All five peakers on the colloquia series 150 years of NIOZ.

NIOZ 150 Colloquium Series: Exploring the Future of Ocean Science

This year, the NIOZ is celebrating its 150th anniversary. As part of the celebrations, our Colloquium Committee organizes a special lectures series with internationally renowned speakers working at the forefront of marine science. From cutting-edge research infrastructure to biodiversity, restoration, climate tipping points, and microbial processes. This series offers fresh perspectives on the future of ocean research. The lectures aim to spark dialogue across disciplines, connect people and ideas, and strengthen the international scientific community around NIOZ. They are open to people of outside NIOZ as well. 

Programme and speakers

Leigh Storey, Future Marine Research Institute (UK)

Leigh Storey is Programme Director of Future Marine Research Infrastructure (FMRI) in the United Kingdom. FMRI is a national initiative that aims to transform the UK’s marine science capabilities by developing an integrated, next-generation research infrastructure for the ocean. Leigh Storey works at the interface of science, policy, and infrastructure development, helping coordinate investments and partnerships that will enable innovative marine research, advanced observation technologies, and improved access to marine data to support sustainable ocean management and scientific discovery.

Practical information

  • Date and time: 23 April 2026, 1 p.m. - 2.30 p.m. followed by a reception.
  • Location: NIOZ, Texel
  • Open to people from outside NIOZ: yes, online and in-person, registration only
  • Registration: sign up here
    .

Michelle L. Taylor, Ocean Census and University of Essex

Dr. Michelle Taylor is a marine geneticist, Head of Science at Ocean Census and Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex. Her research focuses on the ecology, connectivity, phylogenetics, and conservation of vulnerable marine habitats, with experience in shallow-water and deep cold-water corals, mangroves, and seagrass ecosystems. Using field expeditions, molecular tools, and ecological analyses, her work explores how species adapt to (extreme) environments, what drives biodiversity, and how human activities and climate change affect these ecosystems. The mission of Ocean Census is to accelerate the discovery of marine species and improve our understanding of ocean biodiversity. It is the largest global initiative to discover and document ocean life, using advanced technology, international collaboration, and open-access data sharing.

Practical information

Joanne Preston (University of Portsmouth)

Prof. Joanne Preston is a leading expert in coastal restoration ecology, based at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth. Her Seascape Ecology and Restoration Lab group focuses on understanding relationships between biodiversity, structure and function of temperate coastal habitats, (such as oyster reefs, seagrass meadows and saltmarshes) and the ecological connectivity that occurs between them. Beyond increasing our understanding of ecological connectivity across the temperate seascape, this research hopes to advance the effective practice and scientific monitoring of ecological restoration of temperate seascapes, whilst informing policy.

Practical information

Stefan Rahmstorf (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research)

Stefan Rahmstorf is Professor of Physics of the Oceans at the University of Potsdam and a senior scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). His research focuses on ocean circulation, sea-level rise, and abrupt climate change, with particular attention to tipping elements in the Earth system such as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Rahmstorf has contributed extensively to the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and is widely recognized for communicating climate science to both the scientific community and the public.

Practical information

  • Date and time: 3 September 2026, more information will follow.
  • Location: NIOZ, Texel.
  • Open to people from outside NIOZ: yes, online and in-person, registration only.
  • Registration: sign up here
    .

Bess B. Ward (Princeton University)

Bess B. Ward is the William J. Sinclair Professor of Geosciences at Princeton University and a leading researcher in marine microbial biogeochemistry. Her work focuses on the microbial processes that drive the marine nitrogen cycle, including nitrification, denitrification, and anaerobic ammonium oxidation. By combining field observations with molecular and biogeochemical approaches, her research has helped reveal how microbial communities regulate nitrogen availability and influence marine ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles.

Practical information

Please note: External visitors are kindly asked to register in advance. The registration form can be used to attend one or more colloquia either online or in person. Practical information will be shared after registration.