Coastal Observing and Modeling for Prediction and Assessment to Support Resilient Systems
COMPASS – Philippines
The COMPASS-PH training course, held from 24 February to 8 March 2025, successfully brought together early-career scientists, researchers, and professionals to enhance skills in coastal ocean, wave, and biogeochemical modeling. The course was designed to strengthen coastal resilience in the Philippines through hands-on training and interdisciplinary collaboration.
As the first training course in the CoastPredict COMPASS series, COMPASS-PH represents a significant step in building regional capacity for coastal ocean observing and modeling. This course was delivered using the IOC-UNESCO’s OceanTeacher Global Academy (OTGA) platform and designed through a collaborative partnership between CoastPredict, the SUSTAIN project (a UN-endorsed project affiliated with CoastPredict), CMCC Foundation – Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change, Italy (CMCC) and the Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience’s (DCC-CR) ‘Coastal Resilience School’. The course fostered strong institutional partnerships and strengthened international cooperation in coastal research and resilience-building efforts.
The course was taught by experts from CMCC, the Marine Science Institute at the University of the Philippines, and University of Bologna. A total of 16 participants were selected from a range of institutions across the Philippines, including government agencies, academic institutions, and research organizations.
The successful completion of this training was made possible with support from the Marine Science Institute – University of the Philippines, DOST-PCAARRD, Supporting Our Seas Through Automated and Integrated Networks (SUSTAIN) Program, University of Bologna, Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience, CMCC, CINECA and the University of the Philippines Office of International Linkages.
The training was conducted in two phases:
Online Sessions (24 & 26 February 2025 – held on OTGA):
Participants were introduced to the Relocatable Ocean Platform SURF, the fundamentals of coastal wave modeling, and the principles of coupled physical-biological numerical modeling of marine biogeochemical cycles. They also learned how to access and use the Interactive Computing Service on CINECA’s High-Performance Computing system. The online training concluded with a step-by-step tutorial on executing a downscaling experiment with SURF-NEMO. These lessons provided the foundational knowledge necessary for the in-person sessions.
In-Person Training (3–8 March 2025, University of the Philippines Diliman):
The intensive in-person week consisted of six-hour daily sessions, featuring advanced numerical modeling applications, hands-on exercises, and real-world case studies conducted on CINECA high-performance computing systems. The training also included demonstrations of decision-support tools, such as WITOIL for oil spill response and VISIR-II for optimizing vessel routes, equipping participants with practical skills for marine hazard management.
Participants engaged in hands-on training sessions utilizing advanced modeling tools including the SURF-NEMO platform for ocean circulation modeling, WAVEWATCH III for wave dynamics, and the BFM (Biogeochemical Flux Model) for marine ecosystem simulations. Additionally, they applied machine learning clustering algorithms to analyze long-term datasets of chlorophyll and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, gaining insights into environmental variability and ecosystem dynamics.
The course concluded with participant presentations, where they showcased case studies across various coastal regions in the Philippines, including Lingayen Gulf, the Bolinao-Anda Reef, the Sulu Sea, and the San Bernardino Strait. Participants analyzed circulation dynamics, highlighting key findings and the benefits of high-resolution models in capturing small-scale features.
Field Activity – Installation of InterBox:
As part of the hands-on training, participants took part in the installation of an InterBox, a low-cost sea level sensor, developed and provided by CMCC, at the Tide station at Manila South Harbor, gaining practical experience in coastal observation and monitoring.
Key topics covered:
A detailed course schedule can be found here
