The Oceanic and Atmospheric Research International Activities Office (OAR) innovates, incubates, and integrates new ideas and new technologies that result in improved services for the Nation. OAR maintains a dedicated and vibrant research enterprise that provides a holistic understanding of how weather, climate, ocean, and coastal systems are inextricably interconnected with each other and with society.
NOAA maintains a dedicated and vibrant research enterprise that provides a holistic understanding of how weather, climate, ocean, and coastal systems are inextricably interconnected with each other and with society.
The OAR International Activities Office (OAR/IA) advances NOAA’s ocean, atmosphere, and climate science enterprise by:
Leveraging international collaborations and strategic partnerships
Supporting and aligning NOAA research with s U.S. foreign policy objectives through active participation in the Science and Technology (S&T) fora
Advancing access to international expertise by serving the needs of OAR laboratories and programs on specific international research issues and operational requests
These efforts support NOAA’s overall vision of healthy ecosystems, communities, and economies that are resilient to environmental change. OAR/IA has four operational objectives:
Advise NOAA and its research leadership on international science policy, strategies, programs, and issues in support of U.S. foreign policy and corporate science priorities
Support and represent OAR interests and programs by serving its laboratories on international programmatic, administrative and operational needs
Promote strategic partnerships with national and international organizations that benefit NOAA and OAR’s research programs in weather, climate, atmospheric, and marine science
Lead U.S. science and technology partnerships by serving as executor and administrator for several of NOAA’s bilateral agreements including UK, Australia, China, France, Indonesia, India, and Japan
OAR/IA advises NOAA and Research leadership on international science policy and, strategies, programs and initiative supporting U.S. foreign policy and science priorities. The office participates in NOAA International Affairs Council (IAC) meetings and Working Groups, meets weekly with the NOAA Director for International Affairs, and responds to IAC data and information calls. OAR/IA staff support and accompany NOAA and OAR leadership to domestic and overseas international meetings and events, and participate in weekly OAR leadership staff and quarterly OAR leadership corporate meetings.
OAR/IA provides executive and management oversight for NOAA on formal agreements with:
Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO),
China’s Ministry of Natural Resources,
The French Research Institute for Exploration of the Sea (Ifremer),
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF),
India’s Ministry of Earth Science (MoES),
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)
The UKs European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)
The U.S. chairperson for these bi and trilateral engagements is OARs Assistant Administrator. OAR/IA Program Analysts carry out U.S. Executive Secretarial functions, including staffing on NOAA-wide strategic planning, project coordination, and implementation of joint activities.
OAR/IA supports and coordinates participation in OAR Joint Commission Meetings (JCM) on the corresponding government-to-government science and technology agreements, which are led by the Department of State (DOS) and/or the Office for Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on behalf of the United States. In addition, OAR/IA manages program activities involving ocean-climate, ocean, and coastal observations; aquaculture; and Sea Grant International (SGI). OAR/IA oversees and administers corresponding project funds under the NOAA Joint Program Agreement (JPA) with South Korea OAR/IA provides staff wupport to OAR leadership during other types of bilateral engagements with partners, such as Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and also supports the cooperative agreement with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weater Forecasts (ECMWF).
OAR/IA staff supports the U.S. representative to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) on the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for annual domestic and international meetings, as well as responding to information requests from IOC during the year. This includes planning and coordination efforts for the U.N. Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). We also support the U.S. co-chair to the Galway Statement between the U.S., Canada, and the EU and coordinates among the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Working Group US Co-Leads and Chairs. OAR/IA also supports multilateral agreements, including the Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) MOU.
OAR/IA facilitates to NOAA and OAR international science priority engagements (ocean acidification research, ship-time on research vessels, development of autonomous technologies, environmental modeling and weather research, atmospheric observations., etc.) and seeks, develops, and leverages new international partnerships that advance the interests of NOAA’s research. These efforts could entail developing a new strategic partnership with a foreign ministry or agency that NOAA does not have a formal agreement with or has had limited interaction with in the past.
Much of NOAA’s on-going international science and technology enterprise is driven by gaining access to foreign data, technology, expertise, geographic locations, and engaging in cost-sharing opportunities on large-scale projects of mutual interest. These same drivers contribute to NOAA’s new and emerging science priorities which require new linkages and relationships with foreign counterparts.
OAR/IA processes all foreign travel packages for OAR, including all country clearance cables, passport and visa requests, foreign national J1 visa requests, Marine Scientific Research (MSR) requests and processing new international agreement (MOUs, Implementing Arrangements, etc), partnering with OARs BEAD. It also responds to data calls and information requests from NOAA, the Department of State, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and other agencies on international science and resource issues.
OAR/IA serves and supports by:
Staffing OAR laboratories and programs on international issues and processes requests for international field campaigns, research programs and operations
Coordinating and managing all international executive correspondence to be signed by the AA and DAAs
Provide support to the AA, provide weekly updates, manage (?) engagement and international calendars
Manage OAR HUB Communications and Travel Handbook
We conduct research in three major areas: weather and air quality, climate, and ocean and coastal resources.
The laboratories and their field stations are located across the country and around the world.
Scientific reviews are conducted every four years to evaluate the quality, relevance, and performance of research conducted at the OAR laboratories.
The Oceanic and Atmospheric Research International Activities Office (OAR/IA) advances NOAA’s science enterprise and priorities on ocean, atmosphere, and climate.
Employees Only - OAR HUB Internal Site