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Issue link: http://sea-technology.epubxp.com/i/748191
www.sea-technology.com November 2016 / st 57 "the blob", in winter and spring of that year, the American Geophysical Union reported. This identifies a link between ocean conditions and the magnitude of the toxic bloom in 2015 that re- sulted in the highest levels of domoic acid contamination in the food web ever recorded for many species. The 2015 harmful algal bloom was dominated by a single species of diatom, Pseudo-nitzschia australis, normally found farther south off Cali- fornia. Warm water favors its growth. By early 2015 the warm "blob" had moved toward shore and spread all along the West Coast. Warmer water creates less dense surface water that is more likely to stay floating on the surface, where it can become deplet- ed in nutrients. Domoic acid can cause gastroin- testinal distress, seizures, memory loss and even death. The blob was a one-time event not due to global warming, but it indi- cates what could happen with warmer waters due to climate change. Ocean climate cycles could help understand and better predict the emergence of toxic algal blooms. Survey of Great Pacific Garbage Patch The Ocean Cleanup Project is de- veloping technology to extract plas- tic and other debris floating in the world's oceans. The technology relies on ocean currents to transport the plastic toward collection arrays that concentrate the material so it can be extracted and recycled. The project is focused on the "great garbage patch" in the Pacific Ocean approximately 1,500 naut. mi. from the U.S. West Coast. Validation of the ocean plastic transport models is a requirement for the next phase of the project. This will be achieved by deployment of drifter buoys from a long-range Lockheed C130 Hercules aircraft. Teledyne Op- tech's CZMIL (Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar) successfully car- ried out the first in a series of low- speed, low-altitude survey flights across the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Optech HydroFusion soft- ware suite combines this lidar data with information from the CZMIL's RGB camera and an ITRES SASI-600 short-wave infrared sensor to create the first 3D visualization of the patch and help identify the number, size and type of plastic objects present. Fastwave's Voyager drifter was used to track the surface layer of the ocean where the debris is concentrated. Niskin Bottle for Marine Science Investigations Prince Andrew School, a second- ary school on the British island of St. Helena, has received a donation of a 5L Niskin bottle from Ocean Scientif- ic International Ltd. (OSIL). This will enable the school to participate in en- vironmental investigations, including the ASC global microplastics project. Measurements of salinity, tempera- ture, pH and dissolved nutrients will be taken and the data fed into several investigations. Samples will also be taken at various depths and sent to the ASC project, which analyzes samples sent from locations in oceans around the world to assess plastic pollution. The Niskin bottle will also be used for marine science courses that have started on the island. ST THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Seaspan Chair in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering The Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (NAME) program at The University of British Columbia (Vancouver campus) seeks an outstanding individual for a tenure-track or tenured position at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level, who will occupy a Seaspan Chair. The Seaspan Chairs are part of the $33 billion National Shipbuilding Strategy of the Government of Canada. The Chair will hold an appointment in one or more of the following Departments: Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, and Civil Engineering. The starting date of the appointment will be September 2017, or as soon as possible thereafter. The new faculty member will complement our existing strength in NAME (http://name.engineering.ubc.ca). We welcome applications from individuals who have expertise in any area relevant to NAME, and particularly encourage specialists in the disciplines of ship design, production, materials, and hydrodynamic and structural analysis. Candidates should be able to develop an outstanding research program, enhance further existing facilities, and lead a group of graduate students, technicians, and faculty members. Owing to the need for close cooperation with industry and government, a track record of successful industry experience would be a key asset. Applicants must either have demonstrated, or show potential for, excellence in research, teaching, and service. They will hold a Ph.D. degree or equivalent in Naval Architecture and/or Marine Engineering, Civil Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field, and will be expected to register as a Professional Engineer in British Columbia. Successful candidates will be required to apply for Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) grants in partnership with Seaspan. Further information on the employment environment in the Faculty of Applied Science is available at www.apsc.ubc.ca/prospective-faculty. Applicants to faculty positions in UBC Applied Science are asked to complete the following equity survey https://survey.ubc.ca/s/Seaspan-Chair/. The survey information will not be used to determine eligibility for employment, but will be collated to provide data that can assist us in understanding the diversity of our applicant pool and identifying potential barriers to the employment of designated equity group members. Your participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may self-identify in one or more of the designated equity groups. You may also decline to identify in any or all of the questions by choosing "not disclosed". The University of British Columbia hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We especially welcome applications from members of visible minority groups, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a statement (1-2 pages) of technical and teaching interests and accomplishments, and names and addresses (fax/e-mail included) of four referees. Applications should be submitted online at http://www.hr.ubc.ca/careers-postings/faculty.php. The closing date for applications is January 1, 2017. Please do not forward applications by e-mail.