Become an International Ocean Expert at the NF-POGO Centre of Excellence in Observational Oceanography at the Alfred Wegener Institute

Well-managed oceans and seas are pivotal to the future of humankind. We depend on the ocean for food, transportation, minerals and recreation. All maritime nations should participate in knowledge-based governance of the ocean. Education in marine science is key to secure the ocean as a sustainable resource. 

Become an International Ocean Expert: 

The Nippon Foundation-POGO Centre of Excellence (NF-POGO CofE) provides world class provides world class education and training courses in the field of observational oceanography using the expertise and the infrastructure of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research.

The CofE is built upon existing POGO expertise, supported by a team of international experts. The training will promote excellence in integrated, multidisciplinary oceanography at a global scale. Scholars will receive one month of formal introductory training, followed by detailed courses emphasising core skills (e.g., writing, scientific presentations, statistics and experimental design) and specialised scientific topics such as modelling, remote sensing, ocean-atmosphere interactions. Scholars will also receive training in instrumentation, sample collection and analytical protocols. Each Scholar will conduct an independent research project during the programme.

Venue and Background: Located in the North Sea, the CofE will be conducted on the offshore island of Helgoland and the UNESCO reserve Waddensea island of Sylt. Helgoland provides opportunities for study of open-ocean sciences; shelf/basin interactions are topics of study at Sylt.

Application and selection procedure: Applications are invited from trainees from emerging and developing countries. Priority will be given to young researchers near the outset of their careers. The intention is to help develop a core group of researchers who will continue to study marine ecosystems in developing countries well into the future, and who will help train the next generation of scientists in observational oceanography in the region.

Eligibility and Prospects: Each year the course is open to 10 participants from emerging and developed countries. Trainees must have at least a first degree in science. Preference will be given to applicants who currently hold a position in a research or academic institution in a developing country and anticipate returning to the country after completion of training at the NF-POGO CofE at AWI. Candidates should demonstrate relevance of their training to on-going or planned ocean observations in their home country. Preference will be given to those with a leaning towards quantitative analyses of biological, physical, and/or chemical data from the marine environment. 

How to Apply: 

Candidates should fill out the application form on www.awi.de/NF-POGO-AWI-COE . They also need to send their C.V., evidence of their degree, CofEand a personal statement on why they wish to become an NF-POGO scholar to the project coordinator Gerald.Plumley@awi.de. Applicants should arrange to have letters of recommendation sent via email to the project coordinator.

Partners: A major part of the agenda of the Nippon Foundation deals with international marine issue. The Foundation places particular emphasis on capacity building. POGO is a consortium of the world‘s major oceanographic institutes. The Centre of Excellence is its flagship programme in capacity building. The Alfred Wegner Institute is Germany´s foremost Polar and Marine Research Institution with an excellent worldwide research and teaching reputation.