Early Career Ocean Professionals

📢 ECOP Asia is delighted to share the 2025 ECOP Philippines Survey 🌊 With this national survey, the regional ECOP node for Asia aims to engage Early Career Ocean Professionals in the Philippines and further understand who they are and what are their diverse needs and priorities. ✍️ Take the survey: https://lnkd.in/dK87qiwy This understanding is crucial for co-designing effective capacity-building approaches, delivering professional development opportunities, fostering community belonging, and establishing a future national ECOP node for the Philippines. The hope is to involve interested ECOPs from the Philippines in leadership positions, connecting them with high-level officials to influence future UN Ocean Decade activities and events in the Philippines and across Asia. 🇵🇭 If you’re an ECOP from the Philippines, your participation in this survey is highly appreciated. It should take approx. 5-7 minutes to complete it. Responses will be treated with utmost confidentiality, and ECOP Asia is committed to sharing results, insights, and impacts back in due course. Check out previous survey reports here: https://lnkd.in/dgHvQ8Ri. 🚨 Please note! The deadline for the survey is: 15 April 2025.

🌊 Are you an Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP)? This call is for you 👏 🗣️ JPI Oceans is offering a travel grant for ECOPs to participate in the 2025 All-Atlantic Forum in Brussels 🇧🇪, 22-26 September. 🌍 The grant will support an ECOP from JPI Oceans member countries or an Atlantic nation to take part in an intergenerational dialogue with senior ocean professionals. 🤝 The session will focus on key ocean governance challenges and ensure that young professionals’ perspectives contribute to policy discussions. 🔗Further details & application: https://lnkd.in/dxr7PgAV 📅 Deadline for applications: 18 April 2025 #AtlanticAll #AAORIAForum25 #ECOP #ocean #Atlantic All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance

We're kicking off a new series celebrating the incredible work of ECOPs! Meet Moronke Harris, an inspiring early-career deep-sea oceanographer and science communicator! Recently honored with the King Charles III Coronation Medal, Moronke is passionate about exploration, innovation, and the blue economy. From researching microbial life at hydrothermal vents to advocating for early-career professionals on the advisory boards of Ocean Wise, she's making waves! Plus, she's the founder of "The Imaginative Scientist," a consulting brand blending traditional outreach and artistry, that includes 70+ national and international speaking engagements Get ready to follow her on her next big adventure as the submersible science team lead on an all-female expedition to Antarctica in 2026! 

📢 We are very excited to announce our next webinar (Episode 19):  “Trash to Treasure: Repurposing Marine Debris” 📆 Thursday 10 April 2025 🕖 19.00 CEST ✍️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/dcGqwg82 “Trash to Treasure: Repurposing Marine Debris” for a Healthier Ocean will explore innovative approaches to recycling derelict fishing gear, the most harmful form of marine debris impacting Hawaii's marine ecosystems. Moderated by Goddey Atitsogbui from the ECOP Programme Training & Mentoring Task Team,  Our featured special guests are: Mafalda de Freitas - Environmental Scientist and Megaplastic Program Director at Hawaii Pacific University's Center for Marine Debris Research Josh Forakis - Postdoctoral fellow at Hawaii Pacific University's Center for Marine Debris Research Astrid Delorme - Marie Sktodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow on the STORAGE project (UN Ocean Decade project endorsed under the ECOP Programme), collaborating with Hawaii Pacific University, Ifremer, and The Ocean Cleanup. Join us to discover strategies for transforming ocean pollutants into sustainable infrastructure solutions and novel polymer circularity education, protecting marine life and communities!

🌊 Connecting alumni and students for an inspiring exchange! At the InnovOcean Campus, IMBRSea alumni shared their career journeys, offering valuable insights and advice: 🔹 Wyona Schütte explored what a research career can look like at VLIZ - Flanders Marine Institute. 🔹 Cyrielle Delvenne gave a glimpse into working at the VLIZ Marine Data Center. 🔹 Fernanda Bayo-Ruiz highlighted the importance of transferable skills in her role at European Marine Board IVZW 🔹 Kara McKee shared her job-hunting journey that led her to EMODnet A key takeaway from them to all Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs): ✨ Don't give up, keep trying, and lean on your support system—classmates, friends, and the alumni family! 💙 Students also got to visit the Marine Station Ostend (MSO) lab facilities and offices, gaining firsthand experience in cutting-edge marine research. We wrapped up this enriching day with a networking lunch, where students and alumni continued exchanging ideas, career tips, and future opportunities. A big thank you to everyone who made this exchange possible! 🌍 Yens Vandenboer Anna-Maria Vafeiadou #MarineScience #ECOP #Networking #CareerGrowth

Fantastic to see ECOP Programme team members Laura Khatib, Sheyla Ravelo Perez and Hadeer Ahmed at the Nausicaa Centre National de la Mer for the Ocean Citizen Summit Youth-Led Forum 🙌👇

🌊 Dive into Mediterranean Marine Science this Summer! 🌞 We’re excited to introduce Mediterranean Ecosystems: Biodiversity, Threats, and Conservation Actions, a summer program in Barcelona designed for students and professionals passionate about marine biodiversity and conservation. 📍 Why join? 🔹 Learn from top experts in marine ecology & sustainability 🔹 Gain hands-on experience in real Mediterranean environments 🔹 Explore the rich biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea This immersive program offers a unique mix of theoretical learning and fieldwork, perfect for anyone looking to enhance their scientific knowledge and conservation skills. 🌍🐠 More information: https://lnkd.in/dMKVZP29

Don't miss the upcoming International Ocean Institute I CPD Webinar, titled: "Aligning Trade Policies with Sustainable Ocean Use: Insights from the 5th UN Ocean Forum", taking place: 🗓️ Thursday, 27 March 2025 🕒 15:00–16:30 CET 📍 Online | Microsoft Teams 🔗 Registration link: https://lnkd.in/ez3i3jmA This webinar builds on the key discussions from the 5th UN Ocean Forum, which took place earlier this month and brought together experts, diplomats, and policymakers to explore the intersection of trade, climate resilience, and sustainable ocean governance. 🎙️ Confirmed speakers and their topics: David Vivas Eugui – Opening presentation on the UN Ocean Forum and current trends in the Ocean Economy Regina Asariotis – Climate-resilient ports for sustainable trade, tourism and disaster response and recovery Antonella Vassallo – Ocean Capacity Development and Its Importance in the Current Ocean Governance Roadmap Viviana Tinoco Monge – Key outcomes and recommendations of the 5th UN Ocean Forum and the roadmap to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference in Nice The event is designed especially with Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) in mind, as well as IOI alumni and all those engaged in advancing sustainable ocean governance.

⌛️ 2025 marks the halfway point in the UN Ocean Decade and is a critical milestone to reflect on our collective achievements, as well as remain deeply committed to the work that still needs to be done to achieve "the science we need for the ocean we want by 2030". 🌊 The Early Career Ocean Professionals Programme recently reached a milestone of our own by holding the first blended (in-person and online) training course called “Introduction to Oceanographic Survey Techniques and Data Management”. 🇲🇹 Held at AquaBioTech Group in Malta on 4-15 November 2024, this course was organized with the support of Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Stockholm University, AquaBioTech Group, International Ocean Institute, Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Blue Economy at EMUNI University and UNESCO Ocean - OceanTeacher Global Academy. 🎬 A short film capturing the course is now available on our YouTube channel, thanks to AquaBioTech Group - check it out here: https://lnkd.in/dNBsH33H plus a short article by Sophia Laarissa M. who was one of the participants, is now on our blog: https://lnkd.in/dmRrR75x 🤝 A huge thank you to all involved and we look forward to creating more regional trainings to support ECOPs in their professional development.

📢 IORA Blue Carbon Hub offers early-career professionals a unique opportunity to develop expertise in blue carbon science, policy, or finance. Participants also contribute valuable insights to support Member States to identify actionable strategies for protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems. Eligible applicants (<6 years since graduation from highest degree) from any IORA Member State can apply to visit the Hub’s office at the Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre in Perth (Australia) to undertake a project. Successful applicants will need an endorsement by the relevant IORA National Focal Point. Visits will be from 6-8 weeks in duration, from 7 July to 1 September 2025. 💳 Costs associated with the visit (airfares, accommodation, visa application fees and daily per diems) will be covered by the Hub, but salaries are not covered. 🌍 Successful candidates will be selected through a competitive process. Applications are open to citizens or residents of any IORA Member State Successful applicants will need an endorsement by the IORA National Focal Point. Applicants should fill out an online application form on this website: https://lnkd.in/gb2kJgCB 🗓️ The deadline for applications is 31 March 2025. Applicants will be notified via email by 30 May on the outcome of their application. To find out more about the Blue Carbon Hub, check out ➡️ their website: https://lnkd.in/d_SmkEm ➡️ their YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/eKQKSb-h