The second meeting of the second International Advisory Committee (IAC) of the National Observation and Research Station for the Taiwan Strait Marine Ecosystem ("T-SMART") was successfully convened online on 16 April 2025. The meeting was chaired by Professor Gray Williams (Chair of the IAC; The Swire Institute of Marine Science, The University of Hong Kong) and attended by committee members: Professor Matt Frost (Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UK), Professor Brian Helmuth (Northeastern University, USA), Professor Daniele Iudicone, (Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli, Italy), Professor Chia-chuen Kao, (Cheng Kung University, Taiwan), Professor Shing Yip (Joe) Lee, (Griffith University, Australia), Professor Po Teen Lim, (University of Malaya, Malaysia), Professor Willard Moore, (University of South Carolina, USA), Professor Steven Pennings, (University of Houston, USA), Professor Aileen Tan Shau Hwai, (Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia), Professor Mark Wells, (University of Maine, USA). Invited experts included Professor Yunwei Dong (Ocean University of China) and Academician Minhan Dai (Director of the Division of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University). About 35 participants from Xiamen University - including researchers from T-SMART, the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, the College of Ocean and Earth Sciences and the College of Environment and Ecology - also attended the meeting.
The committee reviewed the 2024 Annual Report presented by Professor Bangqin Huang (Director of T-SMART) and the Strategic Development Plan (2025-2030) presented by Professor Weiwei You. Discussions focused on the future direction of the station.
IAC members praised the station's achievements in monitoring, research, outreach and community engagement over the past year, and highlighted its key role in advancing marine science and applications in the Taiwan Strait region. They also expressed their enthusiasm for deeper collaboration in the future. During the strategic discussion, the committee made constructive recommendations to guide the station's long-term growth. Many members expressed their hope to meet in person next year to strengthen exchanges and cooperation.
Background: The IAC is composed of world-renowned scientists, including directors of leading marine field stations, the chair of the World Ocean Observatory Network, members of international academies, and AGU Fellows. The committee advises on station development and fosters partnerships with global marine observatories. The IAC evolved from the International Advisory Committee of the D-SMART (established in 2014). This is the sixth meeting since its inception, following a membership renewal in 2024.
