AUGUST 23, 2013 -– NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, a leader in providing scientific information in response to marine pollution, has scheduled a Science of Oil Spills (SOS) class for the week of October 28, 2013, in Falmouth, Mass.

We will accept applications for this class through Monday, September 23, and we will notify applicants regarding their participation status by Monday, September 30, 2013.

SOS classes help spill responders increase their understanding of oil spill science when analyzing spills and making risk-based decisions. They are designed for new and mid-level spill responders.

These three-and-a-half-day trainings cover:

• Fate and behavior of oil spilled in the environment.
• An introduction to oil chemistry and toxicity.
• A review of basic spill response options for open water and shorelines.
• Spill case studies.
• Principles of ecological risk assessment.
• A field trip.
• An introduction to damage assessment techniques.
• Determining cleanup endpoints.

To view the topics for the next SOS class, download a sample agenda [PDF, 117 KB].

Please be advised that classes are not filled on a first-come, first-served basis. The Office of Response and Restoration tries to diversify the participant composition to ensure a variety of perspectives and experiences to enrich the workshop for the benefit of all participants. The class will be limited to 40 participants.

Other SOS classes planned for fiscal year 2014 (beginning October 1, 2013 and ending September 30, 2014) include classes in Mobile, Ala. in the late winter/early spring and in Seattle in the summer. At this time, we are not accepting applications for classes other than the Falmouth, Mass., class.

For more information, and to learn how to apply for the class, visit the SOS Classes page.