22 June 2005
The Marine Institute has just launched its 2005 call for marine research proposals under the National Development Plan. The programme supports marine research, technology development and innovation (RTDI) across a broad spectrum.
Proposals are invited from small and medium businesses interested in increasing competitiveness or developing new business opportunities through research and development. The Marine Institute's Industry Liaison Officer, Dr. Frank O'Brien, can team up companies that do not have in-house research capabilities with suitable research organisations to help achieve their business goals.
Funding is also available for Postgraduate or Post Doctoral research in areas such as stock assessment and genetic stock identification; marine data modelling; advanced technologies for aquaculture; instrumentation interface and data management architecture; sea-floor observatories and sensor system packages; ecosystem and ocean climate change; marine economics; hydro acoustics; benthic science; and marine resource management.
The Marine Institute has defined a number of strategic research projects for which research proposals are now sought, based on consultations with industry and other marine stakeholders. These are: Site Investigations and Disease Management of the Pancreas Disease Virus; and an Investigation into the Approach and Applicability of extending the Marine Institute's Marine Data Model to include Biological Data.
Other areas supported by the marine RTDI programme include networking and technology transfer initiatives and desk studies on Platforms for Marine Monitoring; Bioinformatics; Data Mining Techniques and Quality Control of Scientific Data; and Fast Ro Pax Ferries.
Deadlines for proposals vary by programme. For more information and application forms visit www.marine.ie/marinertdi
or call Felicity Donnelly, NDP Administrator o r Frank O'Brien, Industry Liaison Officer on 091 730 400
or email felicity.donnelly@marine.ie
or frank.obrien@marine.ie
ENDS
For more information contact lisa.fitzpatrick@marine.ie or telephone 091 730400 / 087 2937476
Notes to Editor.
The Marine RTDI measure has been implemented by the Marine Institute on behalf of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources as part of the National Development Plan since the year 2000. It has been the mainstay of marine research funding in Ireland over the past five years and responsible for a significant number of successful applied research projects including:
ChloroFlow and ChloroPod - two unique devices developed by the UCD campus company Spectral Signatures Ltd. to measure water quality output in treatment plants throughout Europe.
Sea Urchin Farming - developed by the UCC based Aquaculture and Fisheries Development Centre in Cork. The Centre has developed a unique land based method of farming sea urchins, which has the potential to revive the Irish industry and tap into huge international demand for the product.
Wave Energy - an innovative new wave energy device being developed by Ocean Energy Ltd of Cork has already been through extensive testing and the company is about to proceed with the development of a full scale prototype for full commercial trials.
Natural Colours for Farmed Salmon and Trout - Cork based company Cyber Colours Ltd has identified a completely natural source of the pink pigment astaxanthin (used to give farmed salmon its natural pink colour) with Marine Institute assistance is about to carry out trials which could lead to commercial production in the near future.
Turning fish cage siting into an exact science - an innovative research project carried out by Donegal based Bonnar Engineering with support from the Marine Institute has resulted in a the development of a scientific method of scientifically validating the mooring of offshore fish cages.
Seaweed Extracts - using a new, highly innovative cold process technique Donegal based Oilean Glas Teo (OGT) is producing a readily usable extract from seaweed such as Ascophylum (commonly known as "Bladder Wrack") harvested from the west coast. This liquid can then be applied to grass or other crops with immediate effects or used in animal feeds.