Institutional Representatives
UK Institutional Representatives
British Antarctic Survey - Cecilia Liszka
Heriot-Watt University - Dominique Anderson
Imperial College London - Anona Griffiths
National Museums Scotland - Fiona Ware
National Oceanography Centre - Tiago Segabinazzi Dotto
Queens University Belfast - Leanne Murray
University of East Anglia - Rob Hall
University of Essex - Hugo Woodward-Rowe
University of Leeds - Will Homoky
University of Oxford - Katie Driver
University of Glasgow/ SUERC - Laura Hepburn
Representatives for International Partners
NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research - Matthew Humphreys
United Arab Emirates University - Leila Basti
Institutional Representatives Advert - call still open
The Challenger Society is looking for institutional representatives to raise awareness of the Society within their institutions and to ensure the staff and students at the respective institutions are benefitting fully from the Society. This is great way to increase your profile and network within your institution and within the Challenger community. We are aiming to have 1-2 representatives from each institution and this spans academic, governmental, industrial or other types of institution. This opportunity is open to early career ocean professionals who are encouraged to register their interest along with those more established in their career. There is no fixed term for a representative and so it can be handed over to a new representative at any time. The main tasks of an institutional representative would be to:
- To advertise the Society, its activities and membership options to current and new staff and students
- To advertise upcoming Challenger events (biennial conference and special interest group meetings)
- To promote interaction, information exchange and feedback between their institution and the Society
If you are interested in becoming an institutional representative please register your interest here. This form will remain open on a rolling basis but we will collate the further responses after the 5th January 2024. We will be in touch with you after that date. If you have any questions please email chelsey.baker@noc.ac.uk.
Latest News
Challenger Society Council Position Vacancy
The Challenger Society for Marine Science (CSMS) are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to support the next generation of ocean scientists and innovators. CSMS are looking for a new Council member to fill the Student Travel Awards and Stepping Stones Portfolio. The successful applicant will administer the travel and research grants available for Early Career Researchers.
The role involves:
- Receiving applications for the two schemes and responding to applicant inquiries
- Soliciting and compiling input from the rest of the Council for assessing the applications
- Communicating with successful and unsuccessful applicants for the two schemes
- Working with the Honorary Treasurer on allocating funds to successful applicants
- Following up with award winners on their reporting requirements
- Attending Council meetings four times a year (in person or online) and contributing to discussions and decision making for CSMS
The usual term for Council members is three years.
For more information about the CSMS Council, please follow this link: https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/The_Council
For more information about our Early Career Researcher grants and awards, please follow this link:
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Stepping_Stones
and
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Travel_awards
If you are interested in applying or have any questions regarding the role, please contact kathen@bas.ac.uk
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