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Over the past few months we have been working with the UK’s marine science research institutes to prepare a coordinated bid to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for a programme of Strategic Research called Oceans 2025. Previously the seven institutions involved have all been funded separately by NERC for their own individual strategic progremmes. Oceans 2025 is a proposal that sets out the future for the UK’s marine science programme for the next 20 years. This is the first time that a national science programme has been prepared in this way.

Chasing sandstorms at sea, is an exhibition at the Science Museum featuring a cruise led by Dr Eric Achterberg earlier this year off the coast of West Africa. Eric and some of his students who were on the cruise will be in the Antenna section at the museum over the Easter break meeting visitors and talking about their work. The exhibition continues until June.

The Easter break is the time for geology field trips. This year sees our students in the School of Ocean and Earth Science are taking field trips to Tenby, Carboneras in Spain. They are also studying volcanoes in Tenerife.

As part of the national Science Week activities the Centre held an Open Day last month that attracted over 2400 visitors. The popularity of this event demonstrates just how much people are interested in ocean and earth science. NOCS organises regular talks and activities for schools.

Later this month on Thursday, 27th April, mega-plumes are the hot topic on BBC Radio 4’s Material World. Dr Bramley Murton and Dr Jon Copley will be talking live about the massive plumes of super-heated fluid released by under water volcanoes. Bramley will describe the huge mega-plume he discovered in the Indian Ocean and Jon will detail the animals that live in this extreme environment.

Professor Ed Hill, Director