The conference marked nearly 10 years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and was focused on the research that has increased our knowledge of Gulf ecosystems, marine oil spill science, and the impacts of the spill to those ecosystems and communities.

The conference was held in Tampa, Florida, from February 3 through 6, and was an opportunity for OR&R staff to learn more about the latest Gulf research from academic, federal, and state stakeholders, as well as strengthen partnerships within the Gulf region. OR&R was represented by OR&R Director Scott Lundgren and OR&R staff who served as panelists, provided presentations and posters, and met with Gulf partners on specialized topics. 

OR&R used the conference to highlight our continuing role in advancing the science of oil spill preparedness, clean-up, damage assessment, and restoration. Staff led a workshop on Recent Advances in Estimating and Measuring Oil Slick Thickness and were well represented on the panel session regarding Women in Oil Spill Response and Emergency Management. 

GOMOSES also presented the opportunity for the Damage Assessment Restoration and Remediation Program to highlight on-going restoration projects and the long-term data management efforts. Several presentations focused on the functionality of our tools, such as NOAA’s DIVER data management application and Environmental Response Management Application visualization tool. Additional presentations on the development of response oil assays and the toxicity of weathered oil highlighted OR&R’s work. 

For more information please Michele.Jacobi@noaa.gov, Doug.Helton@noaa.gov, or Lisa.DiPinto@noaa.gov.

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