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Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland

MASTS International

MASTS International

MASTS actively collaborates with partners at EU level through representation in a number of strategic groups and organisations, including the Marine Science Co-ordination Committee, the Marine Strategy Forum and the European Marine Board (EMB).

MASTS is recognised as a national body that brings together the majority of Scotland’s marine science capacity and can offer a collective voice for a significant proportion of that community. As such, MASTS has been accepted as one of the three UK organisations represented on the European Marine Board (EMB). Through this membership, MASTS is well placed to engage with other European partners and the Commission. In addition, this membership offers important opportunities to influence EU calls for funding, inform Commission thinking on a range of marine-related issues and be party to strategic initiatives with third countries favoured as partners by the EU.

MASTS members that have been part of EMB Working Groups include:

  • Natalie Hicks (University of Essex) – Blue Carbon
  • Christine Edwards (RGU) – Navigating the Future VI
  • Helen Lillis (JNCC) Marine Habitat Mapping
  • Beth Scott (University of Aberdeen) Marine Renewable Energy
  • Andreas Payo (BGS) Coastal Resilience
  • David Paterson (University of St Andrews) Navigating the Future V
  • Tara Marshall (University of Aberdeen) Big Data and Marine Science
  • Sheila Heymans (SAMS) Marine Ecosystem Modelling
  • Lars Boehme (University of St Andrews) Strengthening Europe’s Biological Ocean Observing Capacity
  • Andrew Brierley (University of St Andrews) Deep Seas
  • Bhavani Narayanswamy (SAMS) Deep Sea & Ocean Health

 

In 2023 MASTS funded Michelle Frost (Edinburgh Napier University) and Anton Kuech (University of Aberdeen) to attend the EMB Early Career Ocean Professionals event in Santiago de Compostela. This forum provided both training and a space for intergenerational dialogue. Read Michelle’s report here and Anton’s report here

 

MAST-Scotland has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with international organisations including MEOPAR, the University of Nagasaki and the Pitcairn Islands Council. MASTS’ legal and charitable entity; MAST-Scotland, also has the potential for members to bid for funds through this entity as a single applicant.

The Directorate together with invited members of the MASTS community has been involved in relevant initiatives led by Scottish Development International (SDI), Connected Scotland and the UK Science and Innovation Network (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) sponsored missions. These have largely focused on aquaculture and marine renewables, but we remain alive to other opportunities as they emerge.

The MASTS Productive Seas Theme has, through its members, strong links with Europe, North and South America and South East Asia. Within the Marine Biodiversity Function and Services Theme there are links to Latin America and the Caribbean as well as East Africa and the Indian Ocean. The Dynamics and Properties of Marine Systems theme has members embedded in a range of international oceanographic initiatives including activity in the Arctic and Antarctic through collaborations with Norway and Canada for example.

Through the Scottish Funding Council, MASTS is also a member of Scotland Europa and has access to office and conferencing facilities in Scotland House in Brussels which we have used to engage EU “Pools”.

MASTS will continue to develop its reputation as the UK’s premier marine research consortium, maintaining and exploiting its relationships at national, UK, European and global level. This will ensure that the MASTS community remains visible and has the power to influence decision making relevant to future research funding, as well as promoting the vision of clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically diverse oceans and seas.

Current examples of International projects being run by MASTS members:

  • One Ocean Hub – The Hub specifically addresses the challenges and opportunities of South Africa, Namibia, Ghana, Fiji & Soloman Islands, and will share knowledge at regional and interntional levels. The Hub is led by the University of Strathclyde with 24 research partners and 35 project partner organisations.
  • iAtlantic – A 11 million EUR multidisciplinary research programme seeking to assess the health of deep-sea and open-ocean ecosystems across the full span of the Atlantic Ocean. Run by Prof. Murray Roberts (University of Edinburgh). Precursor project: Atlas – a transatlantic assessment and deep-water ecosystem-based spatial management plan for Europe
The MASTS Directorate hosted a chinese delegation in St Andrews in June 2018.
MASTS Resources

We’re working behind the scenes to bring you a suite of useful, and updateable, resources including: 

  • Find an expert
  • Find facilities & equipment
  • MASTS Publications

 

If you would like to be updated when the resources section is live please let us know.