Thirty years ago, a satellite receiving dish on top of the brand new Rutgers marine sciences building was turned on. This signaled the birth of RUCOOL. Since then, this group has had a global impact and changed how oceanography is conducted. RUCOOL was formed to better observe and understand our ocean beyond the century-old practice of limited, ship-based expeditions. To that end, RUCOOL has become an acknowledged leader in pushing innovative research that has developed some of the first ocean sensor-webs, providing 4-dimensional pictures of the ocean and data, that is freely available to any person in the world. The team has innovated the use of satellites, shore-based radars, autonomous ocean robots and ocean models. It has achieved this while also innovating new modes of education and outreach. While there is much to celebrate, RUCOOL is looking forward. In the past, efforts focused on developing and successfully deploying novel ocean platforms, but now these systems have matured. The premium is now focused on producing high-quality data products and scientific understanding to meet societal goals, whether it be hurricane prediction, climate impacts on marine and human ecosystems, safety at sea, or the development of an environmentally and economically sustainable offshore wind industry. RUCOOL is committed to meeting these goals while educating the next generation of ocean leaders.
For an overview of our work in 2022, please visit: /news/reports/
