International Project Office for Integrating Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research

The International Project Office of the IMBeR (Integrated Marine Biosphere Research, tidligere kalt Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry Research)project works to ensure that IMBeR research moves forward and is acknowledged. It carries out the decisions of the IMBeR Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) by securing funding for IMBeR activities, supporting its regional programmes and working groups, providing administrative support, maintaining communication links both within and outside the IMBeR project, and managing the IMBeR website, an IMBeR metadata portal and knowledge base tools for activities and contacts. The IPO organizes and helps carry out the annual SSC meeting, special IMBeR conferences and meetings (called IMBIZIOs) and summer schools. IPO staff give presentations on IMBeR science and activities to the broad scientific community. They help the IMBeR chair in strategic thinking for the project and attend meetings related to SCOR, IGBP until 2015 and Future Earth since 2015. They are responsible for report writing of IMBeR activities to SCOR and Future Earth. Latest activities arranged by the IMBER IPO were the student summer school. The IMBER ClimEco5 summer school was held in Natal Brazil from 10-17 August 2016. It was attended by 65 participants from 27 countries, and 10 lecturers, chosen for their expertise in relevant interdisciplinary topics. IN 2017 the OMBIZO will be arranged at Woods Hole, US in October, followed by the next sumer school in Accra, Ghana in 2018 and the open Science Conference in 2019.

The IGBP and SCOR-sponsored IMBER Project was initiated in 2005 with the goal to identify mechanisms by which marine life influence marine biogeochemical cycles, and how these, in turn, influence marine ecosystems. IMBER consists of national and regional research programmes, working groups, workshops, summer schools, conferences, and collaborations with other IGBP and international projects. IMBER's International Project Office (IPO) coordinates scientific and administrative aspects to ensure that IMBER s cience moves forward and is an essential component to the success of IMBER. The IPO, presently based at the Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer in Brest, France, has been funded by a consortium of French organisations. The IPO contract ends in late 2011 and renewed funding is at a level that is insufficient to coordinate and carry out IMBER science and activities. Norway's support of IGBP programs and it's scientific excellence resulted in the decision to pursue hosting the IMBER IPO at the Institu te of Marine Research in Bergen. The proposed IPO consists of an Executive Officier, Deputy Executive Officier, and an Administrative Assistant. The primary activities of the IPO staff are to support existing IMBER activities, especially the raising of ex ternal funds, expand IMBER science, promote the IMBER Project, and ensure that IMBER science is recognized and incorporated into global science initiatives The IPO will maintain the IMBER website, publish regular newsletters, and help organize IMBER acti vities. The establishment of a stable IPO in Norway will result in opportunities for new, different and exciting opportunities for the IMBER Project as well as maintaining the excellent program already underway. It will also further Norway's influence on global change research in the marine environment. All other Norwegian institutions contacted strongly support bring the IMBER IPO to Bergen in Norway, including 5 in Bergen, 2 in Oslo, and 1 in Tromsø.