Drs. Gustavo Goni and Silvia Garzoli participated in the US-Argentina Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology, organized by and held at the US State Department, on October 22-23.

The US delegation was led by Catherine Novelli, the US undersecretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and Environment, and attended by representatives of ONR, NSF, State Department, Smithsonian Institution, and several US universities. The Argentine counterparts were led by their Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, and attended by the Ministry Director of International Relationships, members of the Argentine Hydrographic Office, Argentine Coast Guard, of several Argentine universities, and the Ambassador of Argentina. Gustavo Goni led the Ocean Sciences discussions of this JCM and Silvia Garzoli presented the status and plans of work related to the South Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (SAMOC) Project. After the discussions an Action Plan was drafted. This Action Plan included the continuing support of current partnership efforts to maintain the global ocean observing system in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean (including surface drifters, Argo floats, and XBT operations), to maintain and enhance the observational and research efforts related to the SAMOC moorings at 35S, and to increase capacity building in the areas of technological innovation, data stewardship, scientific exchanges, and research on regional impacts in ecosystems and the environment related to climate variability. JCMs such as this one, present an excellent opportunity to discuss current NOAA and US research work and plans with scientists and high-level government officials.

Dr. Gustavo Goni (AOML), Dr. Cecilia Nahon (Argentine Ambassador to the US), Dr. Lino Baranao (Argentine Minister for Science and Technology), Dr. Agueda Menvielle (National Director for International Relations of Argentina), Dr. Alejandro Mentaberry (Coordinator Pampa Azul Ocean Sciences Initiative), Dr. Silvia Garzoli (University of Miami and AOML), Dr. Santiago Ceria (Director, Sadosky Foundation in Argentina).