At CIM, we work to bring knowledge about the ocean closer to society, promoting critical thinking, sustainable development, and a strong marine scientific culture. We foster ocean literacy through educational content aimed at students at different levels, as well as professionals, institutions, and the general public, with the goal of encouraging an informed society that is aware of the ocean’s importance for human well-being and for the balance of the planet.
The research staff actively participates in initiatives such as 11F, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and the European Researchers’ Night, as well as collaborating in science fairs and programs such as eXXperimenta en feminino and Ciencia de Ida e Volta, which help bring marine research closer to society in an engaging and inspiring way.
We also develop citizen science initiatives that invite direct participation in the observation and monitoring of the marine environment. This open collaboration makes it possible to generate scientific data collectively and strengthens environmental awareness, helping to build a community that is increasingly engaged in the protection and conservation of the ocean.
CIM’s Open Days are an annual event that brings the marine research carried out at the Center closer to the public. The program includes a variety of activities designed for all audiences:
These Open Days are supported by the Regional Government of Galicia and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund, and are recognized as an official activity of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. They are also part of the celebrations of European Maritime Day In My Country.
As one of the pioneering centers of the CIGUS Network, CIM has a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and sustainability, recognized with the University of Vigo’s Equality Distinction in 2022, and receiving a special mention as the most innovative center.
Its Equality and Sustainability Committee, created in 2021 and composed mainly of women with diverse technical and research profiles, is responsible for implementing actions under the University of Vigo’s III Equality Plan and for integrating equality, gender, and diversity considerations into CIM’s policies, activities, and documents, in alignment with the University of Vigo’s HRS4R Seal.
In recent years, CIM has developed several initiatives, such as training courses on equality and diversity, the creation of a lactation room, and the organization of co-creation events on gender. CIM also has a dedicated contact channel for inquiries or suggestions: igualdade.cim@uvigo.gal, as well as an Equality, Diversity, and Sustainability Action Plan that is continuously updated.
CIM organizes the Marie Tharp Award, aimed at predoctoral and junior postdoctoral researchers, with the goal of giving visibility to and supporting female talent in marine science. This award recognizes innovative projects, fosters the research careers of participants, and contributes to strengthening equal opportunities in the scientific field.
To date, three editions have already been held, and the fourth is scheduled for February 11, 2026, coinciding with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
CIM has a Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) Unit that operates under a management system ensuring compliance with the principles of ethics and responsible research, in accordance with current legal regulations on access to genetic resources, data protection, animal experimentation, and health control.
In addition, it advises research staff on compliance with the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol, concerning the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources. This is carried out through the development of a guide for researchers (ABS Guide), several workshops and conferences organized within different events, and the implementation of a checkbox in the ECIMAT service request system.
In the field of animal experimentation, the RRI Unit provides support to research staff in obtaining and maintaining, on the one hand, authorization for their experimental procedures involving animals, and on the other hand, the required accreditation and training for personnel in animal experimentation.
At the CIM we have made UVigo’s commitment to open access our own, following its policy of action in this area. We make use of the UVigo institutional repository INVESTIGO, a tool that collects, disseminates and preserves published scientific production such as scientific articles, books, chapters, contributions to conferences and doctoral theses. The Center is also a member of EOSC (European Open Science Cloud), an EC initiative that aims to develop an infrastructure to promote open scientific practices.
CIM research staff publish scientific articles in open access, develop open-source software applications, and use free, open, and accessible data repositories available to the entire scientific community.
Likewise, CIM has its own Data Management Plan, designed to serve as a reference framework for all its research staff.
Your contribution is essential to support the Center’s scientific work, advance marine knowledge, and promote projects that have a direct impact on ocean conservation, sustainability, and innovation in the marine field.
Every collaboration helps CIM continue to develop excellence-driven research and create solutions to the current and future challenges facing our marine environment.
If you are a company, foundation, or individual and would like to collaborate with the research carried out at CIM, you can contact us at cim@uvigo.gal.
