SCOR Secretariat

The SCOR Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day administration of SCOR activities, taking its guidance from the General Meetings, Executive Committee Meetings, and communication with the Executive Committee and Nominated Members. This communication includes frequent contacts with national committees and chairs of SCOR subsidiary bodies and organizations. The Secretariat is also responsible for the administration of SCOR finances, organization of the meetings of SCOR and its subsidiary bodies, management of a program of travel grants, and preparation of SCOR publications. The small size of the SCOR Secretariat is possible because of the significant contributions to SCOR projects made by participants in SCOR working groups, research projects, and other activities.

The SCOR Secretariat is located at the

College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment
003 Robinson Hall
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716, U S A

Phone: +1-302-831-7011
E-mail: secretariat@scor-int.org
Web site: www.scor-int.org

Emily Twigg, Executive Director

Emily Twigg is an experienced program manager who has worked on a broad range of ocean science topics. From 2016 to 2023, Emily served as a program officer for the Ocean Studies Board of the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. In this capacity, she led or contributed to production of 13 reports and workshop proceedings by coordinating committees of subject matter experts and staff teams, organizing public meetings, building consensus, writing and editing reports, and contributing to public communication materials. She has covered topics ranging from ocean observing, offshore wind development, fisheries, ocean pollution, carbon dioxide removal, and ecosystem restoration. Emily also served as the staff officer supporting the U.S. National Committee to SCOR, which is constituted by the National Academies’ Ocean Studies Board.

Emily previously held positions at the National Science Foundation supporting multi-million dollar grant programs and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency supporting an interagency initiative on coastal wetland protection. She has additional experience working in resource management in the National Park Service, and in outdoor environmental education.

Emily has a master’s degree in environmental science and management from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Berkeley.

History

At SCOR’s beginning, SCOR’s elected Secretary or President provided the necessary secretariat function. In 1972, a part-time Executive Secretary was appointed at the Royal Society (UK) to assist the elected Secretary. In 1985, as the scope and activities of SCOR had grown substantially, the Executive Secretary became a full-time employee; the title was changed to Executive Director in 1990. The Secretariat moved over the years from the Royal Society (UK) to Dalhousie University (Canada) in 1980, to Johns Hopkins University (USA) in 1992, and to the University of Delaware (USA) in 2007.

Years Executive Secretary/Director Secretariat Location
1972-1980 George E. Hemmen Royal Society (UK)
1980-1992 Elizabeth Tidmarsh Dalhousie University (Canada)
1992-2000 Elizabeth (Tidmarsh) Gross Johns Hopkins University (USA)
2000-2007 Edward R. Urban Jr. Johns Hopkins University (USA)
2007-2020 Edward R. Urban Jr. University of Delaware (USA)
2020-2023 Patricia Miloslavich University of Delaware (USA)