News

The VLIZ Marine Science Day 2025, taking place on Wednesday, 5 March at VIVES hogeschool in Bruges, will be a special event, as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ). In addition to the usual scientific presentations and networking opportunities for marine scientists across a wide range of disciplines, this year’s event offers a unique chance to reflect on VLIZ’s...

The long-awaited vision document Navigating the Future VI by the European Marine Board serves as a key guide for mapping out marine research and policy for the coming decade. Representing the collective voice of marine scientists across Europe, the report calls for interdisciplinary research efforts focusing on the relationship between humanity and the ocean, climate, freshwater, and biodiversity...

VLIZ is pleased to welcome a new group of PhD researchers to our research community. These eight doctoral candidates are each undertaking important projects that address key issues in marine science. Their work will enhance our understanding of the ocean and coastal environments, while contributing to solutions for today’s environmental challenges. From studying microplastics and climate change to...

Bioplastics* cannot be seen as the ‘holy grail’ for the marine plastic problem after all. The research by Zhiyue Niu, PhD student at Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) and UGent, shows that bioplastics also break down into microplastic particles under the influence of UV radiation and wave action, albeit to a lesser extent than the usual petroleum-based plastics. Bioplastics also leak their...

For nine days in September 2023, researchers observed an unprecedented seismic signal. The cause of this mysterious ‘earth tremor’ turned out to be a giant landslide in Greenland: a mass of 25 million m3 of rock and ice came loose and thundered into the Dickson Fjord. This created a 200 metre high megatsunami that kept sloshing back and forth in the narrow fjord for nine days, a phenomenon known...

On Tuesday 3 September 2024, Her Majesty the Queen visited the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ). The visit was framed within the United Nations' Agenda 2030, and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), through which the international community aims to address major global challenges such as poverty, climate change, or increasing inequalities.

New research led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) – in collaboration with several partners including VLIZ – has found that the Southern Ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide (CO 2) than previously thought. Using direct measurements of CO 2 exchange or fluxes between air and sea, the scientists found that the ocean around Antarctica absorbs 25% more CO 2 than...

This spring, the Flanders Marine Institute is opening six vacancies to recruit new PhD candidates. Curious which new research projects we are launching in close collaboration with one or more of the Flemish universities?

On 16 January 2024, the ‘Rustpunt’ in Ghent served as a historic, green site to host the three-day kick-off meeting of the new project 'DuneFront'. This innovative project is funded through the European Commission's Horizon Europe Programme and coordinated by Ghent University.

Be part of the programme of VLIZ Marine Science Day 2024 on 6 March 2024 at De Grote Post in Oostende. The #VMSD24 – formally framed within the Belgian EU Presidency – will revolve entirely around the EU Mission Ocean & Waters, and its three main themes: ocean pollution, climate/carbon, and biodiversity. Make your own research part of the #VMSD24 programme and submit an abstract by 12 January 2024...

Between 6 and 9 November 2023, over a hundred ocean carbon scientists from around the world are gathered at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in Oostende, Belgium, to review the status of the Surface Ocean Carbon Value Chain and decide on specific improvements to the structure, process and resulting delivery of critical information towards policy makers. In the near future this will be done by...

The Sea as a Good Cause supports young, original-thinking marine researchers by once again awarding 6 research grants - each worth EUR 5,000. PhD students and junior postdocs in Flanders, as well as PhD students from the South, who dare to think out-of-the box, are eligible for this research funding. Deadline for submitting proposals: 26 January 2024.

Have you recently defended your BSc, MSc or PhD thesis on a marine research theme? Then you have until 31 December to apply for one of the VLIZ Marine Science Awards 2023. From now on, with a slight twist in the conditions to participate.