Aboard GSO, Fall 2021
As 2021 draws to a close, the school—this place and its people—is poised to enter a new era. That we are commemorating a 60th anniversary, while anticipating campus construction and the arrival of a new research vessel, makes this crystal clear.
Last year, GSO formed a committee to identify names for the regional class research vessel now under construction in Houma, La. Their charge was to bring forward names (suggested by the public) that honor individuals, communities or ideas that have furthered our understanding of the ocean, and whose recognition is long overdue.
The winning entry, suggested by Bethany Jenkins, Ph.D., who has a joint appointment in CELS and GSO, declares both GSO’s excellence in ocean research and our community’s commitment to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. Narragansett Dawn acknowledges the indigenous peoples of this region and honors their stewardship of the land, sea, and resources that they hold sacred. Going forward, together, we can uphold that stewardship with our research and management strategies.
Knowing full well that, for decades to come, Narragansett Dawn will be a global ambassador for URI, GSO, the East Coast Oceanographic Consortium and the National Science Foundation, selecting this name has been a serious and significant undertaking. I am grateful to all who took the time to suggest inspirational names, as well as the chair and members of the naming committee who worked tirelessly to select the competition finalists. We learned a lot along the way about shared values and listening to others. Thank you, all, for this.
While we are elated about the advent of Narragansett Dawn we are equally sentimental about the conclusion of R/V Endeavor’s illustrious career with GSO. After 45 sailing seasons, 670 missions and more than a million nautical miles, the sheer volume of contributions to oceanography made possible by Endeavor is all but unfathomable. Recently, we had the occasion to gather on the GSO pier to celebrate and honor her service. With a final departure from her home port looming,* generations of scientists, technicians, crew and alumni celebrated an era, thanked Endeavor and reminisced.
In this issue, Aboard GSO reports on new and ongoing research that fills knowledge gaps laid bare by environmental degradation and climate change. These long-term studies aim to improve our understanding of large-scale ocean systems—the movement of carbon through the water column and the dynamics of deep-water currents in the Gulf of Mexico. Sponsored by NASA and the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program, this work will provide critical data to modelers and forecasters.
Back home, the master plan for campus renewal continues to evolve. Construction of the GSO pier, the first project in Phase I, is about to begin. Of course, new buildings wouldn’t be news if they didn’t transform the research and careers of those who move in, and allow recruitment and retention of world class scientists, staff, and students. I trust you’ll be as impressed and optimistic as I when you read the stories of six people whose research and lives have impacted the world. The work they are doing, and the globally significant work they will soon be able to do, speaks volumes to the long-term value and impact of making strategic investments in the right tools and spaces for Rhode Island, the nation and the world.
As always, thank you for all the support you give to this school. You are enriching the experience of our students, strengthening our capacity for science and research, and helping us understand and protect Earth’s ocean.
Best wishes, —Paula
*Editor’s Note: Endeavor has relocated to the Port of Davisville in Narragansett Bay to make way for reconstruction of the GSO pier. She will continue regular operations until the arrival of Narragansett Dawn.