Website: www.imos.org.au

Established: 2006-07

Type: National Systems

Membership: 11 Different institutions within the National Innovation System; Chair: John Gunn

Contact: Dr. Michelle Heupel. Director of IMOS

Phone: +61 (03) 6226 7549 

Email: imos@imos.org.au

Since 2006, The Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) has been routinely operating a wide range of observing equipment throughout Australia’s coastal and open oceans, making all of its data accessible to the marine and climate science community, other stakeholders and users, and international collaborators. IMOS is one of the national research infrastructure capabilities currently supported under the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

IMOS is a national collaborative research infrastructure, supported by Australian Government. It is operated by a consortium of institutions as an unincorporated joint venture, with the University of Tasmania as Lead Agent, in partnership with the CSIRO, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Bureau of Meteorology, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, University of Western Australia, the South Australian Research and Development Institute, Curtin University, Deakin University, University of Melbourne and the Australian Antarctic Division. IMOS delivers sustained and systematic observations of Australia’s coastal and open oceans to provide data of global significance.

Governance

The IMOS Office is responsible for coordination of the program, development of strategic and business plans, communication and engagement with the marine community at-large through the nodal structure, and planning and promotion. A Governing Board provides strategic guidance to the IMOS Office. Six science Nodes, a Bluewater and Climate Node and five regional/coastal Nodes, provide the means for IMOS to undertake national science and implementation planning, integrated across regions. They identify the major research themes and science questions, and provide a strong scientific underpinning for IMOS operations.

Goals

• To provide sustained ocean observations that meet the broad needs of the Australian marine and climate research communities.
• To provide the marine and climate research community with free and timely access to quality assured observational data.
• To involve the marine and climate research community in defining future needs and to strengthen the technical and operational capability of the marine and climate community and hence sustain the ocean observing paradigm into the longer term.

Location of IMOS