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NZ and Germany Team up in Marine Research
Friday, 15 May 2009
A world-ranked marine research institute is to be established in Tauranga, thanks to a $5.5 million grant from the German Government and the forging of a partnership between Waikato University and Bremen University. The cream of post-graduate research scientists from around the world will be working side by side in Tauranga from early next year.
(via Bay of Plenty Times) The university's deputy vice-chancellor, Professor Doug Sutton, said it was the first project to come out of the New Zealand-Germany Science Agreement signed by the two Governments.
Thirteen young scientists studying for their doctorates will be deployed on 13 research projects lasting three years. The projects were designed with input from the Port of Tauranga and Environment Bay of Plenty.
They will work under the supervision of two post-doctorate marine scientists, out of an institute featuring laboratories and a computer suite.
The institute is to be called Intercoast - the German-New Zealand International Graduate Marine Research Training Group.
German money will fund half the cost of the first 4 years of a $20m nine-year programme involving three rotations of PhD students. Students will emerge with University of Waikato and University of Bremen doctorates.
Prof Sutton said New Zealand would also benefit by having internationally recognised coastal scientists based here.
Bremen University in northwestern Germany has one of the world's top five oceanographic institutes and the students' work would also take them to Germany's North Sea coastline.
Waikato University has previously viewed the institute as a big step towards Tauranga becoming a true university city.
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