POL has recently set up Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with two research organisations.

The first is with the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa, India and was set up during our Director's Andrew Willmott's visit there a year ago. It names sea level, coastal processes, data management, modelling and technology as topics of particular interest, although in practice it could include anything. For more information, the NIO web site.

The second MOU is between POL and the Instituto Oceanografico of the University of Sao Paulo (USP) in Brasil. This is an extension of an MOU dating back many years which resulted in half a dozen post docs and students from USP studying at POL with funding from CNPQ (the Brasilian version of NERC) and the British Council. More information can be found on their web site. That is in Portuguese obviously but the sea level work is also in English (www.mares.io.usp.br).

The Proudman Oceanographic (POL) scientific research focuses on oceanography encompassing global sea-levels and geodesy, numerical modelling of continental shelf seas and coastal sediment processes. This research alongside activities of surveying, monitoring, data management and forecasting provides strategic support for the wider mission of the Natural Environment Research Council.

As a public funded body it is part of our remit to inform the public of the science and research undertaken at the laboratory. Attending events like the 'Ocean Awareness Weekend' at the Blue Planet Aquarium offers the opportunity for our scientists to meet members of the public and present the laboratory's work.

The Natural Environment Research Council is one of the UK's eight Research Councils. It uses a budget of about £ 350m a year to fund and carry out impartial scientific research in the sciences of the environment. NERC trains the next generation of independent environmental scientists. It is addressing some of the key questions facing mankind, such as global warming, renewable energy and sustainable economic development.