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£5 Million Oceanography Centre Opens In Liverpool on 23rd June

June 24, 2004

Natural Environment Research Council

A world leading centre for marine research, the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, moves to a £5 million, purpose built site on the University of Liverpool campus this week.

Scientists at the new laboratory, originally housed in Bidston Observatory on the Wirral, will research and monitor the storm surges responsible for flooding, global sea level rises, oil spill movements and the dispersal of pollutants.

The laboratory is responsible gathering the data that regulates the rising and lowering of the Thames Barrier and hosts the British Oceanographic Data Centre, one of the world's largest and most important libraries of ocean data.

The director of the laboratory, Professor Ed Hill, wants the move to encourage communication across academic disciplines - from oceanography to engineering, biology, medicine and social sciences.
"This move will open up new opportunities for better scientific collaboration. Being located on the campus of one of the UK's top universities will provide just the right environment needed to maintain our world-class research strength well in to the future."

"Research from our centre will improve understanding of long term sea level change, a major, global problem. Our science will help engineers and politicians develop strategies to deal with these issues."

The Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory is part of the Natural Environment Research Council whose Chief Executive, Professor John Lawton, is keen to support this area of research.

"It is vital we support our scientists and give them access to the best equipment and facilities."
Professor Lawton believes the centre will play an important role in Britain's understanding and monitoring of climate change.

"Climate change is a reality. We know for a fact that sea levels are rising and this has enormous implications for people living along the coast of Britain. But it isn't just those people who need to worry. Rising sea levels will have a major effect on the economy of Britain."

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, Professor Drummond Bone said: "The relocation of the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory to the University of Liverpool provides an exciting opportunity to expand research activity in the Department of Earth and Ocean Science and help integrate related work across the University.

"The presence of a Research Council on campus is a stimulating development. The combined expertise of staff at the University and the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in this joint venture will create new impetus to ocean science research in Liverpool.

"The University's undergraduate and postgraduate students will also benefit from the addition of Proudman's expertise. The Proudman staff will take an active role in teaching and learning, particularly in the supervision of research projects in Ocean and Earth Sciences at BSc, MPhil and PhD levels. Students from the University and the rest of the region will also have the opportunity to take part in new short courses and summer schools at the Laboratory."

Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)