Last week we went to Bremerhaven to visit the engineers who look after, develop and modify the various instruments that are used to survey the sea floor in the Arctic and Antarctic. Mel and Ulises in particular were shown around all the various remotely operated vehicles, autonomous sensors and the ship towed OFOBS (ocean floor observation and bathymetry system) which is pictured just below. It was a great information gathering and networking couple of days. AWI engineers are keen to test prototypes in the field for us and the potential for joint projects going forward looks very promising. Moorings are placed out in the ocean for long periods of time, here is a model of a tethered mooring with sediment trap and releasers. Our quantum sensors could eventually be deployed on these. While we were visiting, the new methane powered ship Utthorn returned from a test out at sea.
On Monday 4 th March I gave a speech at STEM for Britain at the House of Commons. I presented the Bronze award for the Biological and Biomedical sciences as a Trustee representing The Biochemical Society, who sponsor this award. STEM for BRITAIN is a major scientific poster competition and exhibition which has been held in Parliament since 1997, and is organised by the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee. Chaired by Stephen Metcalfe MP, its aim is to give members of both Houses of Parliament an insight into the outstanding research work being undertaken in UK universities by early-career researchers.