Ocean research opportunity for marine science graduates South About!

RV Polarstern By Bruce McAdam from Reykjavik, Iceland (Polarstern arriving at Reykjavik) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsA unique opportunity to participate in the North South Atlantic Training Transect (NoSoAT) summer school and carry out ocean research in the North and South Atlantic Ocean is being offered to graduates of marine-related sciences from across the island of Ireland. Applications are invited for up to ten fully funded scholarships on-board the German research vessel RV Polarstern which will leave Germany for this summer school in November and transit 14,000km to Cape Town, South Africa. Along the transect students will collect samples and data to help to increase our understanding of ocean processes and which will feed into a range of exciting research projects.

The joint mission between the Strategic Marine Alliance for Research & Training (SMART), the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO) will focus on training talented early-stage scientists in oceanographic research techniques and provide the skills and practical experience needed for a career in Marine sciences. Participants will get hands-on training in deployment and operation of scientific gear, acquisition and processing of the sample material and interpretation of the respective data. Work on board will also include lectures, data workshops, practical exercises and student presentations.

"Although over 70% of our planet is ocean there are lots of areas that are poorly observed and about which we have little knowledge. This collaborative effort with AWI and POGO will increase our understanding of the Atlantic Ocean as well as inspiring the marine scientists of tomorrow to sustainably mange our seas and oceans for future generations" said Dr Pauhla McGrane, National Coordinator of SMART, Ireland.

"Improving our knowledge of the ocean requires a new generation of well-trained researchers that are able to combine practical field work with modern methods like remote sensing or RNA sequencing. This pooled infrastructure and expertise provides an incredible chance for postgraduates to get the necessary practical experience and develop networking opportunities they need early in their careers," said Professor Karen Wiltshire, Vice-President of AWI and Chair of POGO.

"We are all delighted to be leading this strategic collaboration, which will promote mobility for a total number of 34 students from across Europe and Africa and increase multidisciplinary research capacity in Atlantic nations," she said.

Graduates, postgraduates and post-doctoral students of marine-related sciences from across the island of Ireland are eligible to apply via SMART. The closing date for applications is 7th June 2015. Applicants should make sure that they are available between 29th October and 2nd December 2015 to account for pre- and post-cruise events and travel times.

For further information on how to apply please visit the SMART website http://www.smartseaschool.com/content/nosoat or contact smart@gmit.ie.

This NoSoAT summer school is jointly supported by the Mercator Foundation and the Nippon Foundation / POGO Centre of Excellence. It is an initiative in the framework of the European Campus of Excellence (ECE).

The Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART) is a cluster of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the Higher Education Authority and the Marine Institute, led by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) and HEI partners that include Athlone Institute of Technology, NUI Galway, University College Cork and Ulster University.

ENDS

BACKGROUND
The Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART)
The Strategic Marine Alliance for Research and Training (SMART) is a cluster of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the Higher Education Authority and the Marine Institute, led by Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) and HEI partners that include Athlone Institute of Technology, NUI Galway, University College Cork and Ulster University. SMART adds value to marine education across Ireland by developing and delivering practical offshore training onboard the Irish national research vessels for students of marine science, technology and engineering. The programme trains up to 350 graduate and postgraduate students annually in offshore multidisciplinary marine sciences in Ireland and across Europe with the ultimate aim of building offshore research capacity.
For further info see: http://www.smartseaschool.com

The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI)
The Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) Germany, conducts research in the Arctic, the Antarctic and at temperate latitudes. It coordinates Polar research in Germany and provides both the necessary equipment and the essential logistic back up for polar expeditions. Recent additional research themes include North Sea Research, contributions to Marine Biological Monitoring, Marine Pollution Research, Investigation of naturally occurring marine substances and technical marine developments.
AWI collaborates in numerous international research programmes and maintains close contacts with many universities and institutes in Europe and farther afield. It sends scientists to other institutes throughout the world, to other research ships and stations, and invites scientists from other nations to cruises aboard "Polarstern", as well as to Bremerhaven and Potsdam. About a quarter of those participating in "Polarstern" expeditions are scientists from abroad.
For further info see: http://www.awi.de/en/home

Partnership for Ocean Global Observations (POGO)
For more than a decade, the Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans, POGO, has served as a forum for leaders of major oceanographic institutions around the world to promote global oceanography, particularly the implementation of international and integrated global ocean observing systems. POGO is an international network of collaborators who foster partnerships that advance efficiency and effectiveness in studying and monitoring the world's oceans on a global scale. Through its efforts, POGO has promoted observations underpinning ocean and climate science, interpreted scientific results for decision makers, provided training and technology transfer to emerging economies, and built awareness of the many challenges still ahead.
For further info see: http://www.ocean-partners.org/

RV Polarstern
The Polarstern was commissioned in 1982 and since then has completed a total of more than fifty expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. It was specially designed for working in the polar seas and is currently one of the most sophisticated polar research vessels in the world. The vessel spends almost 310 days a year at sea. Between November and March it usually sails to and around the waters of the Antarctic, while the northern summer months are spent in Arctic waters. The ship is equipped for biological, geological, geophysical, glaciological, chemical, oceanographic and meteorological research, and contains nine research laboratories. The ship has a crew of at most 44, and offers work facilities for a further 50 scientists and technicians. Polarstern is operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, and managed by the shipping company Laeisz.
For further info see: http://www.awi.de/en/infrastructure/ships/polarstern

The Nippon Foundation
The Nippon Foundation (NF) was established in 1962 as a non-profit philanthropic organization, active in Japan and around the world. Initially its efforts focused largely on the maritime and shipping fields, but since then the range of activities has expanded to education, social welfare, public health, and other fields—carried out in more than 100 countries to date. Together with more than 20 partner organisations in Japan and worldwide it is funding and assisting community-led efforts aimed at realising a more peaceful and prosperous global society. The Nippon Foundation-POGO Centre of Excellence (NF-POGO CofE) provides world class education and training courses in the field of observational oceanography, since 2008. Starting in 2013, the NF-POGO CofE has been hosted by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany's foremost polar and marine research institution.
For further info see: www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/en/