Ocean Optics conference 2014, Portland, Maine, USA
Katharina Lefering
University of Strathclyde, Glasgow
Ocean Optics conference 2014, Portland, Maine, USA
In 2014, the Ocean Optics conference celebrated its 50th anniversary in Portland, Maine, USA in October 2014 and for the first time, I would get the chance to present my research in front of the entire international community. It was a great, though nerve-wrecking opportunity as the community is known for its very honest and critical feedback. Ocean Optics is a special conference because the focus is put on poster sessions and networking, while the absence of parallel sessions gives everybody the chance to listen to every talk. This supports the exchange of new ideas and maximises progress and the development of the field. Therefore I did not only listen to talks of some of the greatest names in the field but also found that it was easy to approach people and discuss my work with them.
I got great feedback and a lot of support and all the inspiring talks and discussions motivated me to go back to Glasgow and work hard for the next couple of years of my project. I would like to thank the Challenger society for supporting my attendance at the Ocean Optics XXII Conference. It was a truly formative experience for me and will have a great impact on my PhD and my development as a marine researcher.
Profile
Katharina Lefering is a 2nd year PhD student in optical oceanography at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. With a background in Maritime Technology, she is now working on the development of methods and optical sensors for accurate determination of absorption spectra of natural waters. She presented her PhD work on modelling under water light fields as a measure for the quality of in-situ measurements at the conference in Portland.
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The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) and OceanWise are delighted to invite you to attend our popular free online training workshop: ‘Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset’ on the 19th – 23rd of May 2025.
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The purpose of this workshop is for the UK Ocean Science community to discuss and then draft a prospectus document outlining the priority Arctic research questions the community would like to address during the run up to, throughout and beyond the International Polar Year 32/33. Additionally, to identify what unique strengths and technologies the UK has to help fill these knowledge gaps.
The second day of the workshop will be dedicated to writing groups, one for each of the priority research questions identified - from both the pre-meeting questionnaire (HERE) and day one discussion. By the end of the meeting, each group will have produced draft text and sourced supporting figures for the prospectus.
Post meeting, the draft will be opened for comments and suggestions from everyone, regardless of whether they were able to attend the workshop or not. It will then be shared with UK funders (UKRI, FCDO, DSIT, ARIA) and potential international programmes with whom we would like to collaborate (e.g. Arctic 2050, Norway). It will form a basis from which wider integration with terrestrial, atmospheric and cryosphere communities can be built, e.g. at the UK Arctic Science Meeting in September in Northumbria.
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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
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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