Steering Committee

Already as a student, he was interested in the complexity of marine research and the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation to understand the processes in the ocean. I have participated in more than 20 research expeditions, but also have more than 20 years of experience with measurements on non-scientific platforms (e.g. container ships, cruise ships, sailing ships). In this context, I am involved in the European research infrastructure ICOS (see above), but also in SOCAT (Surface Ocean Carbon Dioxide Atlas) and in the establishment of the global SOCONET network, which has set itself the goal of coordinating and expanding global measurements of CO₂ in surface water.

While concentrating on in is interested in the marine carbon cycle and the corresponding measurement techniques. 

Her recent publications focus on characterizing natural variability and long-term anthropogenic trends using time series observations and models, uncertainty in observation-based CO₂ flux estimates, and modern-day exposure of marine organisms to corrosive carbonate chemistry conditions. Adrienne also collaborates with her team and PMEL engineers on observing technology development.  This team was part of the first autonomous circumnavigation of Antarctica in 2019 and has transferred two autonomous air-sea pCO₂ observing technologies to industry and nonprofit partners.From 2015 to 2021 Adrienne served as co-chair of the Biogeochemistry Task Team of the Tropical Pacific Observing System 2020 (TPSO2020): a groundbreaking effort that implemented for the first time the Framework for Ocean Observing’s user-driven and variable-focused design.  She also serves on the steering committees of OceanSITES, Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA), and the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON). She is active in the community data quality control efforts of the Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (SOCAT) and research capacity building efforts through the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 14.3.1 Indicator Development Expert Group.  She has also developed trainings on monitoring strategy design and data quality control and management best practices with GOA-ON, the IOC-UNESCO and other partners.

Adrienne is incredibly passionate about mentoring the next generation of oceanographers, especially those underrepresented in the ocean sciences and also has experience in science communication and policy. Adrienne’s dedication to marine biogeochemistry will no doubt help IOCCP provide our services to the community via a variety of well-designed and efficiently implemented activities.

She is active in the PICCOLO, GreenFeedBack, CHALKY, TRICUSO and MaSCOt research projects and the Rothera carbonate chemistry time series (2010-). Dorothee chairs the global group of the Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas, a high-profile synthesis activity by marine scientists worldwide, which is used to quantify ocean CO₂ uptake in the Global Carbon Budget and is an important step in the delivery of the ambitious World Meteorological Organization’s Global Greenhouse Watch program. Dorothee will act as a link with SOCAT in SOCONET.

The Ocean Thematic Centre exists to support marine observing systems for high quality long term observations of greenhouse gases via the provision of standard gases, databasing, helping stations provide the highest quality observations and opening up access to new technology. Before joining ICOS-OTC Dr Sanders served as the Chair of the Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems group at National Oceanography Centre (NOC), in Southampton, UK, a position he has held since 2012. He has undertaken research into the Biological Carbon Pump, the biologically mediated storage of carbon in the oceans interior which controls climate, land ocean carbon transfers and the oceanic uptake of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

At IOCCP Richard will lead our continuous efforts to create a much more robust surface ocean carbon observing system for monitoring ocean carbon uptake. A system that is capable of reporting annually on the state of the ocean carbon sink based on globally coordinated network of observatories, submitting FAIR data of known and feasible quality to recognized data management system approved by the global community.

Shin-chiro’s experience with sustaining long term monitoring lines will be very beneficial for SOCONET’s global development and his capacity will help us expand SOCONET regionally.

Steve’s career has covered many aspects of marine carbon cycle science. He has been on multiple research cruises to take ocean interior carbon measurements, and collected surface CO₂ measurements from instrumentation installed on a commercial ship. He developed a method for interpolating surface CO₂ measurements to obtain global estimates of air-sea CO₂ fluxes, contributing to the Surface Ocean pCO₂ Mapping Intercomparison. He has also contributed analyses to the annual Global Carbon Budget and the RECCAP synthesis.

Steve’s current focus is developing software to support moving marine biogeochemical observation onto a more operational footing, standardising and automating data processing, quality control and publication where possible and developing tools for those activities that cannot (or should not) be automated. Much of his work benefits the European Research Infrastructure: Integrated Carbon Observing System – Ocean Thematic Center, directly supporting the scientists and engineers collecting data. He is also involved in data publication through projects such as SOCAT, GLODAP, EU Copernicus and EU ENVRI-FAIR, working to ensure that data is as open and accessible as possible.

Steve will continue IOCCP’s mission to help the whole community produce and use FAIR data of known quality as smoothly as possible.

Since 2013, Thanos has been involved with the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS), managing two ocean stations in Belgian waters: RV Simon Stevin (SOOP) and VLIZ Thornton Buoy (FOS), which involves design and implementation of systems for measuring a number of parameters such as CO₂, Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, Salinity, etc. In 2017, he was appointed Vice Chair of the ICOS Oceans Monitoring Station Assembly (MSA), and in 2019, he became MSA’s Chair. Thanos also contributes to the ICOS Research Infrastructure Committee and is an active member of the Global Group of the Surface Ocean Carbon Atlas (SOCAT).

In SOCONET, beyond providing his expertise as operator of various types of platforms and his experience with designing and running an instrument and sensor intercomparison, Thanos will strengthen the network’s capacity to implement a clear and sustained labeling process across the identified Tiers as well as will be a critical connection to the SOCAT data quality protocols.

Denis became involved with carbonate chemistry as a student of Dr. Frank Millero where he developed instruments and programs to improve the measurements. In 2005, he participated in the development of the state-of-the-art instrumentation now used on most SOCONET platforms and oversaw the technology transfer to the company General Oceanics, Inc. which now builds the systems for the worldwide scientific community. He has been very active in the promotion of standard operating procedures and best practices ranging from the installation of underway systems on ships to data processing. He developed a software to help users in the quality control of the pCO₂ data. From the start, he has participated in the development of the Surface Ocean CO₂ Atlas (SOCAT) which has become instrumental for the achievement of SOCONET’s goals.

At AOML, Denis’ research group is one of the few in the US to be able to measure all four carbonate parameters (TA, DIC, pH and pCO₂) at climate quality level and leads several programs monitoring Ocean Acidification conditions in the South and Eastern seaboard of the United States by participating in coastal cruises, as well as collecting samples analyzed in lab. He is also involved in the development of a center of production for carbonate reference materials similar to the CRMs produced at Scripps by Dr. Andrew Dicson, as a service to the community. But his main activity is to oversee the operation of 8 ships collecting surface pCO₂ data mostly in the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea and Gulf region.

Denis’ research interests are geared toward continuing to improve inorganic carbonate measurements in general, and in particular, help build and expand SOCONET by developing a structured framework based on standardized protocols, innovated technology and strong international collaborations and technical exchanges. 

She integrates and tests new sensors on autonomous observing platforms, including BGC-Argo floats, and combines these observations with global datasets such as SOCAT and GLODAP, as well as machine-learning approaches, to improve constraints on ocean carbon exchange. Her recent work spans high-resolution carbonate-system measurements, passive-acoustic wind retrieval from profiling floats, and global assessments of biological-carbon-pump redistribution.

Within the Horizon Europe TRICUSO project, Louise develops methods to retrieve in situ wind speeds from acoustic sensors integrated into biogeochemical Argo platforms, with the goal of improving estimates of the Southern Ocean CO₂ sink. She also contributes to observing-system simulation experiments (OSSEs) that quantify how these new autonomous data streams reduce uncertainties in regional and basin-scale air–sea CO₂ fluxes, supporting the design of next-generation carbon-cycle observing strategies.

As an early-career member of the SOCONET Steering Committee, she is committed to advancing the inclusion of emerging autonomous measurements within coordinated network frameworks, strengthening interoperability across platforms, and improving the robustness, quality control, and accessibility of global surface-ocean CO₂ observations.

In addition, Dr Hamnca is committed to building capacity in the marine carbon removal field and establishing baseline observations to support emerging marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) technologies in Southern Africa, while promoting a deeper understanding of the fundamental science behind marine chemistry, oceanography, and climate research.

During his time here, Vlad has improved his knowledge on available pCO₂ instrumentation, publishing several intercomparison studies and participating as a core working group member in the ICOS pCO₂ Instrument Intercomparison 2021. Since 2024, he has joined the SOCAT Global Working Group as an expert sensor user.

Part of the SOCONET SC, Vlad will work towards the goal of a global sustained network of ocean carbon observations by encouraging and facilitating SOCAT data submissions, with a particular goal of improving our network of observations in the Black Sea.

Patrick started his own research group at Nanyang Technological University in 2016 and is now an Associate Professor. His research interests broadly revolve around carbon and nutrient cycling in tropical coastal environments, with a particular focus on land-to-sea fluxes of organic carbon. One of the key questions motivating Patrick’s research is how the biogeochemical degradation of terrestrial organic carbon influences coastal seawater CO₂ chemistry, and how this will influence coastal ocean acidification rates. His research group has operated a monthly biogeochemical time series in the Singapore Strait since 2017, which includes a strong focus on seawater carbonate system measurements. He is a co-investigator in Singapore’s Marine Environment Sensing Network project, which has deployed mooring buoys measuring seawater pCO₂ and pH amongst other parameters. Patrick has active collaborations with research teams in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, who are working together to better coordinate coastal carbonate system measurements in Southeast Asia. 

Sebastiaan is currently also chairing the training and outreach committee of the European Association of Geochemistry, and contributing to the ICES working group on Fisheries Benthic Impacts and Trade-offs (WGFBIT) and the Research Coordination Network for Marine Ecological Time Series (METS-RCN). Within SOCONET, he will be exploring the requirements to allow inclusion of carbon isotopic signatures into the SOCAT data product, as well as expanding the reach of SOCONET by supporting training activities by building upon the training efforts of the ocean acidification network.

Dr. Munro’s research centers on quantifying air–sea carbon dioxide exchange using ship-based measurements. He and his TTEA colleagues develop and deploy instrumentation to measure surface-water pCO₂ and atmospheric greenhouse gases from research vessels and ships of opportunity, with particular emphasis on high-latitude regions where biogeochemical fluxes remain poorly constrained. David has been a longtime collaborator with NOAA’s Global Ocean Monitoring and Observing (GOMO) program, contributing to the expansion and long-term continuity of global ocean carbon observations. 

A growing focus of his work is expanding the use of atmospheric greenhouse-gas measurements made from ships to advance understanding of regional and global biogeochemical processes. In this effort, he is particularly interested in fostering stronger connections between the ocean and atmospheric biogeochemistry communities.

Siv focuses on the understanding of the carbon cycle in the ocean, both its natural variabilities and anthropogenic changes, including how such changes will continue into the future. She uses a variety of tools in her research, both observational and model-based, but throughout her career has held a passion for observational data. She once said: “It is very important that we have good observational data to answer societally important questions about the planet's carbon cycle and I have therefore since very early in my career engaged in several international efforts that works to ensure the highest possible quality of observational ocean carbon chemistry data, the open access to all such data, and the collaboration necessary to achieve these targets”. With that attitude Siv’s role on the SOCONET SC will be one of bridging the known quality observations with FAIR data management systems.

Siv has worked with SOCAT since 2008 and GLODAP since 2012, and she has been co-chair of GLODAP since 2020. Siv have been coordinating the Norwegian node of the Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS), ICOS Norway and OTC, since 2018. She has worked as a BGC DMQC operator in Argo since 2018, working primarily with oxygen and pH data from Argo floats in the Nordic Seas and Arctic Ocean. Finally, she has also been a member of the international GO-SHIP Science Committee since 2024, primarily as a GLODAP liaison.

Currently, Rodrigo is the Coordinator of the CARBON Team research group at FURG, Co-Chair of the Brazilian Ocean Acidification Network (BrOA) and High Latitude Oceanography Group (GOAL), and member of the SSC of the National Ocean Observation and Monitoring Network (INCT-ReNOMO). The latter aims to implement pCO₂ sensors (and expand pH sensors) on the current SiMCosta national program of buoys along the entire Brazilian coastline. He is also contributing to the activities of the National Institute of Science and Technology of the Cryosphere and National Institute of Science and Technology of the Blue Amazon Biodiversity, being responsible to sample and analyses of the marine CO2-carbonate system variables on multiple ocean cruises in the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean. He is also a full member of the SCOR Working Group 168: Coordinating the Development of Gridded Four-Dimensional Data Products from Biogeochemical Argo Observations (4D-BGC). Recently, Rodrigo served as co-chair of the Latin American Ocean Acidification Network (LAOCA) and as a member of WSDM Working Group of SOOS. Rodrigo also has been responsible to coordinate several oceanographic cruises in the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean, and supervised PhD and Master’s candidates on the themes of Marine Biogeochemistry.

Within SOCONET, Rodrigo aims to integrate and facilitate the connection between this network and those within Latin America, mainly through the current networks (e.g. LAOCA, REMARCO, BrOA, INCT-ReNOMO etc.) working on measure the partial pressure of CO₂ (pCO₂) from ships, buoys and moorings, and also encouraging the acquisition of high-quality data under the FAIR principles.

Craig has a broad interest in improving the quality of surface ocean pCO₂ measurements through instrument development, training and inter-comparison exercises.  Recent development work includes quantifying uncertainties in the water vapour corrections of gas analysers, adding N₂O measurement capability to underway pCO₂ systems and a novel method for high-accuracy DIC measurements.  Craig’s interest in training has seen him heavily involved in all 3 of the IOCCP’s summer courses on biogeochemical sensors.  He has participated in 4 international pCO₂ inter-comparison exercises, helped organise the 2021 ICOS-OTC pCO₂ Instrument Intercomparison, and has run several small at-sea inter-comparisons to improve understanding of instrument performance and identify the source of uncertainties.  

In SOCONET Craig will be instrumental for development of continuous improvements in the quality and quantity of surface ocean greenhouse gas measurements.  He will support instrument inter-comparisons to understand the cause of disagreement between sensors; strive to improve training on the installation & use of sensors and QC of data, and will be a connection with the sensor technology community.

Kathy holds B.S. in Geology from Stony Brook University and an M.S. in Geological Oceanography from the University of Colorado Boulder. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, focusing on reconstructing Late Holocene climate across the circum-Caribbean as part of the CARIACO Time-Series Project. A veteran of ocean research, she has participated in more than 25 hydrographic and marine sediment cruises.

Kathy began her professional career at NOAA in 2002, managing the Global Carbon Cycle Program within the Climate Program Office. She later held the role of Director of the International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP) from 2009 to 2012. Following this position, she returned to U.S. government service, first as a Program Scientist in NASA’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program and then in her current leadership position at NOAA GOMO.

Kathy maintains active engagement with federal agency managers across NOAA and partner agencies, participating on steering committees, task teams, and working groups. She has served as co-chair of the USGCRP Carbon Cycle Interagency Working Group and represents NOAA on the National Oceanographic Partnership Program Interagency Working Group. She chairs NOAA's SOCONET Principal Investigator meetings, and is a member of the NOAA GHG Technical Team and the Certified Reference Material (CRM) Subcommittee. She was a member of the Executive Writing Team responsible for developing the first-ever NOAA OAR Ocean Carbon Observing Science Plan FY25–FY35, and is currently supporting the development of the Third Decadal U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan.

Being able to benefit from Kathy’s extensive and multi-faceted expertise is a huge privilege for the SOCONET SC and we are very grateful for her dedication and continuous enthusiasm towards expanding global surface ocean carbon and biogeochemistry observing capacity.

A champion of FAIR data principles, Kevin serves as the inaugural Vice-chair for Data and Information for the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Observations Coordination Group, where he collaborats with 16 global networks to enhance data interoperability. He is deeply involved in international strategy, having co-chaired the development of the UN Ocean Decade Data Strategy Implementation Plan and led the UN-endorsed "Open Access to GTS" project. Kevin is dedicated to making global ocean data accessible, usable, and impactful.   An experienced Principal Investigator, Kevin combines strategic vision with a long-standing dedication to the success of the global ocean networks.