You have heard a lot about offshore wind energy but you have no doubt noticed there are no offshore wind turbines in our coastal waters. In fact, there are few wind turbines on land in coastal areas. I'll give an update on offshore wind developments, a review of some recent, relevant research projects, and thoughts on what science and engineering is needed.

Dr. Larry P. Atkinson is the Samuel and Fay Slover Professor of Oceanography in the Department of Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at Old Dominion University and the Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in 1964 and 1967, respectively, from the University of Washington in Seattle. He received his Ph.D. from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada in 1972. Prior to joining the faculty at Old Dominion University, he was at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah, Georgia. He is a member of the Oceanography Society, the American Meteorological Society, the Marine Technology Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). he is a Fellow of the AAAS. He was Editor of Oceanography (1993-1997) and Editor (1988-1990) and Senior Editor of the Journal of Geohphysical Research - Oceans (1990-1992). He is the author or co-author of over 90 reviewed publications. He served on and was chair of the Department of Interior Science Advisory Committee for Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas production. He was chair of a national committee coordinating replacement of the fleet of oceanographic research ships in the US. From 2001 to 2004, he was with the inter-agency Oceans.US office, creating the integrated ocean observing system for the US. Recently, his ocean observing activities continue locally, nationally, and internationally. He was recently appointed chair of the NSF/UNOLS Ocean Observing Science Committee. His interest in offshore wind energy evolved from his research in the coastal ocean.

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