The Institute for Chemistry and Biology of
the Marine Environment of the Carl von Ossietzky
University of Oldenburg (German: Institut
für Chemie und Biologie des Meeres der Carl
von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, abbreviated
ICBM)
is one of the marine science institutes at
the German coast and the only university-based
marine research institute in Lower Saxony,
Germany.
The ICBM is located on the campus Wechloy
in Oldenburg, with locations in Wilhelmshaven
and on the island of Spiekeroog (in relation
to the national park centre Wittbülten on
the area of the Hermann Lietz School).
The ICBM operates the Wadden Sea time series
station Spiekeroog (WSS) and several research
vessels.
== Mission statement and research ==
The ICBM carries out fundamental and applied
research in marine and environmental sciences.
Interdisciplinary research will provide understanding
of the various interactions of marine environmental
systems.
The research focuses on marine biogeochemical
cycles and energy fluxes, as well as on the
functional role of marine biodiversity, especially
in coastal zones worldwide, and in the oceans.
The mathematic modelling of different environmental
systems is complemented by modern, high-resolution
analytics and in-house marine sensor developments.
The institute is composed of three sections
covering altogether 18 research groups:
Section Geochemistry and Analytics
Section Biology and Ecology
Section Physics and ModellingFor a better
understanding of the complex relations the
ICBM aims to foster interdisciplinary research.
== Academic training ==
The courses of study are closely related to
the research activities to provide interdisciplinary
and research-oriented training.
The institute offers a broad bachelor programme
with contents of marine, environmental and
landscape-ecological sciences as well as four
Master Programmes which are: Marine Environmental
Sciences, Microbiology (held in English),
Environmental Modelling and Marine Sensors.
In cooperation with the ICBM, the Jade University
of Applied Sciences offers a Bachelor Programme
which is fundamental for marine engineering.
The ICBM is ERASMUS exchange partner for students.
== History ==
In July 1987, Lower Saxony’s minister of
Science and Art approved the establishment
of the ICBM as a cooperation of the university
departments of mathematics, biology, physics
and chemistry.
In 1991, the ICBM was approved as a central
organisation of the University of Oldenburg.
The registered association „Centre for Research
on Shallow seas, Coastal Zones and the Marine
Environment – Research Centre Terramare”
(Zentrum für Flachmeer-, Küsten- und Meeresumweltforschung
e.V.
– Forschungszentrum Terramare) which was
founded in 1990 in Wilhelmshaven and financed
through federal state resources was incorporated
into the ICBM in 2008.
The former directors of the ICBM are Wolfgang
Krumbein, Ulrich Kattmann, Hans Joachim Schellnhuber,
Bruno Eckhardt, Wolfgang Ebenhöh, Heribert
Cypionka, Meinhard Simon, Hans-Jürgen Brumsack,
Ulrike Feudel and Jürgen Rullkötter.
At the moment, the institute is headed by
Helmut Hillebrand.
== Cooperations and Memberships ==
The ICBM cooperates closely with the Max Planck
Institute for Marine Microbiology und MARUM,
both located in Bremen; with the Alfred Wegener
Institute in Bremerhaven, as well as with
the Senckenberg Institute by the Sea and the
Jade University of Applied Sciences, both
located in Wilhelmshaven.
The ICBM is a member of the German Marine
Research Consortium (KDM) and of the Northwest
Marine Research Association (NWMV
