At GEOMAR, we subsume a variety of activities, driving the digitalization of marine research, under the keyword “digital science”. These activities address the needs and developments of the research divisions as well as the central technology, computing, and data infrastructures. GEOMAR is establishing strategies and institutional structures to facilitate a collaborative and holistic management of the digitalization process. This page and the following figure summarize the current state of the art of various activities of GEOMAR in the context of digitalization in marine science.

Digital science structures

Digital Council

Internal panel coordinating GEOMAR’s activities and participation opportunities and structural consequences in digital science. Examples for institutional activities of the digital council include the innovation of the infrastructure for high-performance modelling and the establishment of data science support for GEOMAR. Further information is available on the internal pages.

Data Science Unit

The Data Science Unit (DSU) of GEOMAR develops Data Science methods for marine research and applies them together with the researchers to the heterogeneous data of GEOMAR and its partner institutes. The DSU offers support and training on Data Science methods to researchers at GEOMAR and serves as a partner in applying for external funding for Data Science projects as well as for the publication of scientific results based on Data Science methods.

IRF Digital Twins

Digital Twins, as interactive, 4D visualizations will bundle and provide access to sensor data and simulations to explore “what if” scenarios.

Knowledge Hubs

GEOMAR Knowledge Hubs pool expertise from digital science fields at GEOMAR to capture, share, exchange and discuss experiences. Currently, there are Knowledge Hubs at GEOMAR on Underwater Imaging, DevOps (Software Development), Marine Robotics and Scientific Computing Knowledge. More information is available on the internal pages.

Digital science events

Hacky Hour

The GEOMAR (open) Hacky Hour is meant for discussing programming and data-analysis problems of all kinds, in all programming languages, and of all sorts of complexity. The recurring event aims at bringing together students, scientists and developers of all levels, and at providing a frequent way of learning from each other with the lowest possible barriers. The event is open to everyone interested from GEOMAR and associated organisations (collaborating institutes, graduate schools, etc.). More information is available on the internal pages.

Digital Science Monday

Monday afternoons are reserved for discussions of digital topics. Current methods, project proposals, technical innovations and initiatives at GEOMAR as well as in the Helmholtz Association and beyond are presented to Team GEOMAR and beyond. The DSMonday series is run together with the MarData school. Further information such as slides and recordings of past discussions are available on the internal pages.

Data Science Symposium

The series of Data Science Symposia is a joint initiative by the three Helmholtz Centers GEOMAR, AWI und Hereon. It features digital scientific workflows, Big Data challenges, data infrastructures, data science methods and more across disciplines and technologies. The Data Science Symposia foster knowledge exchange and collaboration among the marine research community of the Helmholtz association. More information is available on the intranet.

Digital Science Initiatives

... by and with GEOMAR:

• MarDATA – Helmholtz School for Marine Data Science
• Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC)
• ARCHES – Development of heterogeneous, autonomous and interconnected robotic systems for environmental monitoring of the oceans over technical crisis intervention to the exploration of the solar system
• HGF RF E&E DATA HUB - DataHub Tools 
• HMC Hub E&E – HMC hub to promote the qualitative enrichment of data of the HGF research area Earth and Environment by means of metadata
• HMC Training – Design of different training courses  for the scientific community to introduce and support the implementation of the metadata tools developed in HMC
• DAM Underway Data – Initiative of the German Alliance for Marine Research for the systematic collection, transfer to land, quality assurance and publication of "en route" research data of the vessels MARIA S. MERIAN, METEOR, POLARSTERN and SONNE
• MOSES – Modular Observation Solutions for Earth Systems
• ARENA2 – Artificial Research Environment for Networked Analysis

Select past digital science projects:

• ESM – Advanced Earth System Modelling Capacity: a Contribution to solving Grand Challenges
• DIGITAL EARTH – Towards Smart Monitoring and Integrated Data Exploration of the Earth System

... of the Helmholtz association:

In 2016, Helmholtz established the Helmholtz Incubator Information & Data Science to unite and strengthen the outstanding competencies and data resources of the HGF. With the Helmholtz Incubator, Helmholtz aims to bring together experts from the entire community on a regular basis in order to create the fundamentals for innovative, interdisciplinary networks and approaches as well as to identify future-oriented topics and disruptive pilot projects.

In addition, five Incubator "platforms" of particular strategic importance for the entire Helmholtz Association, were created:

• Helmholtz Metadata Collaboration (HMC) - Coordinated by GEOMAR
• Helmholtz Artifical Intelligence Cooperation Unit (HAICU): Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• Helmholtz Information & Data Science Academy (HIDA): Training of young scientists in re-designed graduate schools as part of a national consortium
• Helmholtz Imaging Platform (HIP): Imaging procedures & analysis methods
• Helmholtz Infrastructure for Federated ICT Services (HIFIS): Basic technologies and services for large-scale data-based research