Next week the city of Aberdeen will be the focus of the global marine community when the very first IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society, OCEANS conference is held in the UK (June 18-21).
The conference will be officially opened on Tuesday, June 19 at 10.30am by Richard Lochhead, MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment of the Scottish Executive, in his address on "Marine policy drivers from a Scottish perspective".
The prestigious Oceans series of conferences is recognised throughout the world as being the premier forum for the international marine community to meet and discuss topical issues in a format of easy information exchange and will be held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC).
"Marine Challenges: Coastline to Deep Sea" is the theme of Oceans '07 Aberdeen and will highlight the significant challenges facing marine, subsea, and oceanic engineers in their drive to understand the complexities of the world's oceans. These challenges start from the shallowest waters around our coastlines and stretch to the deepest subsea trenches and cover not only science, technology and subsea exploration, but also preservation and sustainability, extraction and protection of resources (mineral and natural), policy and education, and financial support.
Oceans '07 IEEE Aberdeen will bring the worldwide marine community of scientists, engineers, and technologists together with policy makers, managers and educators.
More than 700 delegates are attending from more than 35 countries, including Argentina, North America, Venezuela, Russia, Malaysia, Asia, Australasia and from across Europe and more than 300 technical papers will be given.
A series of plenary talks (to be held on Tuesday, June 19) and keynote talks (to be held on Wednesday 20and Thursday 21June) and technical papers will focus on the 'Challenges' theme.
Other welcome addresses will be given on Tuesday, June 19, from 9.00am by Professor Watson; the Lord Provost, Peter Stephen; Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, Professor C Duncan Rice; Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of the Wood Group, and the President of the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society, James Barbera.
Rear Admiral Neil Latham RN, Commandant, Defence College of Management and Technology, will give a presentation on "The scientific and technical challenges for oceans defence".
The morning's plenary addresses will be drawn to a close by Ms Manuela Soares, Director of Environment Directorate, Research Directorate-General, European Commission, who will deliver "the European Community's RTD strategy to address marine challenges".
Professor John Watson, of the University of Aberdeen and Executive Chair of Oceans '07 Aberdeen said: "We are proud that the IEEE chose Aberdeen to host the very first OCEANS conference and exhibition to be held in Scotland and the UK.
"The oceans of the world have a significant impact on our lives and almost everything we do affects this unique environment. To bring together the world's foremost oceanic engineers and scientists in Aberdeen is a major achievement for the City, the academic community and the local industry.
"We are grateful to our many patrons across the oceanic community, who have helped to make this meeting possible."
Spanning three days, the technical programme provides delegates with coverage of some of the most important marine and coastal research currently being undertaken around the world – including renewable energy, oceans and climate science, conservation and sustainability, subsea optics, deepsea exploration, integrated observing systems, remote sensing, sonar and acoustics.
Associated with the technical conference sessions is an important exhibition of some of the major companies and institutions representing the global and local marine community. Eighty five exhibitors will present their wares and services in the exhibition arena of AECC and will demonstrate some of the latest state-of-the-art devices and technology devised to help us explore, understand and utilise the oceans environment.