Wrapping It Up

I didn't have near as much time as I would have liked to keep up the blog. Maybe next time. I do think it was a good idea, however. The plenary sessions and breakout meetings were very useful. I feel that my group had some very good ideas and that all the groups, as a whole, presented some valuable information back to the steering committee for the Strategic Plan.

Breakout sessions were divided into seven groups, each assigned to discuss the four areas of concern and how they should be addressed in the Strategic Plan. All groups then met back in an open forum to compare notes and hear what others had to say. Overall, it was very informative and a valuable part of the process.

The first day of breakout sessions was capped off with a talent show on the Bahia Belle, an old-fashioned riverboat. Though I was unable to attend, I am told that there was a lot of real talent showcased, including a performance of "My Way" by one of our Korean visitors that was well-received, and a solo by Jamie Krauk (of the National Office) that was considered one of the best performances of the evening. Apparently, there was much merriment.

The second day of breakouts finished with a Sea Grant banquet with Brian Baird, Assistant Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Policy as guest speaker. Wednesday morning began with a group plenary session with Dr. Richard Spinrad, Assistant Administrator for NOAA research. This was followed by a discussion of the proposed new Performance Assessment Process, hosted by members of the National Sea Grant Review and the Response Integration Team. Finally, Sea Grant Week 2007 was adjourned.

In all, I believe it was a very productive, as well as entertaining, week.

I did manage to snap a few photos and I'll post these a little later (when I can get to my camera). I would have posted them as the week progressed, but I forgot my card reader and was unable to upload them.

Sailing, Sailing

After yesterday's meetings, we had the opportunity to take a cruise around Mission Bay. A light meal was served for the two-hour cruise and it served as a meet and greet for those who were able to attend. The weather was beautiful; cool but not cold, and it was quite enjoyable to spend some quiet time on deck, watching the scenery go by. For those who preferred to socialize, drinks were available and there was plenty of space inside.

This morning it was back to the grind, starting with a plenary meeting to discuss the Strategic Plan. After that, we broke up into smaller groups, each with a mission to discuss the four areas of concern developed by the steering committee. These groups met today and will meet tomorrow, hopefully defining the four areas more completely.

I can't help but think we're doing this backward, though. I think that a better method would be to spend three days in work, then the last two days should be reserved for having fun, instead of the way it works now.