The JRSO manages numerous email distribution lists. Their primary uses are

• for wide dissemination of critical operational information,
• to encourage professional operational collaboration,
• to ease hand-off of issues in units with 24/7 operational mandates across multiple possible responders.

The JRSO leverages TAMU's email services. There are limitations for particular kinds of usage. These are outlined in

• Ship/Shore Communication Policy (ship link)
• Ship/Shore Communication Policy (shore link)

The most notable restrictions are designed to maintain awareness and efficient management of costly, limited bandwidth to the mission platform.

• 5 megabyte limits on attachments originating on shore destined for ship. Larger attachments will bounce.
• 20 megabyt limits on attachments originating on ship destined for a shore address.

JRSO Distribution Lists

JRSO ship and shore distribution lists are managed by JRSO IT infrastructure/MCS teams. All distribution list questions, corrections, concerns, etc. should be forwarded via email to change_of_address@iodp.tamu.edu. 

Distribution lists may be displayed from the Exchange email system web interface by

• Select the People application
• Select the search field--supply dg-iodp as the search term.
• Click the search icon.

Submissions to JRSO Shore and Ship Distribution Lists

Not all distribution lists may be addressed from outside the JRSO and TAMU. Those that can be accessed publicly are termed open--i.e. accepting email from any address. A few of these are listed further below.

The Exchange email system also allows for distribution groups to be moderated. Email sent to a moderated list goes to selected personnel (the moderator aka distribution list owners) for review. Moderators may release the content to the rest of the list at their discretion. At present, no JRSO lists are moderated.

Most JRSO distribution lists are closed to the public. Why?

• Good security practice recommended by TAMU’s Division of IT. Example--avoids external spamming of critical business units; reduction in exposure to phishing.
• Many lists are dedicated to internal communications and discussions. Limited distribution provides a degree of freedom to some types of internal collaborations.

This means email sent to a closed shore list from any address other than a JRSO shore email address (name@iodp.tamu.edu) will bounce. Examples of emails that will bounce include:name@ship.iodp.tamu.edu, name@gmail.com, name@tamu.edu, and name@olemiss.edu. The same rules apply to closed ship distribution lists. Email sent to a closed ship list from any address other than a JRSO ship email address (jr_name@ship.iodp.tamu.edu) will bounce.

A handful of JRSO’s distribution lists are open for public access outside of the iodp.tamu.edu domain. Examples include:

• change_of_address@iodp.tamu.edu

• daily_report@iodp.tamu.edu

• lab working group distro lists: 
  lwg_curation_core@iodp.tamu.edu
  lwg_geochemistry@iodp.tamu.edu
  lwg_geology@iodp.tamu.edu
  lwg_geophysics@iodp.tamu.edu

• distribution lists for recent expeditions.

In the shipboard environment, the JR address book (global address list) only shows contact entries for JR distribution lists and open shore distribution lists. This reduces clutter in the address book and reduces confusion over which addresses to use.

Best Practices

Work as locally as possible. Examples

• Science participates preparing for an expedition should in general route questions and concerns through the Expedition Project Manager and the Co-Chiefs.
• Science participates on an expedition should in general route questions and concerns to the on-board Expedition Project Manager, Co-Chiefs, and Operations manager. Specific laboratory, curatorial, and compute questions should be routed through the Lab Officer and Assistant Lab Officers, ultimately (in general) to on-board staff.
• External participants in Lab Working Groups (LWG) should be made aware of the distribution group for the LWG in which they participate.
• Participants in post-cruise meetings and editorial work should be in contact with the Co-Chiefs, Expedition Project Manager, and the assigned publications staff.

Credits

The above is taken from information provided by Jim Rosser in a 16 July 2018 email message to staff.

Initial rework for public consumption.