InterRidge promotes interdisciplinary, international studies of oceanic spreading centers by creating a global research community, planning and coordinating new science programs that no single nation can achieve alone, exchanging scientific information, and sharing new technologies and facilities. InterRidge is dedicated to reaching out to the public, scientists and governments, and to providing a unified voice for ocean ridge researchers worldwide.

InterRidge News, Vol. 17, 2008, posted online

IR_News_2008_cover-s The InterRidge Office is pleased to announce that InterRidge News, Vol. 17, 2008, is now available on our website at:
http://www.interridge.org/IRNewsletter

This year's issue features research articles from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Mediterranean Sea, Western Pacific, and Central Indian Ridge, provides updates from working groups and member nations, lists upcoming cruises and events, and introduces our student fellows.

Partnership with International Seabed Authority for Student and Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

InterRidge Student and Postdoctoral Fellowship Program:
Announcement of partnership with ISA Endowment Fund for 2009 - 2011

We are very pleased to announce a new partnership with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Endowment Fund for the InterRidge Student and Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The ISA Endowment Fund is a new program for collaborative marine scientific research, with details and brochure available at: http://www.isa.org.jm/en/efund/. The mission of the ISA Endowment Fund is to support the participation of qualified scientists and technical personnel from developing countries in marine research activities and to provide opportunities for collaboration by these persons. The ISA Endowment Fund will provide funding for two InterRidge Student and Postdoctoral Fellowships each year for the next three years (2009 - 2011). At $5000 US for each Fellowship, our grant totals $30,000 US, and it reflects important progress in our long-term goal of soliciting external grants to strengthen InterRidge activities and promote international cooperation.

New SCOR Working Group: "Hydrothermal energy transfer and its impact on ocean carbon cycles"

InterRidge is pleased to announce the approval of a new SCOR Working Group, to be co-funded by InterRidge, on "Hydrothermal energy transfer and its impact on ocean carbon cycles." This new Working Group will be co-chaired by Nadine Le Bris (IFREMER, France) and Chris German (WHOI, USA). The proposal was developed from discussions at the InterRidge Theoretical Institute (IRTI) on Biogeochemical Interaction at Deep-Sea Vents, held in September 2007. Currently, the proposal is posted on the SCOR website at: http://www.scor-int.org/2008GM/Ridges.pdf.

FLEXE (From Local to Extreme Environments) Education & Outreach opportunity

InterRidge has partnered with the FLEXE (From Local to Extreme Environments) project, a GLOBE Earth System Science Project (http://www.globe.gov/projects/flexe). FLEXE provides an opportunity for ridge-crest scientists to be involved with education and outreach to teachers and students in their native countries and across the globe. The FLEXE Program tested an Energy Unit in 2007 and is now soliciting teachers to pilot an extended version of this unit beginning in early 2009. A second unit on ecology is in development.