NOC News Round Up - 27 April 2018

NOC at Science in Parliament event The NOC's Professor Russell Wynn, Associate Director for Government, International and Public Engagement, and Chief Scientist of Marine Autonomous and Robotic Systems, participated in a discussion meeting and evening reception on Monday called 'Into the deep – discovering our oceans'. The event was held by The Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Stephen Metcalfe MP, who is Chairman of the Committee, led discussions throughout the evening. The purpose of the meeting was to address various topics around the deep ocean, and spark interesting and insightful conversations about providing solutions to the problems our oceans face in the future. NOC joined other speakers: Lowri Mai Griffiths, Head of the Maritime Policy Unit at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Dr Tracy Shimmield, Co-Director of the Lyell Centre, NERCs British Geological Survey and Dr Jon Copley - Associate Professor of Ocean Exploration and Public Engagement at the University of Southampton. NOC Southampton Open Day registration now open Registration opened this week for this year's Southampton Open Day on Saturday 9 June, and tickets are going fast - over 1000 gone in the first 24 hours!!  The day is a mix of hands on science, exhibits and talks, with content aimed at all age groups. This is a unique opportunity to talk to our scientists and engineers about the work that they do. The event is free to attend, but you do need to register here. Once all tickets have gone, a waiting list is created, and so we do ask that if you register and then decide not to come, that you do release your tickets back into the system so they can be reallocated.  Marine Autonomy and Technology Showcase returns in November 2018 Following the success of the NOC's Marine Autonomy and Technology Showcase (MATS) 2017, we are pleased to announce that this year's event will take place from Tuesday 13 November to Thursday 15 November. MATS 2018 will primarily focus on developments and innovations in the 12 months since the last event, and will also look forward to where marine autonomous technology and exploration is heading in the next five years.  The call for abstract submissions is now open. Find out what we're looking for and how to get involved here. The call closes on July 15 2018. The full programme will be announced in September. Leadership changes at Marine Robotics Innovation Centre This week we informed our business patners that Kevin Forshaw, Associate Director Enterprise and Research Impact will be leaving the NOC in July. Kevin will be taking up a position with the University of Plymouth as Director of Industrial and Strategic Partnerships within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. In his time at the NOC Kevin has managed to grow and embed the Innovation Agenda at NOC, providing us with a firm foundation for growth as we go forward. During his four years Kevin will leave a lasting legacy of successfully launching the Marine Robotics Innovation Centre and securing its first group of anchor tenants, providing the platform for its future success. He has developed and embedded a programme of client collaborative research projects with key company partners that has generated a substantive portfolio of Innovate UK funding.  The NOC remains committed to the Innovation agenda, and in the interim period Adam Schink will be taking on the role of Head of Strategic Business Development and Innovation, with Aidan Thorn as the Marine Robotics Innovation Centre Business Manager. This arrangement will ensure continuity, pending a review of a replacement senior position. Committed to reducing single use plastics As part of the NOC's commitment to reducing the amount of single-use plastics in circulation - and the impact they ultimately have on the ocean environment - this week staff and post-graduate students at the Liverpool and Southampton centres were issued with re-usable drinks cups as a way to reduce waste when enjoying a hot drink. Find out more about our commitment to protecting and improving the natural environment on our website.     This email was sent using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: National Oceanography Centre · Waterfront Campus · European Way · Southampton · SO14 3ZH · United Kingdom