A message from the Chair of the SIMS Foundation
In this first year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development it is a privilege to have taken up the role of Chair of the Sydney Institute of Marine Science Foundation. I would like to sincerely thank Mr Alec Brennan for his four years of exceptional service and leadership. Mr Ian McGill also joined the board during 2020 and I also acknowledge and thank those board members who stepped down 2020 after many years of dedicated service, including: John Biffin OAM, Andrew Bloore, John Buttle, Kim McKay AO, Charlie Shuetrim AM, Professor Frank Talbot AM. Without their visionary leadership and contributions, SIMS and the SIMS Foundation would not be where we are today.
The Sydney Institute of Marine Science Foundation is here to build community and catalyse opportunities for SIMS to collaborate with people – individuals or foundations and granting bodies – who seek to make a difference. The unique nature of SIMS makes it a compelling and effortless organisation to support as SIMS researchers are enabled to collaborate across institutional boundaries and disciplinary ‘swimming lanes’ to create value in new and different ways.
Importantly, it is our donors who embrace and support the innovative work of our world-class marine science researchers in making the contributions required to ensure our coastal and marine environments are healthy, resilient and effectively managed for future generations. Through the generosity of our donors, marine animals, plants and environments have the opportunity to flourish as our researchers create new knowledge and novel approaches to the impacts of urbanisation and climate change in local contexts for global benefit.
We were pleased to host our first World Ocean’s Day Breakfast on 8 June this year, and we are planning many more opportunities to come together and celebrate marine science.
The last 18 months have been times that few of us have experienced before, but the beating heart of the Foundation – the support of our donors and the creativity of our researchers – has not wavered, it has expanded. The Foundation Board looks forward to the Ocean Decade as a period of opportunity as national and global action seeks to strike a new relationship between humans and ocean and we invite you to join us in supporting SIMS to realise that future.
From
Jas Chambers – Chair, Sydney Institute of Marine Science Foundation
Board Members: Peter Cochrane, Ian McGill, Heather Power and Peter Steinberg
Ocean Initiatives to keep across:
Ocean Decade Australia: https://oceandecadeaustralia.org
National Marine Science Committee: https://www.marinescience.net.au/the-committee/
High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy: https://www.oceanpanel.org
Future Earth Australia: https://www.futureearth.org.au/publications/sustainable-oceans-and-coasts-strategy
