Newsroom

CORVALLIS - Oregon State University oceanographer Rob Holman has been selected by the U.S. Navy for an endowed chair that includes an annual stipend of at least $300,000 to support his research.

The OSU professor was one of just two individuals selected for the Secretary of the Navy/Chief of Naval Operations Chair of Oceanographic Sciences.

The Honorable Hansford T. Johnson, Acting Secretary of the Navy, awarded the four-year position that recognizes internationally known ocean scientists for their pursuit of collaborative research and development of future leaders.

William Kuperman of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography was the other recipient.

Mark Abbott, dean of OSU's College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, said Holman's dedication to state-of-the-art research made him a top candidate for the position.

"This is an important recognition for Rob and the college," said Abbott. "This prestigious award recognizes Rob's international leadership in the study of near-shore dynamics and their applications to the needs of the U.S. Navy. Rob's innovative use of time-lapse video cameras is now a firmly established observational tool worldwide."

Navy officials say Holman was selected because of his experience and status as a researcher and mentor, his collaborative activities across the scientific community, the commitment by OSU to the oceanographic science faculty, the research facilities and other resources of COAS, the quality of graduate students and oceanographic science faculty at OSU, and the relevance of his research goals to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps needs.

Holman's 23-year career in oceanography includes the development of the Coastal Imaging Laboratory, which specializes in the extraction of wave and beach measurements from video imagery. Data are collected hourly from 18 Argus stations worldwide and the lab is the primary site for archiving and analysis of the Argus program images of long-term near-shore behavior.

The OSU oceanographer specializes in near-shore processes, the dynamics of the beach and shallow water zone, which corresponds to the surf and very shallow water zone classifications of the Navy. However, his activities have ranged from satellite remote sensing to the small-scale processes of mine burial, and his active interactions include colleagues from eight countries.

Holman emphasized the importance of linking Navy needs to university research.

"The Office of Naval Research has a very long history of funding fundamental research in oceanography, even pre-dating the birth of the National Science Foundation," said Holman. "So this is really a wonderful opportunity to help ONR planning efforts at a high level and to help connect university research to the operational Navy."

The U.S. Navy established the Chair in Oceanographic Science in 1995. In a written statement, the Chief of Naval Operations noted that OSU "illustrated the excellence of their research teams, strong student productivity, and substantial institutional cost sharing. Their plans for liaison with Navy activities clearly marked them as superior."

The award is funded at $300,000 per year, and includes four years of support for one research chair and at least two graduate students. Holman will be expected to develop scientific collaborations with other Navy and Marine Corps activities, participate in Office of Naval Research department reviews of programs, help identify promising new opportunities in oceanographic sciences, and participate in a broad range of ONR initiatives.

The Office of Naval Research coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps through schools, universities, government laboratories, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations.

The endowed chair program is a means to implement the science and technology aspects of the Navy's vision, and was described in Holman's award letter:

"Understanding the oceans is fundamental to our national security, as well as to global economic and environmental well-being. A robust competency in oceanography is a core requirement and responsibility of the U.S. Navy. It is so vital to the success of naval operations that the Navy must lead in focusing attention on ocean policy and programs."