providing opportunities for
members to meet and share experiences and ideas.
TOS Town Hall
In preparation for the TOS-sponsored Town Hall
on "What's Right and What's Wrong with Graduate
Education in the Ocean Sciences?" TOS compiled
the nearly 400 responses it received from members
who took the TOS graduate education survey. TOS
President Susan Lozier presented the survey results
at the Town Hall. During the evening event, the
~130 participants formed small groups to discuss fea-
tures of graduate education that should be retained
and ideas for possible changes. A concluding open
mike session gave participants an additional oppor-
tunity to share even more ideas and experiences.
Survey results are available at http://tos.org/pdfs/
grad_education_survey_results.pdf.
TOS Breakfast
Over 340 members rose early to attend the TOS
Breakfast where new TOS Fellows Mark Cane,
Rana Fine, and Arnold Gordon were honored, as
well as the most recent recipient of the Munk Award,
Carl Wunsch. TOS thanks Sea-Bird Scientific for their
generous support of this event.
Munk Award Lecture
The audience for the society awards plenary session
listened intently while Walter Munk reflected on his
own experiences and many collaborations with his
"life-long" friend Carl Wunsch. Theresa Paluszkiewicz
of the Office of Naval Research then presented
Dr. Wunsch with the award certificate bearing
the signature of the Secretary of the Navy before
Dr. Wunsch gave a compelling lecture on the "The
Imperative of Global Oceanography." Dr. Wunsch's
lecture, along with all award, keynote, and plenary
lectures are available for viewing at http://osm.agu.
org/2016/oceans-on-demand to learn more.