Overview
The Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) was established in 2015 as a global leader for innovative ocean research.
OFI is designed to bring together groups of Canadian researchers to tackle complex ocean challenges.
Research is focused on three key areas: achieving net zero, protecting biodiversity, and sustaining bioresources.
Governance / Institutional Partnerships
Committee governance
OFI committees ensure the decisions made — and resources used — are aligned with public interest and that OFI funding which is contributed by government, industry, and institutional partners, is prudently used to establish a world-leading, and collaborative, research institution.
Executive Council
This group stewards OFI on behalf of Dalhousie University, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and the University of Prince Edward Island. Members of the Executive Council provide institutional oversight, financial accountability, and direction to the scientific and management affairs of OFI.
Executive Council members
- Alice Aiken (Chair)
Vice President of Research & Innovation, Dalhousie University - Tana Allen
Memorial University, Acting Vice-President (Research) - Travis Fridgen
Memorial University, Acting Dean of Science - Gitta Kulczycki
Dalhousie University, Vice President, Finance & Administration - Chuck Macdonald
Dalhousie University, Dean, Faculty of Science - John Newhook
Dalhousie University, Dean of Engineering - Paul Brett
Memorial University, Acting Vice-President, Marine Institute - Paul Snelgrove
OFI Associate Scientific Director, Memorial University - Ivan Soto
Representative from Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat - Kim Thomson
OFI Chief Administrative Officer - Anya Waite
OFI CEO & Scientific Director, Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean)
Management Committee
This team ensures OFI, and the projects and programs it undertakes, are managed in accordance with Canada First Research Excellence Fund guidelines.
Management Committee members
- Jonathan Fisher
Research Scientist, Marine Institute at Memorial University of Newfoundland - Jaclyn Pitman
OFI Manager of Operations - Marlies Rise
Dalhousie Assistant Vice-President, Office of Research Services - Paul Snelgrove
OFI Associate Scientific Director, Memorial University - Maria Steele
UPEI Manager, Research Services - Kim Thomson
OFI Chief Administrative Officer - Anya Waite
OFI CEO & Scientific Director, Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean)
Scientific Committee
This committee provides general oversight to the planning and coordination of research projects, including the allocation of research funding.
Scientific Committee members
- Anya Waite (Chair)
OFI CEO & Scientific Director, Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean) - Paul Snelgrove (Co-Chair)
OFI Associate Scientific Director, Memorial University - Ratana Chuenpagdee
Social Science, Memorial University - Stefanie Colombo
Applied Science, Dalhousie - Mark Fast
Natural Science, University of Prince Edward Island - Ian Fleming
Natural Science, Memorial University - Kelly Hawboldt
Engineering, Memorial University - Ali Nasiri
Engineering, Dalhousie - Daniel Ruzzante
Natural Science, Dalhousie - Ian Stewart
University of King's College - Brad de Young
Natural Science, Memorial University - Melanie Zurba
Social Science, Dalhousie
Advisory Committee on Indigenous Engagement in Ocean Research
This committee guides OFI’s engagement with Indigenous communities and organizations to help ensure strong linkages and meaningful engagement between Indigenous communities and organizations and other ocean organizations in Atlantic Canada, while recognizing global aspects and impact on OFI’s international collaborations and partnerships.
The Committee will work with OFI staff and the research community to help ensure the active incorporation of Indigenous interests and protection of Aboriginal and Treaty rights into coastal and ocean research to foster meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities.
Advisory Committee on Indigenous Engagement in Ocean Research members
- Shelley Denny
Director of Aquatic Research and Stewardship, Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources - Angeline (Angie) Gillis
Associate Executive Director, Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq - Cathy Martin
Director of Indigenous Community Engagement, Dalhousie - Corey Morris
Appointee, DFO, Canada - Melissa Nevin
Appointee, Atlantic Policy Congress of the First Nations Chiefs Secretariat - Eric Oliver
Indigenous OFI Researcher - Paul Snelgrove
OFI Associate Scientific Director - Alanna Syliboy
Mi’kmaw Knowledge and Community Engagement Manager, Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq - Anya Waite
OFI CEO & Scientific Director, Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean) - Paul Banahene
Interim Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Research) at Memorial University
Excellence, Impact, and Engagement Committee
The Excellence, Impact, and Engagement Committee is comprised of representatives from various partners and stakeholder groups to advise OFI on strategy, including the strategic research focus of OFI activities as well as the alignment and progress of these activities towards the mission, goals, and deliverables of the OFI.
The core values promoted by this Committee are engagement with stakeholders and partners, impact of research outcomes, scientific excellence of research, knowledge mobilization, internationalization, and operational efficiency.
Excellence, Impact, and Engagement Committee members
- John Risley (Chair)
Chair and Chief Executive Officer, CFFI Ventures - Peter de Menocal
President and Director, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - Marc D'Iorio
Assistant Deputy Minister, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada - Heide Hackmann
Interim Director, Future Africa and Strategic Advisor on Transdisciplinarity and Global Knowledge Networks at the University of Pretoria - Ed Hill
Chief Executive, National Oceanography Centre - Mark Jollymore
President, Innovasea Systems, Inc. - Katja Matthes
Professor, Atmospheric Physics, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and Christian-Albrechts Universität zu Kiel - Arran McPherson
Assistant Deputy Minister, Ecosystems and Oceans Science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada - David Paterson
Executive Director, Marine Alliance for Science and Technology Scotland - Jake Rice
Chief Scientist Emeritus, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Alanna Syliboy
Community, Education and Engagement Manager, Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, Department of Aquatic Resources and Fisheries Management - Anya Waite
OFI CEO & Scientific Director, Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean) - Paul Snelgrove
OFI Associate Scientific Director - Kim Thomson
OFI Chief Administrative Officer - Eric Siegel
OFI Chief Innovation Officer
Innovation and Commercialization Committee
This committee is responsible for advising on progress towards meeting annual, mid-term, and seven-year targets set for innovation and commercialization, and for promoting, developing, and facilitating commercialization arising from OFI’s proposed innovation deliverables.
Innovation and Commercialization Committee members
- Carey Bonnell
Vice President of Sustainability, Ocean Choice - Amy Brookman
Director of Product Management, Vemco - Stephen Hartlen
Assistant Vice President (Industry Relations), Office of Commercialization and Industry Engagement - Susan Hunt
Chief Technology Officer, Ocean Supercluster - Jennifer LaPlante
Executive Director, DeepSense - Paula Mendonca
Technology Transfer & Commercialization Office, Memorial University of Newfoundland - Justin Moores
Director, Commercialization, Industry &Innovation, Research Services, University of Prince Edward Island - Melanie Nadeau
Chief Executive Officer, COVE - Vincent Sieben
Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Dalhousie University - Eric Siegel
Executive in Residence, Oceans CDL, Atlantic - Paul Snelgrove
OFI Associate Scientific Director - Andrew Swanson
Vice President Research & Development, Cooke Aquaculture - Kim Thomson
OFI Chief Administrative Officer - Anya Waite
OFI CEO & Scientific Director, Dalhousie University Associate Vice-President Research (Ocean)
Data Management Committee
The OFI Data Management Committee acts in an advisory role to the OFI Scientific Directorate. The Committee reports to the OFI Management Committee and is responsible for developing, overseeing, and supporting researchers in the implementation of data management policy and guidelines that direct and inform all OFI researchers in the management of all data collected through OFI sponsored research.
Data Management Committee members
- Mike Smit (Chair)
Assoc. Professor, School of Information Management, Dalhousie University - Tony Charles
Professor, Saint Mary’s University - Fraser Davidson
Research Scientist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Richard Davis
RIU Manager, Ocean Frontier Institute - Alison Farrell
Public Services and Research Data Management Librarian, Memorial University of Newfoundland - Shayla Fitzsimmons
Executive Director, Canadian Integrated Ocean Observing System-Atlantic - Ines Hessler
Chief Technology Officer, ACENET - Jennifer LaPlante
Executive Director, DeepSense - Erin MacPherson
Research Data Management Librarian, Dalhousie University - Kim Mears
Health Sciences and Scholarly Communications Librarian, University of Prince Edward Island - Jon Pye
Assistant Director of Data Management, Ocean Tracking Network
