Marine Institute named finalist for Export and Innovation award

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland was named a finalist for the Provincial Government's Distinction in Innovation Award at the 2010 Export and Innovation Awards ceremony for its contributions to the marine community through the Journal of Ocean Technology (JOT)

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland was named a finalist for the Provincial Government’s Distinction in Innovation Award at the 2010 Export and Innovation Awards ceremony for its contributions to the marine community through the Journal of Ocean Technology (JOT). The JOT is published quarterly by the Marine Institute and has been highlighting new and exciting ocean technology activity regionally, nationally and internationally since 2006.

“We are thrilled to have been named a finalist for the 2010 Distinction in Innovation award,” said Glenn Blackwood, executive director, Marine Institute. “The Journal of Ocean Technology has quickly become a highly respected and widely distributed publication and we are happy to see so many have taken notice of the contribution it has made.  We are pleased our efforts have been recognized in such a meaningful way.”

The JOT publishes scientific essays that highlight selected themes in a concise manner, as well as peer-reviewed technical papers that describe cutting edge research in the oceans and marine industries. Technical papers published in the Journal of Ocean Technology reflect the result of new research in ocean technology, science and engineering.

“The JOT’s mission is to expand global knowledge and understanding of ocean technologies, to serve as the medium for publishing world-leading research and to promote innovation that contributes to responsible ocean management,” said Blackwood. “The Journal of Ocean Technology provides a window into important issues and corresponding innovation taking place in a range of ocean sectors. Each issue is distributed to 1,200-plus buyers, suppliers, researchers and decision makers around the world and at strategic international oceans-related conferences and exhibitions.”

The Journal of Ocean Technology took an important step toward becoming the leader in ocean technology technical paper publishing in 2010 when it was indexed by Scopus, one of the largest abstract and citation databases of research literature and quality web sources. By being indexed by Scopus, the Journal of Ocean Technology became available to a much larger audience and become a very attractive option for scientists, researchers, professors and other scholars looking to publish their work.

The Marine Institute was named the winner of the Distinction in Innovation Award at the 2009 Export and Innovation Awards for its work with SmartBay, an MI-led oceans observation project that plays a valuable role in support of marine operations in Placentia Bay. The award acknowledged MI’s attempts to improve safety within the bay while providing timely and indispensable data regarding weather, sea state and traffic conditions.

The Marine Institute was also a finalist for the award in 2008 for its world-class applied research in aquaculture, fish harvesting, seafood product development, marine safety and simulation. The Distinction in Innovation Award recognizes individuals or groups that have made an outstanding contribution towards Newfoundland and Labrador’s innovative culture. Finalists for the award must display leadership and enthusiasm toward fostering new ideas that positively impact the province and its people.

The annual Export and Innovation Awards are presented each year by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development. This year’s ceremony was held on Wednesday, Nov. 24.