FROM THE TOS PRESIDENT

Paula Bontempi

TOS Members, 

Hello. In the waning days of my tenure as president of TOS, I’d like to about hope.

In November, I gave a talk about Earth’s vital signs. In my preparation, I read about a recent survey in the scientific journal The Lancet that reported, “more than 50% of youth in the United States are very or extremely worried about climate change.” The researchers surveyed over 15,000 people aged 16–25, which revealed “one in three young people said their feelings about climate change negatively affect their daily lives.” I’m no expert, but to me that is approaching a crisis for young people.

The situation can seem desperate, but we’ve been here before. Anyone remember the hole in the ozone layer that was in the news in 1985? The ozone hole clearly defined the global impacts of human activity on Earth’s atmosphere. Scientists and engineers from industry, government, academia, and many other sectors worked together to identify the cause—and the solution. The UN developed a treaty, the 1987 Montreal Protocol, that phased out production of ozone-depleting chemicals. Ever since, scientists have been tracking the progress of Earth’s recovery of this vital planetary shield from UV radiation. The ozone layer is showing definitive, measurable signs of recovery because the world acted and worked together.

If we had NOT made major changes to our behavior—phasing out CFCs and ozone depleting substances—it is estimated that two-thirds of the ozone layer would have been destroyed by 2065. Instead, it is predicted that the ozone layer should recover by 2065—if we stay the course.

So where does that leave us? It leaves us with hope. We change now for future generations. Our behavior is a currency of care. Solutions require action. Learn Earth’s numbers. Notice its changes. Speak up for it. And advocate. We are not separate from the living Earth. We are part of it.  And there is still time for our care to matter.

Keep up the great work, everyone. I have never been prouder or more honored to be a member of this community. We stand together for our planet, for our science, for humanity, and our shared future.

See you all at the early career kickoff for TOS’s Webinar Series.

As always: [email protected]

With hope,
Paula

Be sure to vote for the open TOS Council positions. Voting in this election is an important function of membership as those elected will participate in directing the affairs and determining the future of the Society.

The TOS Council election is being conducted electronically. All TOS members were sent an email message from The Oceanography Society on October 28, 2026, containing a unique ballot link with a random, secret access key. If you are a TOS member and did not receive this message, please contact Jenny Ramarui, TOS Executive Director ([email protected] or 301-251-7708) to receive voting instructions. All votes must be cast by 04:00 ET on November 27, 2026.

The Oceanography Society thanks the Councilors who are rotating off for their time, dedication, and valuable contributions to the organization! On January 1, 2027:

• Heidi Dierssen, President-Elect, will step in as President
• Paula Bontempi, President, will move to be Past-President
• Deborah Bronk, Past President, will rotate off the Council

In addition the following will rotate off the Council:

• Grace Saba, Biological Oceanography Councilor
• Hilary Palevksy, Early Career Councilor
• Leilani Arthurs, Education Councilor
• Jeremy Werdell, Ocean Data Science Councilor
• Eric Wade, Ocean Social Science and Policy Councilor

DECEMBER 2, 2026, 1–2 ET, WEBINAR

DEMYSTIFYING PROMOTION, ADVANCEMENT, AND CAREER PROGRESSION

Participants can register and, if desired, submit questions in advance at the link below. TOS welcomes questions and participation from international participants.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

NAVIGATING GRAD SCHOOL

Finding a Thesis Topic – by P.J.S. Franks

Envisioning and Writing a Thesis Proposal – by P.J.S. Franks

OCEAN OBSERVATORIES INITIATIVE FACILITY BOARD

COMMUNITY FORUM TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OCEAN OBSERVING

The Ocean Observatories Initiative Facility Board (OOIFB) will host a Community Forum on December 4–5, 2026, in San Francisco, CA. The Forum, Building a Collective Vision for the Future of Ocean Observing, will bring together researchers, data scientists, students, resource managers, and other stakeholders to discuss shared priorities and help shape the future of sustained ocean observations.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

SCHLANGER OCEAN DRILLING FELLOWSHIP

The U.S. Scientific Ocean Drilling Coordination Office (SODCO) provides support and training for the next generation of ocean scientists. The Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellowship Program offers merit-based awards for graduate students to conduct research using existing samples and data from scientific ocean drilling programs.

Fellowship awards are $42,000 for a 12-month period, issued to the fellow’s home institution. The fellowship is open to all graduate students currently enrolled at U.S. institutions in full-time M.S. and Ph.D. programs.

2027 GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCE
ON POLAR MARINE SCIENCE

THE POLAR OCEANS AS GLOBAL LYNCHPINS

MARCH 21–26, 2027 | RIVER RIDGE, CA, USA

The 2027 incarnation of the Polar Marine Science GRC will provide an interdisciplinary exploration of some of the most tenacious controversies in polar oceanography, particularly within the context of a changing climate. Each session will delve into a topic to help scientists in complementary disciplines understand the complications and challenges faced by their colleagues. Questions such as how changing freshwater sources will impact the Arctic and Southern Oceans, whether deepwater formation and primary production are increasing or decreasing, and what are the most important sources of climatically active aerosols in the polar regions will be discussed from the perspective of why these questions are difficult to answer. Additional sessions on the challenges of studying the ice-covered oceans of Earth’s past and other planets will further stretch participants’ perspectives on how polar oceans can function.