More than a hundred researchers attended. The CIM Award was presented to the Portuguese researcher based in the United Kingdom, Maria Dornelas
The Marine Research Center of the University of Vigo (CIM) held its 2nd CIMentos Annual Assembly this Thursday, an event in which to make visible its advances regarding marine science through eight oral communications and 38 posters written by its research staff. In addition, the day, which was attended by more than a hundred researchers, was the framework for the presentation of the first CIM Award, awarded to Dr. Maria Dornelas, a Portuguese biologist and researcher at the University of St Andrews, internationally recognized for her pioneering contributions to the study of marine biodiversity.
The opening of the meeting was attended by the director of the Research Area of the University of Vigo, Ana Bernabeu, and the director of the center, Daniel Rey. “The University supports the center because it knows that it is a reference and that its research staff has exceptional potential, since they publish quantity and quality and are able to attract funds”, highlighted Bernabeu, to which he added that the next step will be to “project ourselves even more internationally”, something that, in his view, will depend, above all, on the younger research staff”. Referring to the presentation of the CIM Award to Maria Dornelas, as president of the CIM Equality Commission, she expressed great satisfaction that the center recognizes an excellent researcher, not for being a woman, but for being excellent. “I am happy that the center leads these recognitions of the work that is being done from the female field”, she emphasized.
For his part, the director of the CIM, Daniel Rey, emphasized that with this award the center seeks to recognize people and institutions whose trajectory is key, as relevant references for the development of scientific activity in the marine field. “These people or institutions have marked our strategic priorities both nationally and internationally, not only for their scientific contributions, but also for their ability to motivate and for us to follow the path of their significant impact, as a source of inspiration and to seek in their reflection our research impetus”, he remarked. Daniel Rey insisted, in this sense, that “we want her to be a source of inspiration for the youngest, so that they see in her an example of a successful researcher”.
As a token of the award, a representation of the Cíes lighthouse was presented, which Daniel Rey related to Maria Dornelas’ research “because for many of us your work is a light that guides our scientific curiosity.”
For her part, the award-winning researcher, Maria Dornelas, took advantage of her visit to Vigo to present the main lines of her work and preview some of her latest results, which aroused great interest among the audience. She emphasized the opinion that to talk about biodiversity it is necessary to move away from ideas focused on loss and trust in the resilience of the ecosystems themselves. “In addition, we should continue researching because there is much to discover in the intrinsic processes of the marine ecosystems themselves”, indicated the researcher. Regarding the award, she thanked the award and, above all, she was “excited” because her work is of interest to the center’s staff and helps them to be inspired, which is “a very important incentive to continue working”.
Platform of relevance for the advancement of marine research
The II CIMentos Annual Assembly, which is part of the actions of the Decade of Oceans of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences for Sustainable Development, represents a unique opportunity for this center to make visible the advances and impact of the CIM, strengthening its role as a reference in marine research and as a driver of innovation for the sector. More than a hundred researchers from the center participated, who had the opportunity to share knowledge and seek new opportunities for collaboration between different lines of work in this meeting, consolidating CIMentos as a platform of great relevance for the advancement of marine research.
Throughout the day, there will be several presentations on advances in the CIM’s priority research areas: aquaculture and shellfishing, marine pollution, marine renewable energies and the impact of climate change. Finally, the event will close with a debate focused on the global challenges facing marine science and the center itself.
Visit of the International External Advisory Committee
As a novelty, this edition was attended by some of the members of the CIM’s External International Advisory Committee (CAE), such as Juanjo Dañobeitia, Research Professor in Marine Geophysics at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and Liaison for Joining Task Force SMART Cables at the UNESCO IOC; Luis Valdés, Research Professor and former Director of the Santander Oceanographic Center and former Coordinator of International Affairs at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO); Dr. Jaume Piera, from the CSIC’s Institute of Marine Sciences; and Gregorio Iglesias, Professor of Marine Renewable Energies at University College Cork and Honorary Professor of Coastal Engineering at the University of Plymouth. All are internationally renowned researchers who came to learn about the center’s work in person, in addition to visiting its main research infrastructure, the Toralla Marine Sciences Station (ECIMAT).
The External Advisory Committee (EAC) plays a fundamental role in the consolidation of the CIM as an international reference in marine research. This team of specialists, made up of world-renowned figures, provides a critical and external perspective that allows the CIM to assess the relevance and effectiveness of its research strategy. Hence the importance of this visit, which will represent a turning point in the future of the center.
The research activity of the CIM is co-financed by the Xunta de Galicia and the European Union through the European Funds (ERDF).
Source: DUVI
