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Former NOS Assistant Administrator Visits OR&R
NOVEMBER 4, 2019 — Staff members from OR&R and the Office of Coast Survey recently enjoyed a visit from Russell Callender, former Assistant Administrator of NOAA’s National Ocean Service. In 2018, Dr. Callender was named as the new Director of Washington Sea Grant at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Sea Grant is a national network of 34 university-based programs. Its focus areas overlap with many of NOAA’s goals: working to protect, enhance, and restore coastal ecosystems; working with fishing communities to advance sustainable domestic fisheries and aquaculture; helping coastal and Great Lakes communities prepare for and adapt to changing conditions; and supporting and training a workforce that is environmentally literate and equipped to address national and local needs.
Dr. Callender spoke to the group about his new role, his transition from NOS AA to Sea Grant Director, and the similarities and differences between the two agencies. He described relationships that Washington Sea Grant was developing with communities, industry, and tribes, and shared some instances in which Sea Grant was able to provide an impartial role in bringing science to help communities arrive at better decisions.
He and OR&R staff discussed possible areas for collaboration — with the goal of delivering rich and rigorous research, technical expertise, and educational programming that supports our ocean, coastal communities, and ecosystems.
For more information, contact Mark.Dix@noaa.gov or Donna.L.Roberts@noaa.gov.