The G7 Future of the Seas and Oceans Coordination Centre is a distributed coordination group charged with the scientific and technical implementation of the initiative under the guidance of the G7 FSOI National Focal Points and Working Group.
The Coordination Centre:
- Supports the G7 FSOI-sponsored scientific and technical working groups and activities.
- Liaises with the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) and its Expert panels to support the GOOS 2030 Strategy and Implementation plan within the 5 Action Areas of the G7 FSOI.
- Supports and engages with international programmes of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development within the 5 Action Areas of the G7 FSOI.
- Liaises with G7 working groups, including the Open Science Working Group and the Group of Senior Experts on Global Research Infrastructure.
- Engages with international programmes across the ocean observing value chain including GEO Blue Planet and OceanPredict.
- Under the direction of the National Focal Points and Working Group, assists in the development and promotion of G7 FSOI communiqués for coordinated, high-level messaging.
- Develops and maintains Watching Briefs on important global ocean issues as requested by the National Focal Points and Working Group.
- Represents the G7 FSOI at appropriate national and international forums.
- Provides secretariat support for the G7 FSOI meetings of each presidency.
- Develops and maintains the G7 FSOI website.
Two G7 Members currently provide full-time staff for the FSOI. In-kind support for some activities is provided by the G7 FSOI Members.
The UK Office at the National Oceanography Centre
Southampton, UK
Dr. Katherine (Katy) Hill serves as the UK G7 FSOI Coordinator and Head of the UK Office of the Coordination Centre. Katy has studied in in the UK, Canada and Australia, culminating in a Ph.D. in Quantitative Marine Sciences. She has spent much of her career dedicated to the development and implementation of sustained observing systems with over 15 years working at national, regional, international levels. Prior to this role, Katy worked for the Global Climate Observing System and the Global Ocean Observing System based at the World Meteorological Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, establishing projects such as the Tropical Pacific Observing System (TPOS 2020) project. Katy previously worked for Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System in its formative years and oversaw the science planning and scientific delivery of the observing system. Prior to this, she worked for the International CLIVAR Project Office in the UK. Katy holds UK and Australian citizenship.
The European Office at Mercator Ocean International
Toulouse, France
Dr. Maria Hood serves as the Head of the EU Office of the G7 FSOI Coordination Centre and is the G7 FSOI Action Coordinator for the EU4OceanObs Project. Hosted by Mercator Ocean International, EU4OceanObs works to strengthen international ocean governance to enhance the collection, sharing and use of ocean data in response to environmental and societal challenges. Maria has a Ph.D. in Marine Geochemistry and more than 15 years of experience coordinating international ocean science and observing system programmes for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organisation, including the International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project, the IOC’s ocean acidification activities, and the GCOS-GOOS-WCRP Ocean Observations Panel for Physics and Climate. Maria holds American and French citizenship.