Laboratories and Publications
Laboratories
Though many research groups and university departments have long illustrious histories, sadly few of them have documented their origins and development – science is after all forward-looking. Frequent changes in name and amalgamation of laboratories and research groups also make it hard construct such histories.
However some information is available from the links in the list below:
• British Antarctic Survey
• Geodesy and Geophysics Cambridge 1937 onwards
• Liverpool Tidal Institute/Proudman Laboratory1866-2004 when incorporated into National Oceanography Centre (NOC)
• Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food/CEFAS Lowestoft1902 onwards
• Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen
• Marine Biological Association Plymouth 1884 onwards. Since 1988 associated with the…..
• NIO/IOS/IOS Deacon Laboratory 1949-1994 when incorporated into the Southampton Oceanography Centre (1995-2005), which became the National Oceanography Centre Southampton and subsequently part of NOC.
• Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
• Scottish Association for Marine Science 1992 onwards. Previously Scottish Marine Station from 1884 and Scottish Marine Biological Association from 1914.
• School of Ocean Science, Bangor
Publications and talks
A number of books focus on the histories of a number of UK laboratories carrying out marine science. The following are some examples:
1984 • The Marine Biological Association 1884-1984. One hundred years of marine research. Southward, A.J. and Roberts, E.K. (1984): One hundred years of marine research. Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association for the Advancement of Science vol. 116 p155-199 (Occasional Publications. Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 3)
2001 • Across the Bridge -: An informal chronicle: from the Marine Biology Station, University College of North Wales to the School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, Ioanna Psalti, Gomer Press 273pp, 2001.
2009 • Madingley Rise and Early Geophysics at Cambridge, Carol Williams, Third Millennium, 208pp.
2010 • Of Seas and Ships and Scientists - The Remarkable History of the UK's National Institute of Oceanography, 1949–1973 Anthony Laughton, John Gould, 'Tom' Tucker and Howard Roe (editors), Lutterworth Press, 352pp, 2010.
2011 • History of the Meteorological Office, Malcolm Walker, Cambridge University Press, 450pp, 2011.
Latest News
Challenger Society History of Oceanography SIG Webinars
The Challenger Society Special Interest Group on the History of Oceanography will be having a series of zoom webinars in 2025. The talks will be at 5pm UK time on Wednesday evenings (3rd Wed of the month):
Job vacancy
The Ocean Census is actively seeking a Workshop Coordinator to join our dynamic team to manage the workshop and related processes with an international alliance of partners. The deadline for applications is 15th December 2024. Link to further details: https://oceancensus.org/job-opportunity-workshop-coordinator/
Socio-oceanography Workshop sets sights on key climate and ocean challenges
The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is calling on scientists and researchers to participate in its fourth annual Socio-Oceanography Workshop, hosted in collaboration with the Marine Social Science Network.
This international event, set to take place at NOC’s Southampton site 26-28 February 2025, will gather experts across natural and social sciences to tackle the pressing issues linking people and the changing ocean.
This year’s workshop will focus on four key themes, including the impact of climate change-driven shifts in marine species distribution and how these changes will affect the way the UK marine environment is perceived, valued, and managed.
Other topics include integrating digital humans into environmental digital twins, addressing biases in research related to marine carbon dioxide removal, and exploring how local communities can engage in participatory environmental monitoring.