At CCMAR, our mission is to produce excellent science with a positive impact on society. A fundamental step in achieving this mission is the review of our science strategy: a process that allows us to reflect on our results, identify our strengths and weaknesses, and plan our next steps.

Advisory Board visit

As part of the review of CCMAR's science strategy, between 22 and 25 January we received a visit from three members of CCMAR's Advisory Board: Professor Tamara Galloway (University of Exeter, UK), Professor John Roff (Acadia University, Canada) and Professor Vincent Laudet (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Japan). This was a unique opportunity to see ourselves through the eyes of external experts, and to hear their advice on how to develop a more robust strategy.

A mission that unites us

For three intense days, our consultants got to know our team and the research we are developing for ocean sustainability, across CCMAR's three thematic lines - Global Environmental Change, Ocean Management and Conservation, and Marine Products and Resources. "The biggest challenge in the field of marine sciences is its complexity. People usually have different origins, time frames, specialities and organisations (...) However, they have in common their love of the ocean, which unites them a lot, and this is also an opportunity," commented Professor Vincent Laudet.

Training tomorrow's scientists

Workshops were also held for PhD students and post-doctoral researchers, with the aim of encouraging the exchange of ideas, stimulating new initiatives, and proposing new forms of organisation for these new generations of CCMAR collaborators. "One of the pillars for the success of a marine sciences institute is the existence of a good group of students who are dedicated to the practice of research," commented Professor John Roff on the last day of the event.

We celebrated our Blue Science

We celebrated our Blue Science during our first Get Together of 2024. It felt good to relax on a mild January afternoon after three intense days to reflect on our past scientific activities and the path our multidisciplinary team will take in the coming years. In the words of Professor Tamara Galloway, "The ocean covers approximately 80% of our planet. That's why the role of marine sciences institutes is so important, allowing us to understand not only how the ocean works, but also all the benefits we can derive from it".

We thank the members of our Advisory Board for their visit and valuable advice, and we continue with this important process of reviewing our science strategy.