The Problem

Over the last 150 years, atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased from 290 ppm to 395 ppm, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels. The ocean, as a primary carbon sink, is absorbing increasing amounts of atmospheric CO2, lowering surface water pH. Ocean acidification, together with changes in ocean temperature, salinity, and stratification, is impacting the global ocean ecosystem and potentially threatening marine food supplies.

The Challenge

The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, as part of a larger ocean health initiative, and in collaboration with The Oceanography Society, is offering a $10,000 prize for the most promising new science-based concept for mitigating environmental and/or societal impacts of ocean acidification.

In addition to the prize, the authors of highly ranked concepts will receive invitations to submit full proposals to the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation for funding consideration.

Since 1990, the Foundation has awarded over $400 million to organizations around the world in support of science and technology, education, arts and culture, and community development. Within science and technology, significant multiyear awards have supported research on fisheries, environmental conservation and ecology, and medicine and health.

The Foundation seeks concepts that would provide a better understanding of the impact of ocean acidification on different parts of the marine ecosystem and mitigation strategies that might reduce the environmental or societal impacts of ocean acidification. Concepts may focus on natural processes and/or human activities that benefit society. They can be global, regional, or local in scope, and may address a single species/activity or whole ecosystems/industries. While submissions must be firmly rooted in science and should include elements of new basic research, concepts must show a high probability of leading to future demonstrations of a new capability. Preference will be given to interdisciplinary efforts that seek to apply concepts across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Submissions may come from anyone, regardless of nationality or institutional affiliation, and may represent individuals or teams.

Submissions will be made available for community comment and evaluated by a panel of international experts. Highly rated submissions will be presented in a dedicated session at the 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM), in Honolulu, Hawaii, February 23–27, 2014. The winner will be selected and announced at OSM.

Submission details and Deadline

Access detailed guidelines and submit concepts through the Ocean Challenge submission website. All concepts must be submitted through the submission website by July 31, 2013.

WEBINARS

The Oceanography Society and Ocean Challenge subcommittee are hosting three webinars to answer questions related to the Challenge. The first webinar was held on April 15. The two remaining webinars will be held on May 15 and June 17.
> Watch the April 15 webinar recording
> Register for the May 15 webinar

RESOURCES

• Ocean Challenge Overview (2.56 MB pdf)

CONTACT

For more information, contact Jenny Ramarui at jenny@tos.org.