The Center for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM) gathers ca. 500 members (researchers, PhD students and collaborators) with knowledge and competences on a broad expertise on environmental sciences (e.g. modelling and forecasting, risk assessment, nature-based solutions, life cycle assessment, ‘omics’ technologies, bioinformatics, environmental economics).

CESAM has an organizational structure aimed at ensuring its efficient functioning in accordance with the CESAM Regulation. There are three governing bodies: the Scientific Coordinator/Director, the Scientific Council, and the External Advisory Committee.

• The Scientific Coordinator/Director is responsible for the direction, management, and administration of CESAM in accordance with applicable legislation and regulations. The functions of the Scientific Coordinator are outlined in Article 7 of the CESAM Regulation. The Coordinator may be assisted by up to five Vice-Coordinators, whom they may appoint and assign specific responsibilities.
• The CESAM Scientific Council comprises all integrated members and is presided over by the Scientific Coordinator. It operates in plenary or through a coordinating committee to which some of its competencies may be delegated by the plenary. The functions of the Scientific Council are described in Article 9 of the CESAM Regulation.
• The CESAM External Advisory Committee is composed of three to seven external individuals, both national and international, with recognized international expertise in relevant scientific areas. These individuals are proposed by the Scientific Coordinator and approved by the Scientific Council. Their functions are described in Article 10 of the CESAM Regulation.

CESAM’s research efforts have Global Change and Sustainability as overarching principles. CESAM’s strategic framework, organized into three Thematic Lines (TL) and six Research Groups (RG), is intricately designed to foster robust transdisciplinary collaboration, ensuring that each of the TL is significantly enhanced by the contributions of multiple RG. Each RG is structured to be a major contributor to two TL, enabling an integrated and comprehensive approach to address the multifaceted nature of environmental and marine sciences, integrating diverse scientific disciplines and practical perspectives.

Each TL is led by a researcher who coordinates research priorities, fosters stakeholder engagement, and ensures collaboration across RG.

RG, led by experts in their fields, guide specific research activities and promote cross-disciplinary projects. Each TL and RG leader is assisted by a vice-coordinator. All are proposed by the Director, with their nominations ratified by the Plenary of the Scientific Council.

For further information, it is recommended to consult the Regulation, available here.