Oceanography unveiled: empowering the next generation of marine scientists

The picturesque island of San Servolo in the Venice Lagoon, is hosting until July 20th, 2024, the the summer school “Oceanography Unveiled”, organized by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council of Italy (Cnr-Ismar) jointly with the Venice International University (VIU), the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS), University Parthenope Naples, University of Venice, University of Salento, Anton Dohrn Zoological Station in Naples (SZN). It is a dynamic program designed to equip young scientists with the essential skills and knowledge for writing scientific proposals in the field of oceanography. This initiative follows a series of seminars on Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, held from December 2003 to May 2024 at the Cnr-Ismar headquarters in Venice.

The primary objective of this summer school is to empower 30 participants, including research master students, graduate students, and early postdocs, with the tools needed to excel in scientific research. Over the initial three days, participants have delved into key oceanographic subjects through detailed lectures conducted by distinguished experts such as L. Talley, T. Tanhua, J. Wilkin, G. Sannino, A. Griffa, and A. Naveira-Garabato, covering a range of topics including Ocean Modelling, Global Ocean Circulation, Mixing and mesoscale and submesoscale dynamics. The school also hosted six “pitch lectures” by B. Buongiorno Nardelli, E. Sikes, F. Tanghetti, I. Haigh, A. Benetazzo, and C. Ferrarin.

These sessions have significantly enhanced participants’ understanding of ocean-related challenges. A unique feature of this program is its emphasis on the process of formulating a scientific proposal. Participants have engaged in active discussions, gleaned valuable insights from esteemed lecturers, and collectively identified unresolved issues within critical oceanic topics.

The summer school will culminate on Saturday, with participants divided into three groups (“Modeling” “Global Ocean” and “Mixing”) to present their draft research proposals. This final exercise not only reinforces the knowledge gained but also fosters a collaborative spirit among the young scientists.

Information:
Katrin Schroeder
Cnr-Ismar
katrin.schroeder@cnr.it
Jacopo Chiggiato, Cnr-Ismar, email: jacopo.chiggiato@cnr.it

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