From 28 September to 2 October, the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN) in Sopot hosted an international meeting of experts from the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Biology & Ecosystems Panel. Our Institute was pleased to welcome scientists from Australia, Asia, Africa, South and North America, and Europe. It also served as a global meeting venue to advance biological and ecosystem ocean observing.
The GOOS BioEco Panel coordinates the activities of existing observing networks within the global community working on biological and ecosystem ocean observations. The Panel also oversees implementation, updates and advancing biological and ecosystem-related Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs). Its work aims to advance our understanding of marine life and support the achievement of global goals for sustainable development and nature conservation.
During the meeting in Sopot, the Panel:
- developed a short-term implementation plan for the GOOS Biodiversity Strategy,
- improved alignment on minimum metadata standards between the IOC Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) and OceanOPS (WMO-IOC/UNESCO),
- discussed the role of the Panel in the GOOS endorsement process of ocean best practices,
- strategized on improving awareness and use of the BioEco Essential Ocean Variables.
Later this year, GOOS will also release the updated BioEco Essential Ocean Variable Specification Sheets - bringing together the collective work of the whole GOOS BioEco community and the BioEcoOcean project, to which IOPAN is strongly contributing.
The meeting was supported by the BioEcoOcean project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme.
On Friday, 25 September 2026, we took part in the Pomeranian Researchers’ Night – a unique event that provides an opportunity each year to talk about science in a less formal atmosphere.
Hosted by the Experyment Science Centre in Gdynia, we prepared a stand dedicated to the Baltic Sea and the oceans. Through educational games, we invited visitors to discover the mysteries of the sea, learn about its inhabitants, and explore the challenges facing marine ecosystems today.
It was a great opportunity not only to have fun together, but above all to share knowledge and promote ocean literacy among both younger and adult visitors to our stand.
Researchers’ Night is a European science outreach event held annually, traditionally on the last Friday of September, in many European Union countries. Its aim is to bring science and the work of researchers closer to the general public and to show that science can be a fascinating adventure.
The Tri-City Researchers’ Night project 'Research4Resilience' received funding under the MSCA & Citizens call of the Horizon Europe programme. The Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences is a member of the consortium, which is coordinated by the Medical University of Gdańsk.
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On 24 September 2026, the inaugural meeting of the UArctic Regional Centre Continental Europe took place in Versailles, France. Prof. Monika Kędra participated in the meeting, representing the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
The meeting brought together representatives of institutions and organisations from nine European countries. The discussions focused on the activities and further development of the new UArctic Regional Centre, which aims to strengthen cooperation between institutions in continental Europe and Arctic partners. Topics discussed included joint research and educational initiatives, opportunities for developing collaborative projects, and activities aimed at raising awareness and sharing knowledge about the Arctic.
Prof. Monika Kędra’s participation in the meeting reflects the Institute of Oceanology PAS’s active involvement in international scientific cooperation related to the polar regions.
More information about the meeting is available on the UArctic website.
We are pleased to announce that Prof. Jan Marcin Węsławski (Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences) has received the Baltic Sea Award, a prestigious prize awarded by Östersjöfonden (The Baltic Sea Foundation) in recognition of significant contributions to research and the protection of the Baltic Sea environment.
Prof. Węsławski is the fourth person from Poland to receive this award. Previous Polish recipients include Anna Trzosińska (1991), Krzysztof E. Skóra (2005), and Maria Staniszewska (2005), who was affiliated with the Polish Ecological Club.
Congratulations!
Prize winners and more information about the Baltic Sea Award
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From 20 to 25 September 2026, the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences hosted Dr. Montserrat Solé Rovira, Senior Scientist at the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC) in Barcelona, Spain. The visit was hosted by Prof. Ksenia Pazdro (IO PAN).
The visit continued the scientific collaboration between the IO PAN and ICM-CSIC research teams in the fields of marine pollution, ecotoxicology, and the use of biomarkers to assess the effects of contaminants on marine organisms.
During her stay, research activities and consultations focused on biomarker analyses and their application in studies of marine organisms. The visit also provided an opportunity to exchange practical knowledge and experience and to discuss possibilities for further scientific cooperation, including the development of joint initiatives and future research projects. These activities were in line with the objectives of the visit, which included strengthening the IO PAN team's expertise in biomarker analyses and expanding the existing research collaboration network.
The study visit was co-financed by the Polish Academy of Sciences as part of international cooperation (study visits at the Polish Academy of Sciences).
From 14 to 19 September 2026, the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IO PAN) hosted Dr. Dezhang Chu, a retired scientist formerly affiliated with the NOAA/NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the USA, specializing in fisheries acoustics, acoustical oceanography, and underwater acoustics. The scientific host of the visit was Prof. Natalia Gorska, Head of the Laboratory of Marine Acoustics at IO PAN.
The visit provided an opportunity to reflect on and further develop an intensive scientific collaboration that has been ongoing for more than 20 years.
Dr. Chu participated in meetings devoted to the final results of Aleksander Żytko’s doctoral dissertation, which he co-supervises together with Prof. Natalia Gorska.
An important part of the visit was Dr. Chu’s participation in the international conference Acoustics 2026 – 72nd Open Seminar on Acoustics combined with the 39th Symposium on Hydroacoustics in Krynica Morska. He delivered two presentations: the invited lecture “Development and Application of Advanced Science and Technology in Fisheries Acoustics” and the regular presentation “Acoustic Surveys off the West Coasts of the US and Canada Using Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USV – Saildrones)”. Both contributions were also included in the conference proceedings.
The visit was carried out as an international study visit funded by the Polish Academy of Sciences, within the framework of international cooperation, and represented another step towards strengthening scientific collaboration in the fields of hydroacoustics including fisheries acoustics.
