Important information for potential applicants to our open Transnational Access Call. Please register your application early and read this information.

Evaluation and selection procedure
The work flow and different steps involved in the AQUARIUS evaluation procedure are displayed in the figure below.

The incoming proposals received by the specified submission date will be checked for compliance with the eligibility criteria by the call evaluation office. Afterwards, the proposal is preliminary reviewed by the Operational Expert Panel (OEP) to check whether the logistical framework for the Transnational Access is fulfilled. In the following, the proposals are scientifically evaluated by external, independent scientific experts. The process if overseen by members of the Scientific Expert Panel (SEP).
After the individual evaluation, the SEP meets for a consensus evaluation and draws up a ranking list of proposals and a shortlist of user groups recommended for funding.
After the final recommendation of the SEP, high ranked proposals will be examined by the AQUARIUS Operational Expert Panel (OEP) to determine the logistical feasibility of the proposed work. The decisions are finalised by the infrastructure operators, based on the recommendations from the SEP and OEP.
Expert Panels
Scientific Expert Panel (SEP) – in progress

Inês Martins
Instituto Hidrográfico
Observation, Physical Oceanography, Data for science

Toste Tanhua
GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum für Ozeanforschung Kiel
Chemical Oceanography, Ocean Observing, Transdient tracers

Michele Casini
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Aquatic Resources (SLU Aqua) and Institute of Marine Research, Lysekil, Sweden; University of Bologna, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Bologna, Italy
Marine ecology, Fish population dynamics, Fisheries surveys

Gilles Reverdin
CNRS
Water salinity and Isotopic composition, Ocean carbon, Ocean circulation

Louise Allcock
University of Galway
Deap-sea, VMEs, Systematics

Ana Margarida Bento
CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Marine Energy and Hydraulic Structures Group
Sediment Dynamics and Ecosystem Stability; Sustainable and Resilient Marine Renewable Energy Infrastructure; Digital and Predictive Tools

Jens Christian Nejstgaard
Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)
Marine and freshwater ecology; Plankton trophic interactions; large-scale mesocosms

Tiago Ferradosa
University of Porto & CIIMAR
Ocean and Maritime Engineering, Physical Modelling, Aquaculture

Matthias Forwick
UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Geosciences
Marine geology, Glaciated continental margins, Sedimentary processes

David Barnes
British Antarctic Survey, UKRI
Polar benthic ecology, Polar blue carbon, Continental shelf biodiversity

Urmas Lips
Tallinn University of Technology
Marine physics, Autonomous observations, Eutrophication assessment

Manuel Nande
CIIMAR
Genetics, Aquaculture, Cephalopods

Carolyn Faithfull
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Food webs, Baltic Sea, Mesocosm experiments

Birgit Koehler
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Aquatic Resources
Biogeochemistry, Aquatic ecosystems, Climate change

Noel Holmgren
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Andrea Belgrano
Department of Aquatic Resources, Institute of Marine Research
Biodiversity, Food webs, Ecosystem-based management, Ocean governance sustainability and resilience

Laura Boicenco
National Institute for Marine Research and Development "Grigore Antipa" (NIMRD)
Algal blooms, Impacts of pelagic habitats

Adriana Maria Constantinescu
INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE – DEZVOLTARE PENTRU GEOLOGIE SI GEOECOLOGIE MARINA - GeoEcoMar

Mihaela Muresan
NIRD GeoEcoMar
Zooplankton, Pelagic Habitats, Ecosystem services, Meiobenthos

Tatiana Begun
NIRD GeoEcoMar
Macrozoobenthos, Benthic habitats, MPAs

Laura Dutu
NIRD GeoEcoMar
Fluvial geomorphology, Hydrodynamics, Sedimentology

Laura Guimarães
CIIMAR
Environmental toxicology, Biomonitoring of hazardous substances and materials, Diagnose ecosystems quality and recovery

Luis Menezes Pinheiro
University of Aveiro, Portugal
Marine geology and geophysics, Continental margin formation, Mud volcanism and cold steeps

Chiara Papetti
University of Padova
Molecular ecology, Antarctic fish, Population genetics

Katrin Schroeder
CNR-ISMAR
Physical oceanography, Chemical oceanography, Sensors calibration

Martina Busetti
National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics
Marine geology and geophysics, Seismic interpretation, Continental margin

Caterina Morigi
Earth Sciences Department, University of Pisa
Marine geology, Microfossils, Stratigraphy

Carlotta Mazzoldi
Department of Biology, University of Padova, Italy
Fish biology, Behavioural ecology, Conservation
Operational Expert Panel (OEP)

Aodhán Fitzgerald
Research Vessel Operations Manager at the Marine Institute

Gerard Dooly
Lecturer in robotics & automation at the University of Limerick and co-director of the Centre for robotics & intelligent systems (www.CRIS.ie)

Lieven Naudts
Coordinator RV Belgica & Head of the Measurement Services Ostend at the Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium

GeoEcoMar
The National Institute for Research and Development on Marine Geology and Geo-ecology, Romania, operate the RV Mare Nigrum, RV Istros and the Danube Delta super-site

Simo Cusi
Engineering and Logistics Officer at EMSO ERIC, focuses on technology development and best practices at EMSO regional facilities