Workshop: Assessment of the JOIDES Resolution in Meeting the Challenges of the IODP Science Plan

Date: September 26-27, 2017

Location: Denver, Colorado

Steering Committee Members: Beth Christensen (Adelphi University, Co-Chair), John Jaeger (University of Florida, Co-Chair), Jennifer Biddle (University of Delaware), Cara Burberry (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Gail Christeson (University of Texas, Austin), Rob Harris (Oregon State University), Mark Reagan (University of Iowa), Rebecca Robinson (University of Rhode Island), Jason Sylvan (Texas A&M University) and Debbie Thomas (Texas A&M University)

Workshop Resources and Reports:

In preparation for the 2018 NSF presentation to the National Science Board seeking renewal of the JOIDES Resolution facility (JR), the U.S. IODP scientific community will convene a workshop to review and assess the role of the JR in meeting the challenges of the 2013-2023 IODP Science Plan, Illuminating Earth’s Past, Present and Future. This assessment will focus on the period beginning with the start of the International Ocean Discovery Program (Expedition 349 in January 2014) and include both an inventory of facility accomplishments and an identification of specific Science Plan challenges that require the continued use of the JR to meet. As part of this effort, a survey was conducted to solicit feedback from the IODP community on individual experiences with and priorities for the facility.

The workshop aim is to provide community guidance to the NSF via a white paper as it prepares its request to the National Science Board for continued support of the JR to conduct the current IODP Science Plan. The online community survey results will provide the primary dataset for review by the community representatives at the workshop.  Groups representing each of the four IODP research themes will consider the 14 scientific challenges in light of:

  • The specific merits of the JR and how the facility will continue to accomplish the goals of the Science Plan;
  • Possible enhancements/modifications to the JR, if needed to accomplish the goals of the Science Plan;
  • Outcomes from regional expedition operations; and
  • The community’s perspective on the overall science that has been accomplished to date by the JR.