Professional societies, like AMS, are the essential connective tissue for the progress of our science, technology, operations, and applications.  Not just forums for bringing a diversity of ideas and perspectives together, these societies play a key role in driving what connections are to be made, how to make them, and how to assess their effectiveness. It is in this regard that I believe AMS has demonstrated great success to date in bringing groups and individuals with different priorities, experiences, and strengths to the table for the “good of the order”.  The balanced impact of different sectors, for example, is a mainstay of the AMS concept of operations.  We rotate candidates between government, academia, and the private sector.  We invite a broad set of contributors to activities like the Washington Forum.  Our Annual Meeting includes scores of different symposia.  But there’s so much more work to do in AMS’s role facilitating and leading the building and broadening of a coalition of concern.

To the best of my knowledge, if elected, I will be the first card-carrying oceanographer elected as President of AMS.  That, by itself, is not particularly remarkable (after all, the AMS logo includes “Marine Navigation” as a mission area), but I think my candidacy is reflective of the earth systems approach that defines so well the remit and domain of the Society.  My own career history, having worked in each of the sectors represented in AMS, has convinced me that there is abundant opportunity for “upping our game” in building even more collaborations.  Doing so will pay off in the most evident ways (increased membership), but also in the less obvious benefits (broadened advocacy for the work of the society).

It is to this end that I believe AMS must engage in a set of initiatives, in concert with the current good work in all its activities, to build new coalitions and partnerships.  Specifically, I believe there are opportunities to work with more non-profit organizations and non-governmental foundations, to help build their support for the research done consonant with AMS’s mission.  I believe there are opportunities for new formal partnerships with an array of other professional societies, representing skilled technologists and practitioners in fields such as health, marine technology, emergency management, and retail business.  And finally, we need to think about building more and stronger international partnerships.

The future of AMS, our resilience to the uncertainty of political agendas, market trends, and social pressures, will depend on the strength of our foundation … a foundation best fortified through our outreach and formal engagement with more and different stakeholders.

Richard (Rick) W. Spinrad is an oceanographer with more than 40 years of experience in the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors.  He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the 11th Administrator of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrator). Dr. Spinrad was responsible for the strategic direction and oversight of the $7B agency and its over 12,000 employees, developing environmental products and services and fostering economic development. 

Dr. Spinrad, an elected member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, is the former Vice President for Research at Oregon State University (OSU), where he is currently a Professor Emeritus of Oceanography.

Dr. Spinrad served as NOAA’s Chief Scientist and he led NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and National Ocean Service. He co-led the White House Committee that developed the nation’s first set of ocean research priorities and developed the agency’s first Scientific Integrity policy.

As a Senior Executive at the U.S. Navy (program manager at the Office of Naval Research and senior civilian at the Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy) he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award — the highest award given by the U.S. Navy to a civilian. He has held faculty appointments at OSU, the U.S. Naval Academy, and George Mason University; was Executive Director at the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education; was President of Sea Tech, Inc.; and worked as a research scientist at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. He also developed the National Ocean Sciences Bowl for high school students. Dr. Spinrad served as the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission.

He is the recipient of Presidential Rank Awards from presidents George W. Bush and Barack H. Obama. Dr. Spinrad is past president of The Oceanography Society and the Marine Technology Society. He is a Fellow of four professional societies and is a Chartered Marine Scientist.

Dr. Spinrad received his B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. at Oregon State University.