By Norm Mah, UW CICOES

The work of CICOES and NOAA scientists advances understanding of how the global ocean interacts with the Earth’s atmosphere, ecosystems, and climate systems, providing vital data that supports improved weather and climate predictions, sustainable fisheries management, and enhanced coastal community resilience.

Our scientists engage the public by communicating their subject matter through interviews with journalists. These ongoing communication opportunities increase understanding of natural and anthropogenic impacts on ecosystem health and socioeconomic sustainability. CICOES and NOAA research enables better forecasts, earlier warnings for natural disasters, and a greater understanding of the Earth.

Public attention to our work often spikes following major environmental events, such as tsunamis or extreme and destructive weather. During these times, journalists rely on CICOES and NOAA experts to explain complex science in accessible terms. This media engagement helps the public understand:

• How our research protects lives and property
• The coordinated efforts between scientists, engineers, and operational teams
• The importance of continued investment in monitoring and prediction systems

Recent examples include, but are not limited to:

Alex Zerbini, CICOES senior research scientist and leading expert on the development and application of satellite telemetry technology for large cetaceans. He is quoted in a recent National Geographic article about orcas ramming boats. He participated in a workshop that made several recommendations about this phenomenon to the International Whaling Commission.

Phyllis Stabeno, Principal Investigator of NOAA’s EcoFOCI program, interviewed by Science.org about Bering Sea warming (2018–2019) and its link to declines in snow crab populations. The warmer waters in the Bering Sea caused snow crabs to crash. Scientists are working to predict the future of the fishery.

Jiaxu Zhang, CICOES and NOAA/PMEL physical oceanography research scientist focuses specifically on Arctic freshwater content and its distribution. She was interviewed by KNOM radio, Nome, Alaska, about the 2025 September Arctic Air Field Survey. She’s led a team of researchers to Nome for the Arctic Airborne Investigations and Research project, or Arctic AIR for short. The Arctic AIR team logged 41 flight hours with NOAA’s Twin Otter over the Northern Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. The campaign produced 13.5 hours of high-quality and 2 hours of intermediate-quality hyperspectral imagery for ocean color, and all eight planned microSWIFT-TS buoys were deployed, six of which are reporting data. The team also conducted bowhead whale reconnaissance in the Beaufort and observed belugas in the Northern Bering Sea.

Vasilay Titov and Yong Wei are part of a team of researchers in the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research (NCTR) and work in partnership with Tsunami Warning Centers and the National Weather Service National Data Buoy Center to improve tsunami warnings and preparedness by enhancing measurement technology, optimizing monitoring networks, improving the accuracy of forecast models, and improving the prediction of coastal impacts. Vasily and Yong were featured in multiple news outlets (NBC News, The New York Times, CNN, KOMO News, KATU News) following the Kamchatka tsunami in July 2025.