BLACK SEA - MEDITERRANEAN SCIENCE CONNECTIONS
INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF METU IMS RESEARCH
03 October 2025, METU IMS, Erdemli Campus, Mersin / Türkiye
The METU Institute of Marine Sciences proudly marked its 50th anniversary with the international symposium “Black Sea – Mediterranean Science Connections”, held on 3 October 2025 at the METU IMS campus in Erdemli, Mersin.
Bringing together more than 120 national and international participants from academia, research institutes, and policy bodies, both in person and online, the event celebrated five decades of scientific excellence, regional cooperation, and innovation in marine sciences.
Highlights from the Symposium
The event, moderated by Master of Ceremony Mustafa Yücel (METU IMS), began with an opening ceremony featuring remarks by Ender Ciğeroğlu (METU Vice President) and Barış Salihoğlu (METU IMS Director), followed by a special plaque ceremony honouring long-standing partner institutions — TÜBİTAK MAM, Istanbul University (DEBIEN), Dokuz Eylül University (IMST), and Istanbul Technical University (EIES).
In the keynote session, distinguished speakers; İlkay Salihoğlu (METU IMS & University of Kyrenia), Süleyman Tuğrul (METU IMS), Vangelis Papathanassiou (HCMR, Greece), and Sigi Gruber (European Commission) reflected on the historical impact of METU IMS, the evolution of marine sciences, and the science–policy interface essential for healthy and resilient Black Sea and Mediterranean basins.
The Black Sea & Mediterranean Panel brought together directors and leading experts; Aris Karageorgis (HCMR, Greece), Adrian Stănică (GeoEcoMar, Romania), Florin Timofte (NIMRID, Romania), Kremena Stefanova (IO-BAS, Bulgaria), Mario Sprovieri (CNR ISMAR, Italy), and Joaquín Tintoré (SOCIB, Spain) to share experiences from decades of cooperation. Discussions centred on joint achievements in marine observation, ecosystem governance, and the emerging concept of a “Black Sea–Mediterranean Science Corridor.”
The International Collaborations Session featured insights from Bettina Fach (METU IMS), Icarus Allen (PML, UK), Mike St. John (DTU, Denmark), Phoebe Koundouri (ReSEES, Greece), James Murray (University of Washington, USA), Ulrich Niermann (Germany). The talks revisited decades of joint research, from U.S.–Turkish Black Sea expeditions to shared advances in ocean modelling, blue economy innovation, and science diplomacy.
Throughout the symposium, poster presentations by early-career researchers and networking sessions created valuable spaces for knowledge exchange and future collaboration. The event concluded with a networking dinner, celebrating the achievements of METU IMS and reaffirming its commitment to the next 50 years of marine research excellence.
Agenda and Photo Gallery
Agenda, photos and opening speech from the symposium are available at the following links:
Opening Speech of the Director
