From Observations to Impact THE FIRST DECADE OF IMOS This document is dedicated to Dr Gary Meyers, the foundation IMOS Director, who led IMOS through its establishment phase from 2007 to 2009. Cover: Clive McMahon, Sydney Institute of Marine Science b | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS Anita Slotwinski, CSIRO 1 Anita Slotwinkski, CSIRO 2 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS The Australian 2015 National The IMOS partners have established A note from Innovation and Science Agenda an observing system focused on the ten-year commitment to continue contemporary needs of an extensive the Chair funding research infrastructure user and stakeholder base by providing and the subsequent 2016 National high-performing research infrastructure Research Infrastructure Roadmap capability that is connected to research provides an opportunity to reflect on of relevance across various sectors the value of Australia’s Integrated of government, industry and society. Marine Observing System (IMOS) IMOS has provided a quantum leap nationally and internationally. in the availability of ocean data in Australia. Data used in the assessments Over the past 10 years IMOS has and models of ocean state and become an international leader in ocean health, from the Great Barrier Reef to observing building on the Oceans Antarctica leading to improvements Policy Science Advisory Group 2005 in understanding climate and weather vision for an Australian Integrated forecasting, industry practice and Ocean Observing System (AusIOOS). the sustainable management of IMOS has brought together eleven Australia’s marine estate generally. partner organisations from the This is evident from many submissions Australian marine science community to the 2016 Roadmap highlighting to provide an unprecedented level of not only the ongoing requirement for open access research infrastructure, sustained ocean observing but the producing data used by around 200 need to grow and enhance IMOS to full national and international partner or coverage of Australia’s estuaries, coast, collaborative organisations, across shelf and oceans, and the planned academia, government and industry. incorporation of novel technologies IMOS is committed to scientific to improve quality and efficiency. and technological excellence but Through IMOS, the Australian marine also impact. Impact driven by an science community has an essential understanding of the current and role in helping to ensure the nation evolving needs of the users of benefits from sustainable growth marine science and by ensuring opportunities provided by a vast IMOS data is high quality, open marine estate expected to make an access and synthesised into useable annual contribution to the Australian information in a timely manner. economy of $100 billion by 2025. Our vision is that by 2025 Australia will have a continuously growing time series of essential ocean variables for estuary, coast, shelf and ocean environments. This will enable cutting edge research on contemporary problems, and provide a scientific basis for informed decision making. Dr Ian Poiner Independent Chair IMOS Advisory Board 3 Warrick Glynn, Marine National Facility 4 | From Observations to Impact: the first decade of IMOS History of IMOS The Global Ocean Observing System was created in March 1991 in response to calls from the Second World Climate Conference a year before. Australia’s involvement in early global ocean observing programs was through the Bureau of Meteorology and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Sampling requirements for ocean applications to meet various societal needs were developed during the late 1990s, including at the seminal OceanObs’99 conference held in Saint-Raphael, France. Australia’s Oceans Policy was In February 2006 Australian released in 1998 with the objective Government announced a completely of positioning our nation as a world different approach to national research leader in implementing integrated infrastructure investment through oceans planning and management. its National Collaborative Research Oceans Policy was accompanied by Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS). NCRIS a Marine Technology and Science set out a relatively small number of Plan which set out national marine national priorities, and sought single, infrastructure requirements - skills, collaborative proposals from science platforms and equipment, long term communities aided by expert facilitators. monitoring programs, and marine It funded at scale ($500 million was data management. For the first time available over five years) and considered ever there was the national policy and the full cost of infrastructure including planning framework required to support both capital and operating costs. monitoring and understanding of global ocean processes that influence An integrated marine observing system Australia’s marine and terrestrial was one of sixteen national priorities environments. However while Oceans identified in the first NCRIS Roadmap. Policy was adopted by Australian A consortium led by the University of Government, the Marine Technology Tasmania developed an investment and Science Plan was never funded. plan which was submitted in November 2006. The plan was accepted and Meanwhile, development of national a $50 million five-year contract was and regional ocean observing systems signed in May 2007 to create IMOS. to complement global programs continued apace. In the United States It is important to note that it was an Ocean U.S. Office was established this combination of national marine in March 2000 and an Integrated science community coordination, and Ocean Observing System (IOOS) was thoughtful program design through designed and implemented. Cognizant NCRIS, that created the conditions of developments in other nations for IMOS to come into being. with ocean-influenced economies, Many people have contributed to the Oceans Policy Science Advisory the success of IMOS over its first Group (now known as the National decade, though a few warrant special Marine Science Committee) set itself mention here. Dr Trevor Powell was the task of scoping an Australian appointed to facilitate development Integrated Ocean Observing System of an IMOS Investment Plan which (AusIOOS). The AusIOOS Working was submitted and subsequently Group published its final report in May approved. Trevor went on to become 2005. At this point, the Australian the inaugural Independent Chair of the marine science community had IMOS Advisory Board from 2007–11. readied itself to put in place a national Dr Gary Meyers was the foundation ocean observing system in response Director of IMOS, from February 2007 to global and national drivers. to June 2009, guiding the program 5 FEBRUARY 2006 MAY 2009 $52 million for IMOS from MAY 2012 IMOS ‘circle diagram’ first used to National Collaborative the Education Investment Fund (EIF) explain how we go ‘from observation to impact’ Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) released JULY 2009 Ocean SEPTEMBER 2012 First online Data Reports Portal launched produced showing status of data holdings NOVEMBER 2006 SEPTEMBER 2009 IMOS OCTOBER 2012 First Australian IMOS investment Five Year Strategy released Coastal and Oceans Modelling and plan submitted Observations (ACOMO) workshop SEPTEMBER 2009 OceanObs’09 conference ESTABLISHING GROWING CONSOLIDATING MAY 2005 AusIOOS MAY 2007 $50 million NCRIS SEPTEMBER 2011 First online Working Group final funding to create IMOS Science Output Reports produced report published from the ‘publications’ database through its formative years. Gary Portal in July 2009 was a significant to make IMOS a successful national passed away in April 2016 and this milestone in the history of IMOS. collaborative research infrastructure. publication is dedicated to his memory. Jo Neilson joined in March 2007 to The early years were also about The Marine and Climate Super Science set up the IMOS Office and continues building the relationships required Initiative of May 2009 provided $52 as Project Manager to this day. to successfully operate and sustain million for IMOS from the Education a national collaborative research Investment Fund (EIF). This investment The early years (2007–9) were about infrastructure. An explicit objective of did two important things. It grew annual establishment. Existing observing NCRIS was to develop capability within funding by 80% (from $10 million programs brought into IMOS needed to the University sector. The University to $18 million per annum) with an be integrated and put on a sustained of Tasmania was asked to lead IMOS, increased emphasis on the Southern footing. In some cases, new sites and seven other universities took Ocean and Northern Australian waters, needed to be occupied with proven responsibility for operating parts of the and it extended the timeframe from technologies. In other cases, new system – University of Western Australia five years (ending June 2011) to instruments needed to be acquired, and Curtin University, University of New seven years (ending June 2013). tested and made to work reliably in the South Wales, University of Sydney, field, some for the first time in Australian Macquarie University and University An IMOS Five Year Strategy called waters. An overarching element of Technology Sydney (collectively ‘Building on our strengths’ was was building the marine information through the Sydney Institute of developed to guide this new investment, infrastructure required to make all of the Marine Science),