Largest Ocean Acidification meeting to date held in Bremerhaven, Germany
In September 2010, 230 scientists involved in EPOCA (European Project on Ocean Acidification), BIOACID (Biological Impacts of Ocean ACIDification, Germany) and/or UKOARP (UK Ocean Acidification Research Programme) participated in the largest meeting to date on ocean acidification. The meeting provided an opportunity to share the latest research and to bridge interdisciplinary work. A primary focus of the meeting was the physiological response of micro- and macroorganisms exposed to changes in carbon chemistry. Additional topics included observations of local changes in biogeochemistry, paleo-reconstruction of ocean carbon chemistry, and biogeochemical/ecological modeling.
CarboSchools, a program that fosters partnerships between climate researchers and secondary school teachers, is a unique component of all three projects that integrates cutting edge scientific research with education of school children across Europe. Direct interaction between children and scientists, including live documentation of ongoing experiments in Svalbard helped to increase the interest and awareness of rising atmospheric CO2 and its consequences.
One full day of the meeting was dedicated to Ph.D. students and early career scientists. This gathering attracted 70 students and early career scientists. It was an ideal platform to present preliminary results. The informal setting encouraged open discussions and fostered collaborations among young scientists. As successful as it was, it could be a model for future student meetings.
Please feel free to visit the EPOCA website to read more about the meeting:
http://www.epoca-project.eu/index.php/what-do-we-do/meetings/epoca-2010-meeting.html
Or about CarboSchools:
http://www.carboeurope.org/education/index.php
Claudine Hauri
EPOCA student representative
Ph.D. candidate, ETH Zurich,
Switzerland
claudine.hauri@env.ethz.ch
Claudine Hauri, OCB Newsletter 3(3):14, Fall 2010, Newsletter.
