The IOC-UNESCO Portugal and the EurOcean Foundation will launch the second edition of the Mário Ruivo Memorial Lecture, which intends to stimulate and recognise early career ocean researchers, seriously contributing to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda – Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14 and to the objectives of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

The application period is expected to open by the end of September 2024. Stay tuned for further details and ensure you don’t miss this chance to contribute to the future of ocean science.

Eligibility of the project:

• Developed and led by an Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP), born in 1984 or later, as the PI or a co-PI;
• Be innovative, promoting an integrated approach to the challenges faced by the Ocean, thus contributing to the vision and mission objectives of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, to the 2030 Agenda, and particularly SDG 14;
• Be aligned with the IOC’s Programme and its Medium-Term Strategy;
• Promote capacity development and international cooperation, and correspond to the Lecture excellence standards.

Application documents:

Applications must be submitted in English with the following elements:

• Application form;
• Three-minute video presented by the ECOP PI or Co-PI, with an overview of the project and the eligibility criteria;
• A third-party written recommendation;
• A project brief;
• Curriculum vitae of the ECOP PI or Co-PI, as well as a short CV of the key members of the project’s team.

The project coordinator must sign the project brief and include the framework, objectives and alignment with the vision and mission of the Ocean Decade, relevance for the Ocean Decade Challenges, geographical location or scope, activities description, outputs and foreseen follow-up actions.

The regulation and application form can be found here. The selected early career ocean professional will present his/her work at the IOC-UNESCO Assembly in 2025.

In the first edition, the distinguished early career ocean researcher presented their project during the IOC-UNESCO Assembly in 2023.