Jan van Smirren

Jan van SmirrenJan van Smirren - FUGRO Geos

Since graduating with  B.Sc. in Geology and Oceanography (1981) and M.Sc in Oceanography (1982)  Mr. van Smirren has gained over 25 years of experience in commercial oceanography and has been with Fugro GEOS, an oceanographic and meteorological (metocean) consultancy for 17 years.  As President Fugro GEOS Inc. he is responsible for all of Fugro GEOS? activities in the Americas region.  Such activities range from the provision of metocean measurement, monitoring, consultancy and forecasting services to a broad range of client organizations that encompass the international oil and gas industry, local and national government organizations, ports and harbors and associated maritime industries.

Mr. van Smirren?s experience includes director level appointments in the United Kingdom, Singapore and the United States, with both operational and business development responsibilities.  His oceanographic experience has seen him undertake studies in the North and South Atlantic, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.  This has included both field measurement and monitoring system campaigns and the detailed analysis and interpretation of data. 

Mr. van Smirren pioneered the use of ADCP?s in mainstream commercial oceanography starting in the mid 1980?s with rig based ADCP measurements and continuing today.  Further successes include: the first ROV-based based real-time current profile monitoring system (RovADCP); the first purpose designed real-time current profile monitoring system for seismic survey vessels (SeisADCP); and web-based real-time database and display software for geospatial real-time metocean measurements.  The use of Rig based ADCP systems in the Gulf of Mexico by the oil and gas industry, integrated to the National Data Buoy Center public data dissemination system, provides a significant component of a GCOOS and highlights the potential of industry/government partnerships.

Mr. Van Smirren is a founding member and secretary of the Houston Branch of the Society of Underwater Technology.  In 2004 Mr. Van Smirren's contribution to the development of education and outreach in underwater technology was recognized by the SUT who bestowed him with a Fellowship. Mr. van Smirren has been a member of the Technical Committee for the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System and also sat on the GCOOS Business Plan Working Group.  He has been a member of the GCOOS Board of Directors for 4 years, and was recently elected to the Executive Board, and serves on the Observing Systems Sub-committee.  During this period Mr. Van Smirren has made a number of public presentations on behalf of GCOOS including two at international venues.

Mr. Van Smirren's understanding of the value of a regional ocean observing system is based on his detailed understanding of the oceanographic and meteorological data requirements of many of the IOOS stakeholder groups.  This is underpinned through hands on experience of delivering data products to these user groups using state of the art measurement, modeling and analysis techniques.
Jan van Smirren

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