Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
Established	2009
Type	Public
Chairman	Professor Mary O’Kane
Chancellor	Michael Field AC
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Peter Rathjen
Director	Mike Coffin
Location	Hobart, Launceston, and Taroona, Tasmania, Australia
Nickname	IMAS
Affiliations	University of Tasmania
Website	www.imas.utas.edu.au

The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) in Hobart, Tasmania, was established in 2010 as a teaching and research institute of the University of Tasmania. IMAS builds upon more than 20 years of university core partnership in cooperative Antarctic research, and aspires to a similar key role in temperate marine and Southern Ocean research.^[1]

Marine geophysicist Prof Mike Coffin was appointed founding Executive Director of IMAS in 2010.

Mission Statement

“To improve understanding of temperate marine, Southern Ocean, and Antarctic environments, their resources, and their roles in the global climate system through research, education, and outreach”.^[1]

Research themes

The Institute takes a multidisciplinary, whole-system approach to research, education, and outreach. IMAS was established with a core research and education capability, initially consisting of significant and internationally recognised expertise in the following foundation themes:^[1]

• Oceans and cryosphere
• Fisheries and aquaculture
• Ecology and biodiversity

These programs are linked by three key cross-disciplinary themes to meet integrative and multidisciplinary research goals:

• Climate change
• Ocean-Earth system
• Ocean and Antarctic governance

Excellence in Research Australia

The Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiatives provide a specific benchmark for the core IMAS disciplines of oceanography and fisheries sciences, and in 2012 IMAS strongly contributed to the University of Tasmania achieving grade 5 scores (well above world standard) in oceanography, ecology, and geology, and a grade 4 score (above world standard) in fisheries sciences.^[2]

Infrastructure

IMAS waterfront headquarters also Integrates the Marine Observing System (IMOS) and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC).

A new ~7,000 m2 building on the Hobart waterfront is being constructed to co-locate IMAS, Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC), and the Tasmanian Partnership for Advanced Computing (TPAC) staff and students. The new building, adjacent to CSIRO, will create an exceptional research and educational environment supported by state-of-the-art technology, and will serve as a hub for collaborative marine and Antarctic studies. The project is an initiative of the Australian Government as part of the Education Investment Fund.^[3]

Planning is under way for existing research and educational infrastructure totalling ~4,500 m2 south of Hobart at Taroona to be significantly expanded with new aquaculture and controlled-environment experimental saltwater facilities. Planned new capabilities include temperate/polar ocean simulations, and greatly enhanced aquaculture research.^[1][4]

Partnerships

• Australian Antarctic Division
• Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Co-operative Research Centre (to be co-located with IMAS)
• CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research
• Integrated Marine Observing System (to be co-located with IMAS)
• Tasmanian Partnership in Advanced Computing (to be co-located with IMAS)
• National Centre for Marine Conservation and Resource Sustainability at the AMC (NCMCRS),
• Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of Tasmania

References

External links

• Official Website

University of Tasmania Leadership Chancellor Michael Field Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen Provost Mike Calford Visitor Her Excellency Professor the Hon. Kate Warner AM, Governor of Tasmania (ex officio) Faculties and Specialist Institutes Australian Maritime College Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies Menzies Research Institute Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture Colleges and Halls Christ College Jane Franklin Hall Kerslake Hall St. John Fisher College Student Life Tasmania University Union Togatus

Universities in Australia Tertiary education in Australia Australian Capital Territory Australian Defence Force Academy (UNSW accredited degrees) Australian National University University of Canberra New South Wales Charles Sturt University Macquarie University Southern Cross University University of Newcastle University of New England University of New South Wales University of Sydney University of Technology, Sydney University of Western Sydney University of Wollongong Northern Territory Charles Darwin University Queensland Bond University Central Queensland University Griffith University James Cook University University of Queensland Queensland University of Technology University of Southern Queensland University of the Sunshine Coast South Australia University of Adelaide Carnegie Mellon University, Australia Flinders University University of South Australia Torrens University Australia University College London, Australia Tasmania University of Tasmania Victoria Deakin University University of Divinity Federation University Australia La Trobe University University of Melbourne Monash University RMIT University Swinburne University of Technology Victoria University Western Australia Curtin University Edith Cowan University Murdoch University University of Notre Dame Australia University of Western Australia National Australian Catholic University Education in Australia