IODP in Canada
Canada participates in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) in partnership with the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD). The Canadian Consortium for Ocean Drilling (CCOD) is comprised of members from universities and government agencies, who promote and organize IODP-related events and activities.
Canadian participation in IODP and ECORD
Several Canadians serve as representatives on ECORD and IODP committees and panels.
ECORD (European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling) Council
The ECORD Council is formed with membership from 24 European and Canadian funding organizations supporting national IODP-related programs. Each member country is represented by one delegate on the Council. The ECORD Council Chair and vice-Chair are on the IODP Council.
Chair: Anne de Vernal (UQAM) - October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012
Canadian alternate: Kathy Gillis (UVic)
ESSAC (ECORD Science Support and Advisory Committee)
ESSAC is responsible for the scientific planning and coordination of European and Canadian contribution to and participation in IODP, including nominating scientists for IODP cruises and representatives on IODP science panels and committees.
Canadian delegate: Dominique Weis (UBC)
Canadian alternate: Markus Kienast (Dalhousie)
IODP Science Advisory Structure (SAS)
ESSAC appoints scientific experts from the ECORD community to the committees of the IODP SAS.
- Scientific Technology Panel (STP) - vice-Chair: Douglas Schmitt (U. Alberta)
Canadian Achievements within IODP
As part of ECORD, Canada is an active member and many Canadian scientists are involved in IODP geoscience research projects and outreach activities.
Scientific Participation
Since October 2004, Canadian researchers have participated in many IODP Expeditions including: Anne de Vernal (North Atlantic Exp. 303), Neil Banerjee (Project Manager, Superfast Spreading Exp. 309 & 312), Michael Riedel (Co-Chief Scientist, Cascadia Margin Exp. 311), Francine McCarthy and Heather Schijns (New Jersey Exp. 313), Taoufik Radi (Bering Sea Exp. 323), Andrew Greene (Shatsky Rise Exp. 324), Nathalie Dubois (South Pacific Gyre Exp. 329), Gordon Southam (Deep Hot Biosphere Exp. 331).
32 Canadian scientists are co-authors of IODP drilling proposals currently in evaluation, including 3 in the Arctic Ocean, making Canada the fifth most active partner of ECORD (of 17 member countries).
Education and Outreach
The IODP-Canada Summer School on “Ocean and climate changes in polar and subpolar environments” was held June 27 - July 12, 2010 in Quebec. The school was very successful, with 19 students attending from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Belgium and Canada.
Canadian students received awards from CCOD and ECORD to take part in the 2009, 2010 and 2011 ECORD summer schools in Germany, Italy and Canada.
IODP-Canada took advantage of international science meetings and portcalls in Canada to promote IODP by coordinating exhibition booths at AGU-GAC-MAC 2009 in Toronto, GeoCanada 2010 in Calgary and GAC-MAC 2011 in Ottawa and by organising tours of an IODP drillship in Victoria in July 2009 and September 2010.
Dominique Weis (University of British Columbia) has been nominated a 2010-2012 ECORD Distinguished Lecturer to present: "What do we know about mantle plumes, what can Hawaiian volcanoes tell us about the Earth’s mantle and what are the implications for mantle dynamics?"
