VITALITY
OCEAN DATA
TRAINING INITIATIVES
The VITALITY project is supporting training for ocean observations across Canada
Ocean data are key to understanding changes to marine ecosystems, coastal communities and ocean economies. Data analysis underpins climate studies and can inform human adaptation to climate change. Real-time and historic information helps provide warning of marine disasters and can mitigate their harmful effects. Marine knowledge supports ecosystem-based management of our coastlines and communities.
To access and harness ocean data, the VITALITY project is using a multifaceted approach to address the shared data challenges inherent to understanding dynamic marine ecosystems and ocean economies. VITALITY is working alongside Canada’s the Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System – CIOOS, to develop new, web-based training programs to address the challenges in ocean data production, access and use. Training will address educational and workforce skill gaps, building incrementally on existing resources and programs.
What is CIOOS?
CIOOS is a nationally coordinated effort to share high-quality data and information on the state of our oceans. CIOOS aims to unite the knowledge, expertise, and infrastructure for ocean observing across Canada, using a national system with internationally recognized data standards and alignment with a global network of ocean observing systems.
Three Regional Associations based in the Pacific (CIOOS Pacific), St. Lawrence Global Observatory (SLGO), and Atlantic (CIOOS Atlantic) work with their local communities of ocean data providers to promote collaboration across ocean sectors and respond to the information needs of data users and decision makers.
CIOOS’ national and regional online portals provide fast, free, and easy access to coastal and ocean data and visualization tools for all Canadians, including governments, academia, Indigenous and coastal communities, industry, non-governmental organizations, and the public.
Yet, collecting and managing data requires human and technological capacity; contributing data to collective efforts requires understanding and implementation of data standards; and accessing/using data can be difficult to navigate. For all of these reasons, training programs, including both education and skills building, are necessary to effectively contribute and use Canadian ocean data. Likewise, at this time, with the impact of the pandemic all around, we need new, innovative, training programs that cater to the realities of our times and the need for remote, online training options.
Through VITALITY ocean data training, we aim to develop and build training programs to contribute and use ocean data in Canada.
Through the following needs assessment survey, we hope you can help us review existing and needed training programs for the collection, management and use of ocean data in Canada. The outcomes of this survey will be anonymous and made public through our website.