40th CIESM Congress & Royal Handshake

From 28 October to 01 November 2013 the Mediterranean Science Commission conducted its 40^th triennial congress at the Palais du Pharo in Marseille, France. With more than 800 participants the CIESM Congress is the largest forum on Mediterranean and Black Sea research. Inspiring morning Panel sessions on “Open Access”, “Fishery Governance” and “Major Oceanographic Programs” were complemented by over 80 high quality scientific committee sessions in the afternoon. Rounded up by cultural and social events the CIESM Congress has proven once again to be a central forum for knowledge transfer and mutual understanding across the Mediterranean basin.

The Congress was also a forum to foster the Ocean Sampling Day campaign (OSD-Med) in the Mediterranean. OSD is a simultaneous sampling of the world’s oceans and will take place on the summer solstice (June 21st) in the year 2014.

Furthermore, Prof. Dr. Frank Oliver Glöckner, coordinator of Micro B3, has been elected as the CIESM committee chair for Marine Microbiology and Biotechnology. H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, President of CIESM, congratulated him in the award ceremony on Friday 1^st of November.

More information at www.ciesm.org