Who's behind the science?

To realise this project, an interdisciplinary team of scientists from various academic subject areas has been formed, joining the Institute of Marine Chemistry and Biology (ICBM) and the Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU). Only the joint effort of physical oceanographers, physicists, geoecologists, biologists and environmental planners can investigate the environmental issue of marine litter in its complexity. The serious impacts of this form of marine pollution on organisms has already been highlighted in a multitude of scientific publications. To be able to tackle the problem of plastic pollution, all contributing factors have to be recorded and analysed. From these complex data and connections possible solutions and abatement strategies can be developed. Beside the ecological implications, the social aspects need to be considered. Ecological and social processes are co-dependent. These different influences that all affect marine ecosystems need to be understood. In order to do so, approaches from both social and natural sciences will be applied. Findings that outline this co-dependence and co-influence of humans and the environment will contribute to sustainable solutions that will be incorporated into political decision-making processes.

Our team of scientists (from left to right): Marcel Ricker (Ph.D. candidate, Coastal Research, ICBM), Florian Hahner (Ph.D. candidate, Physical Oceanography, ICBM), Dr. Peter Schaal (Applied Geography & Environmental Planning, IBU), Prof. Dr. Emil Stanev (Coastal Research, ICBM), Jens Meyerjürgens (Ph.D. candidate, Marine Sensor Systems, ICBM), Prof. Dr. Jörg-Olaf Wolff (Physical Oceanography, ICBM), Dr. Karsten Lettmann (Physical Oceanography, ICBM), Rosanna Schöneich-Argent (Ph.D. candidate, Geoecology, ICBM), Prof. Dr. Oliver Zielinski (Marine Sensor Systems, ICBM), Katharina Stephan (Ph.D. candidate, Applied Geography & Environmental Planning, IBU), Prof. Dr. Ingo Mose (Applied Geography & Environmental Planning, IBU), PD Dr. Holger Freund (Geoecology, ICBM), Dipl. Env. Sci. Christian Aden (Ph.D. candidate, Applied Geography & Environmental Planning, Geoinformatics, IBU)