The ‘European University of the Seas’ (SEA-EU) alliance was officially launched in October 2019, as part of the flagship ‘European University’ Initiative of the European Commission, to renew the vision of universities’ role as key leaders and shapers of Europe’s future. As the alliance of six European and coastal universities from Cadiz, Brest, Kiel, Gdańsk, Split and Malta, we share an integrated, long-term strategy for education, committed to outstanding education and research. SEA-EU will engage in common efforts to build an inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for people and the planet, with the specific vocation for the sea that unites us.
The joint SEA-EU Alliance research cruise 2022 was initiated by the Rector of the University of Gdańsk, Prof. Piotr Stepnowski, to promote activities of the alliance and to strengthen scientific collaboration of the partner institutions. The cruise aims at combining international expertise of the partners to study important environmental issues at a pan-European scale. The cruise will be conducted onboard research vessel r/v Oceanograf that is owned by University of Gdańsk. The vessel offers high-quality navigation and research equipment, and modern laboratory and storage space for interdisciplinary studies at sea.
Out of 17 individual research proposals, three projects have been agreed upon by the consortium to be implemented during the cruise from Gdańsk to Cadiz:
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Accumulation of shallow gas in the continental shelf sediments - interdisciplinary approach
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Air quality in the European coastal areas
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Large-scale comparative studies of microplastics in European coastal waters
For each project, an international research team including scientists from all SEA-EU partners have been created to develop joint and cost-effective research programmes. The teams are composed of renowned and experienced scientists as well as early-career researchers of complementary competence and knowledge which ensures achieving the scientific goals. The projects consist of at sea works (collection of samples and in-situ measurements) and post-cruise analyses of the sampled material and processing of the recorded data.
Graphic by Alan Stocki/UG