IODP, UK International Ocean Discovery Program, NERC

Abstract

The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and its precursors form a global collaborative research and exploration effort with a 50-year history that has facilitated ocean drilling research and in so doing, helped explore Earth's history and dynamics. IODP has collected a broad range of data types from a huge variety of geological environments across the World's oceans, often using tools and technologies originally developed by industry. The UK has a long relationship with IODP, with UK scientists demonstrating significant ongoing leadership and influence in this international programme. The scale and breadth of the IODP databases are such that they represent a vast resource of unique information. This fellowship aims to promote and further develop relationships between the UKIODP community and a range of industries to help take full advantage of this valuable resource. This will help industry to access relevant data and help secure maximum economic and societal benefits from the IODP investment made by NERC.The activities of this fellowship centre on establishing a framework for interaction that will ensure increased engagement of industry with the UKIODP community, and provide specific outcome measures. Year 1 of the fellowship will focus on evaluating the existing UKIODP-industry connectivity and industry use of IODP data, and establish an integrated network of industry end-users and UKIODP researchers. This will inform and underpin initiatives proposed in years 2 and 3 that will focus on actively increasing the uptake of IODP data by industry via key activities including: a targeted project proposal workshop; development of a UKIODP-CASE award scheme; and ongoing interaction between the communities remotely and via the ECORD Industry Liaison Panel (ILP). This fellowship's strategy is to look both ways, not only fostering UKIODP-industry engagement, but also actively promoting interaction of the UKIODP research community with UK policy makers. The KE Fellow will review the success of the initial activities and respond positively, developing new initiatives as necessary, to achieve continued UKIODP-industry engagement for the future.