Ocean Week 2018 - Highlights

'Make the Ocean Great Again' became the slogan of Ocean Week 2018 when students from Byåsen Secondary School gave the first blue caps to Monday's plenary speakers. Ocean Week became then not only a key meeting point for interdisciplinary Ocean research, but a flag ship of knowledge and commitment to care for our Oceans. 600 participants followed over 130 presentations where national and international speakers presented the latest developments on Ocean Sciences and discussed the impact that Ocean Research, Technology, Innovation, Policy making & Social tendencies has in our lives.

In addition to the Sessions, 10 dayly stands, two art exhibits, a robotic demo and the workshop on Plastic and the Ocean provided the perfect networking arena for the 130 companies and institutions represented.

On the Blue Society Plenary Session Torbjørn Røe Isaksen; Jonas Gahr Støre; Bjarne A. Foss; Ingrid Schjølberg; Anne Marit Panengstuen; Patrick Waldemar; Egil Haugsdal; Kathrine Angell-Hansen; Greta Bentzen and Lars Haltbrekken lead to important discussions and questions related to Norway's roll in the Ocean international arena, with a special focus on technology and the common goal of working together for a healthier Ocean.

At the parallel sessions Blue Technology and Norway as a Sea Nation, key speakers took the discussions further by presenting the latest research advances both in the technological and social fronts.

The presence of three Secondary Schools on this first day was not unnoticed. Among other activities Charlottenlund Secondary and Junior High schools, part of NTNU's University Schools projects, were represented by its students at a stand. Guri Kunna Secondary School presented at the conference products prepared by students from its Restoration and Food studyline. Silje Joner Ognedal from Byåsen Secondary School interviewed Torbjørn Røe Isaksen under Ocean Week asking critical questions on Norway's efforts to solve the Plastic in the Ocean Challenge.

See videos and other information at NTNU Oceans' Site

On Tuesday the Plenary Session with key speakers Atle Hamar; Martin Styrmoe Moen; Bjørn Haugland; Tor Christian Sletner and Tore Aunaas set the course towards a clear commitment from all participants to fight for a clean Ocean. The discussion was kept alive in the afternoon by key international researchers that presented their findings and work on topics such as pollution, climate change, nano-plastics, marine litter and the importance of jellyfish for the Ocean's health.

Other session discussed different topics of relevance to the development of our knowledge about the Ocean such as Coastal Infrastructures, The Ocean from Space and Autonomous Ships.

Ocean Week final day opened with 4 scientific parallel sessions with a strong interdisciplinary caracter. Aquaculture, Deep Sea Mining, Norwegian Microsatellites and Autonomous ships. NTNU Ocean's researchers work in Aquaculture and Deep Sea Mining is not only confined to the technological develpments in these fields, but explores also social and ethical repercussions of these technological advances. Interdisciplinary work is in the core of NTNU Oceans' research.

In addition Ocean Week with NTNU Oceans and Engaged SFU as facilitators Ocean Week hosted a workshop in collaboration with Innovation Norway and Trondheim's Commune on the Plastic in the Ocean Challenge. See a summary video of the workshop at NTNU Oceans' Videos