Advisers to the Nation on Science, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts is president of the National Academy of Sciences.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. Wm. A. Wulf is president of the National Academy of Engineering.

The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine.

The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Bruce M. Alberts and Dr. Wm. A. Wulf are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council.

www.national-academies.org

The work of this committee was overseen by the Ocean Studies Board.

The committee would like to acknowledge the contributions and support of its sponsor, the National Science Foundation. This report was also greatly enhanced by the input of the invited representatives from government agencies with experience in oceanic reference materials who gave talks at the planning meetings: Don Rice, National Science Foundation; Adriana Cantillo, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; John Fassett, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and Scott Willy, National Research Council of Canada. Input was also solicited through e-mail from a broad cross-section of the marine community world-wide, with help from the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography.

This report has been reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise, in accordance with procedures approved by the National Research Council’s Report Review Committee. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the institution in making its published report as sound as possible and to ensure that the report meets institutional standards for objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process. We wish to thank the following individuals for their review of this report: Dr. Richard T. Barber (Duke University), Dr. Edward Boyle (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Dr. Thomas S. Bianchi (Tulane University), Dr. Katherine H. Freeman (Penn State), Dr. Dennis A. Hansell (University

of Miami), Dr. Susan Libes (Coastal Carolina University), Dr. Steven E. Lohrenz (University of Southern Mississippi), Dr. Jay Pinckney (Texas A&M University), and Dr. Thomas Torgersen (University of Connecticut).

Although the reviewers listed above have provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations nor did they see the final draft of the report before its release. The review of this report was overseen by Dr. Kenneth H. Brink, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Appointed by the National Research Council, he was responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with institutional procedures and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content of this report rests entirely with the authoring committee and the institution. Maggie Sheer provided valuable assistance with copy-editing. The artwork and cover were designed by Van Nguyen.

Chemical Reference Materials: Setting the Standards for Ocean Science is part of an evolving body of work being conducted by scientists and research sponsors interested in ensuring the quality control of oceanographic data. Chemical data collected during ongoing and future global oceanographic studies and time-series efforts must be comparable over time and among laboratories. A wide range of scientific opportunities will result from such long-term observations, such as a better understanding of the role of ocean chemistry in climate dynamics; also improved stewardship of the ocean’s natural resources. The large investment of time, money, and equipment needed for such chemical oceanographic measurements demands that the data collected be of the highest quality achievable. Chemical reference materials play a critical role in the verification of the quality of these measurements. To this end, the National Research Council Committee on Reference Materials for Ocean Science (Appendix A) was charged with the difficult tasks of identifying the most critically needed reference materials, and recommending the most appropriate approaches for their development. The committee gave careful consideration to keeping their recommendations within the context of current and future oceanographic efforts throughout this process.

Committee members were chosen for their wide variety of scientific expertise and experience in production and certification of reference materials. In addition, members with proficiency in the use of reference materials for the analysis of trace metals, radioisotopes, nutrients, carbon, and organic matter were represented. The committee met on four sepa-

rate occasions to discuss and to plan this report. One of these meetings was a workshop held in September of 2001 in Islamorada, Florida at which about 30 invitees from the ocean science community (Appendix B) listened to keynote presentations, and discussed which reference materials, if available, would enhance the ability of ocean scientists to address key research topics. In addition, workshop participants were asked to identify which materials they felt represented the highest priority for development and research. Workshop participants, posters, and discussions helped set the stage for the fruitful committee discussions that followed. The committee also relied on written comments provided by workshop participants, on an email survey of members of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, and on the National Science Foundation’s report on the Future of Ocean Chemistry in the U.S. (1999), which set research priorities in marine chemistry.

As this report went to press, the committee was saddened by the unexpected death of a committee member, Dr. John Hedges. Dr. Hedges’ extensive and thoughtful input to this report reflected his deep interest in this topic and his hopes that this report would meaningfully further the use of reference materials in the ocean sciences. His death is a great loss to the many individuals who knew him personally and to the chemical oceanography community as a whole.

Committee on Reference Materials for Ocean Science