GCOOS: Introduction & Partnerships & Decision Support Tools for Maritime Transportation Webinar
Event Details
Dr. Jorge Brenner has more than 15 years of experience in marine 
ecology, biodiversity conservation, environmental engineering, geospatial data science, ecological economics, ecological restoration, fisheries sustainability, and climate change risk management.
He obtained his doctorate in Marine Science from the Catalonia Polytechnic University in Barcelona, Spain. His dissertation was focused on mapping and valuing ecosystem services in the Mediterranean coast in a collaboration with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics of the University of Vermont. After completing his doctoral degree, he joined the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of America Studies at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi as a Post-Doctoral Researcher. During the last 10 years, he has served as an Associate Director of Marine Science and Sustainable Fisheries with The Nature Conservancy. He also holds a bachelor’s in science in Marine Biochemical Engineering, and a master’s in Environmental Engineering from the Monterrey Tec Institute.
Throughout his career, Dr. Brenner has led projects and published about biodiversity informatics, strategic conservation planning, migratory transboundary resources, international marine protection initiatives, natural capital sustainability, and risks and adaptation to climate change in social-ecological systems. He has managed environmental projects and research in support of collaborations in the US, Mexico, Cuba and Spain and, since early in his career, has mentored national and international students.
Dr. Mark Luther, Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Maritime and Port Studies, University of South Florida
“Decision Support Tools for Maritime Transportation in the Gulf of America”
Eleven of the top 20 ports (ranked by total tonnage) in the U.S. are located in the Gulf of America. The USF Center for Maritime and Port Studies provides an interface between GCOOS 
and the maritime transportation community. AI routines are being developed to improve the forecast of met/ocean parameters at critical navigation points near the busiest Gulf ports by integrating available observations and model hindcasts/nowcasts/forecasts with vessel tracking data to predict optimal vessel arrival times to satisfy published Vessel Handling Guidelines for tide, current, and wind conditions.
Mark E. Luther is an Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Maritime and Port Studies in the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. He has worked in real-time ocean observing systems since 1991 and was involved in planning and implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) from its inception. He works closely with the Tampa Port Authority, the Tampa Bay Pilots, U.S. Coast Guard, and other maritime interests on environmental issues affecting and affected by maritime transportation operations and infrastructure.
He is an avid boater with both power and sail boats and holds a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License. He has been sailing the waters of Tampa Bay and west Florida since 1983.
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