April 2003

National Geographic initiates scholarship program

Under the new "Global Exploration Fund" program, future researchers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will be eligible to receive funding assistance from the National Geographic Society for their projects. Since its establishment in 1888, the Society has supported more than 7,000 projects, and it is now continuing this tradition in the German-speaking realm. The director of the DFG-Research Center Ocean Margins, Prof. Dr. Gerold Wefer, has been chosen by the National Geographic Society and has accepted the task of selecting the projects worthy of funding. The appointment of Prof. Wefer, winner of the German Research Community's (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - DFG) "Communicator Prize" for 2002, ensures that suitable attention will be given to projects in the fields of geosciences and environmental protection.

International Masters Program in Bremen

This week the first students of the newly established international Masters program "Environmental and Marine Geosciences" (EMaG), arrived at the University of Bremen. Throughout the summer, intense training in the environmental and marine geosciences will prepare interested students for the EMaG Masters Program, which begins in the fall. Students holding a Bachelor of Science degree in the geosciences will enter directly into the EMaG course in October. Students may choose from different module areas that best match their individual career plans. The modern training comprises interactive teaching units at the computer, in the laboratory, and on field excursions, and is complemented by traditional lectures. The EMaG course culminates with the preparation of the Masters thesis and final exams. Detailed information is available on the internet (www.emag.uni-bremen.de). Application deadline for the EMaG course is July 15.