Background and aim

In 2016, the IMBeR Scientific Steering Committee endorsed the establishment of a network for early career researchers working on topics related to the IMBeR Grand Challenges, and soon after the Interdisciplinary Marine Early Career Network (IMECaN) was created by some of the IMBeR ClimEco summer school alumni.

IMECaN aims to:

• Provide a networking platform for early career marine researchers to develop collaborations;
• Provide training and development in areas not traditionally provided through formal education and training programmes; and
• Provide leadership opportunities for ECR marine researchers, particularly from developing nations.

IMECaN was officially launched at the IMBeR Future Oceans2 Open Science Conference in Brest, France on 16 June 2019

Who can be an IMECaNer?

IMECaN is open to marine science students (Masters and PhDs), and early career researchers (less than eight years post-PhD, and less than six years since their first research appointment)

To join IMECaN, please complete this online application form

Organising Committee

IMECaN is overseen by the Organising Committee, and the chair of the Committee serves as an ex-officio member of the IMBeR Scientific Steering Committee. At the launch of IMECaN, Chris Cvitanovic, the first and current IMECaN chair, introduced Stephanie Brodie who will take over the role from 1 January 2020. 

IMECaN activities

Even before it was officially launched, members of the newly formed IMECaN Organising Committee undertook two very successful early career events.

In June 2018, a workshop was convened in Losinj, Croatia, to teach EU-based ECRs how to work efficiently at the Science-Policy-Society interface. Thirty students and early career researchers participated in the workshop.

The IMBeR ClimEco6 summer school was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia and brought together 50 transdisciplinary ECRs to consider Transdisciplinary Approaches towards Sustainable Oceans.

Plans are now underway for the ClimEco7 summer school that will be held in Vancouver, Canada from 17-21 August 2020.

Several other activities and events are also being discussed, including a workshop on Multi-disciplinary Marine Management, a special issue in Frontiers in Marine Science.....watch this space for more info!