Profile

Robert Branton

Robert M. Branton (Bob) is Director, Data Management for the Dalhousie Faculty of Science Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) and scientist emeritus at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography. Bob retired from Dept of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in 2008 after almost 34 years of public service and in addition to joining the OTN, continues to be involved in various science informatics initiatives including the Canadian National Committee for CODATA (Committee on Data for Science and Technology), Centre for Marine Biodiversity Technical Committee, the Coastal and Ocean Information Network for the Atlantic (COINAtlantic) and the Gulf of Maine Ocean Data Partnership. Picture to the right shows Bob participating in OTN Halifax Line deployment cruise.

Bob earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Dalhousie in 1972 and prior to arriving at BIO in 1980, was a research technician at various science laboratories including BIO (1972-75) and a Computer Programmer / Systems Analyst for Engineering and Financial Divisions at the Nova Scotia Power Corporation (1976-80). While at BIO from 1980-2008, Bob contributed to oceanographic and biological research from a wide variety of senior positions including: Senior Data Analyst for the Ocean Circulation Division (1980-82); Electronic Data Processing Coordinator, Section Head, Biologist and Senior Biologist for the Marine Fish Division (1982-2005) and Section Head and Senior Biologist for PED (2005-08). His research / studies have provided key advice on: resource assessments of various marine groundfish stocks, commercial port sampling, research vessel trawl surveys and development / operation of scientific data management, analysis and visualization systems. His research interests have been focused on a number of multi-species issues, principally: evaluating effectiveness of fisheries management measures (e.g. bycatch in small mesh gear fisheries), improving quality of regional commercial statistics for mixed fisheries, integrating research trawl survey results across the Northwest Atlantic, and developing authoritative species lists for DFO's national science data inventory. His strong interest in scientific data management has led to successful adoption of the Oracle relational data management system at BIO (1988), development of the Maritime Virtual Data Center (VDC) (1999) and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) Canada Portal (2005). As chair of the Centre for Marine Biodiversity Technical Committee (2004-), Bob has led the organization of numerous public data management workshops and conferences, the most recent being the International Ocean Biodiversity Informatics Conference at BIO in October 2007. Bob has on many occasions represented Canada at the international level, including: International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) Marine Data Management Committee (1986-89), International Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) Managers' Committee (2004-07) and the Gulf of Maine Ocean Data Partnership (GoMODP) Executive Committee (2004-08). Bob has just recently joined the Canadian Committee for the International Council for Science : Committee on Data for Science and Technology (2010-12).

Robert M. Branton - rmbranto@dal.ca

Director of Data Management, Ocean Tracking Network,
Dalhousie University,Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Work 902 494-7560; fax 902 494-1123; cell 902 225-3620; home 902 463-4857
Website: http://www.oceantrackingnetwork.org/