Reproduction of cold-water corals
Edyta Glogowska
University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
Darling Marine Center in Walpole, Maine, USA
Darling Marine Center in Walpole, Maine, USA was a perfect place for completing an independent scientific research project required to achieve my Master degree. I am immensely grateful to the Challenger Society for a travel award that I was granted, which enabled me a trip to the USA.
I got a chance to collaborate with an expert in deep-sea biology and invertebrate reproduction - Dr Rhian Waller. I have been working in her laboratory for two months, where I could focus on my project about reproduction of cold-water corals. I gained extensive knowledge about various histological techniques, which in turn helped me to improve methods I needed to examine three stony coral species from Antarctica, Mediterranean Sea and Florida. Moreover, I had the opportunity to broaden my knowledge about cold-water coral ecosystem, which is essential to thoroughly analyse these organisms. All these information will help me to write my Master thesis, which hopefully will be published in a scientific journal soon.
Additionally, the grant gave me an unrepeatable opportunity to meet other more experienced marine scientists and researchers who willingly shared their opinion about different aspects of the marine environment with me. Their advice regarding scientific community and a marine biologists career was very helpful and I am convinced that all these information will be tremendously useful in my future career.
The trip to Darling Marine Center has provided me an unforgettable experience. I am glad and grateful that the Challenger Society supported me in this unique adventure.
Latest News
NOC Association (NOCA) AGM 2025
The 14th AGM of the NOC Association will be held on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May 2025. This free, on-line event will take place on Zoom, across two consecutive mornings, each starting at 10:00 and ending at 12:30. The agenda will focus on national capability (NC) science, ships, and autonomous vehicles, and how the community can engage. There will be an update on AtlantiS and on the new marine science scoping group. All are warmly welcome to join.
To participate, please complete your registration here.
For enquiries: Jackie Pearson, Secretary to NOCA: jfpea@noc.ac.uk
Townhall on UK Arctic Ocean contribution to International Polar Year 32/33
The Arctic is one of the most rapidly-changing regions on our planet, with impacts on global sea-level rise, changes to our climate and weather patterns, and threats to our shared biodiversity and ecosystem services. With the international community rapidly mobilising towards the International Polar Year 32/33, and with new international programmes and initiatives now being shaped, it is timely for the UK Ocean Science community to come together and articulate what its unique offerings could be to Arctic research and technology.
This hybrid 2-day meeting, to be held at NOC Southampton, is intended to start this process. Recognising the Arctic Oceans role in global Earth and Human systems, anticipated outcomes include a high-level shaping of what the UK Arctic Ocean community would like to achieve over the course of the IPY, stimulation of new collaborations and proposals for grand Arctic challenges and a baseline from which wider integration with terrestrial, atmospheric and cryosphere communities, both in the UK and overseas, can be built. Discussions will continue in diverse forums, including the UK Arctic Science Meeting in September and at Challenger 2026.
This action is supported by the UK Arctic Office and UK Arctic and Antarctic Partnership
Further details and meeting registration link will be circulated in April together with a questionnaire to help shape the agenda and discussion
In the meantime…SAVE THE DATE
Potential Availability of NERC Ship Time During the 25/26 Programme Year
The NERC Marine Facilities Programme for 2025/2026 for the RRS Discovery and the RRS James Cook has been published on the Marine Facilities Planning website.
The RRS Discovery programme currently contains a 79 day alongside slot between the 2nd of November 2025 and the 19th of January 2026, which is available for science delivery if funded science projects can make use of this time. Due to the location of the vessel, the ship is most likely to be able to deliver fieldwork in the North and East Atlantic regions. Some support for science capability within the National Marine Equipment Pool is potentially available, although there is no capacity for use of autonomous vehicles or remotely operated vehicles. Any fieldwork within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) will need the appropriate diplomatic clearance submitted to coastal states at least 6 months in advance, and to NMF with sufficient lead time for processing via the FCDO.
If interested in making use of this ship time, please contact NERC Marine Planning (marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org) ASAP to start discussions.