Dear Colleagues,
In early 2020, the university charged a Marine Operations Task Force to assess OSU’s policies and practices pertaining to operations supporting research and teaching activities in marine and freshwater environments (hereafter referred to as “marine”), and to advise on any necessary revisions. The task force was guided by a philosophy of maximizing access to marine environments while prioritizing safety, efficiency, and affordability.
The task force examined safety, prevention of harassment; vessel definitions and size classification; vessel registry; charters, personal boats, acquisition of vessels, and management and reporting structures. Several key findings centered on risk, liability, the duplication of responsibilities and resources, and an institutional failure to capture full advantage of the great breadth and depth of OSU’s marine support infrastructure—small boats, scientific diving, marine technicians and ship operations, including all professionally-operated vessels—due to our longstanding siloed organizational structure.
Because safe and affordable access to ocean, coastal and freshwater environments is critical for the research and education activities of OSU, and after consultation with deans Tuba Özkan-Haller and Staci Simonich, the university will adopt the task force’s recommendation to bring marine operations under the central leadership and management of the Division of Research and Innovation. Dr. Robert Cowen, in an expanded role as Associate Vice President of Marine Research Operations, will lead this centralization.
Bob Cowen joined OSU in 2013 to serve as Director of the Hatfield Marine Science Center and professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS). Since then, he has overseen the addition of the $62M Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building, co-led the development of the Marine Studies Initiative Strategic Plan, and helped foster expansion in research and academic programming at HMSC. As a sea-going oceanographer, Bob has led over 70 research cruises and conducted over 2,000 scientific dives. He has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers and, since being at OSU, has secured $16M in extramural grant and contract funding as PI or co-PI with colleagues at HMSC, College of Science and CEOAS. In addition to this new role, Cowen will continue to serve in his role as Director of the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport.
This reorganization will include a new Director position, reporting to Cowen, who will be responsible for overseeing all vessels owned and operated by OSU; establishing a marine-related field and vessel operations safety policy, trainings, guidelines for chartering non-OSU vessels; coordinating vessel acquisition and replacement; and maintaining a full inventory of vessels and related equipment. Marine Operations also will have oversight of scientific diving, scientific boating, and marine tech programs. This includes the scheduling, billing, communication, operation, researcher coordination, regulatory compliance, and maintenance, repair, and enhancement of the oceanographic research vessels and shore-side facilities. A nationwide search for this role will commence shortly.
OSU has a clear strength and international distinction in conducting in-water research, education, and engagement. The creation of the role of director and an Office of Marine Operations is intended focus OSU’s investment to build capacity and increase our ability to conduct safe and efficient operations and create easy and safe access to the sea for all members of the OSU community.
I want to thank Vice President for Research and Innovation Irem Tumer for co-charging the task force and providing overall leadership of the review; Dr. Lisa Ballance, chair of the task force; and all task force members for their excellent work.
Sincerely,
Edward Feser
Provost and Executive Vice President