# Solicitation of Nominations for Membership on the Ocean Research Advisory Panel
**AGENCY:**
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).
**ACTION:**
Notice of solicitation of nominations for membership on the Ocean Research Advisory Panel.
**SUMMARY:**
The Ocean Research Advisory Panel (ORAP) advises the Ocean Policy Committee (Committee) and provides independent recommendations to the Federal Government on matters of ocean policy. Congress directed the establishment of the ORAP in Section 1055(c) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Pub. L. 116-283), 10 U.S.C. 8933. The Panel shall consist of not fewer than 10 and not more than 18 members appointed by the Co-Chairs of the Committee, including each of the following: (1) Three members who represent the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2) Members selected from among individuals who represent the views of ocean industries, state, tribal, territorial, or local governments, academia, and such other views as the Committee Co-Chairs consider appropriate. (3) Members selected from among individuals eminent in the fields of marine science, marine technology, marine policy, or related fields. Members are appointed for a term of up to three years, renewable once for up to three years, at the Committee Co-Chairs' discretion. The terms may be consecutive or not but may not exceed two terms. Panel members shall be appointed to serve as Representative members.
**DATES:**
Nominations should be sent to the email address specified below and must be received no more than 45 days after publication of this notice.
**ADDRESSES:**
Nominations and applications should be submitted electronically to the ORAP Designated Federal Officer (DFO), at *[email protected]* .
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Viviane Silva, ORAP Designated Federal Officer (DFO), SSMC3, Room 11320, 1315 East-West Hwy., Silver Spring, MD 20910; Phone Number: 240-624-0656; Email: *[email protected]* .
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**I. Nominations**
Interested persons may nominate themselves or others for membership in the ORAP. An application is required for all candidates, including those nominated by third parties. The application package must include the following: (1) The nominee's full name, title, institutional affiliation, and contact information; (2) The nominee's area of industry perspective (academia, commercial service provider, or end-user); (3) A short description of qualifications relative to the advice solicited in this Notice; and (4) A current resume (maximum of four pages). All nomination information must be provided in a single, complete package, and must be sent to the ORAP DFO at the electronic address provided above with the subject line “Application for ORAP Membership 2026”.
Nikola Garber,
Deputy Director of Sea Grant, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.