Banaras Hindu University Professor To Be Part Of International Ocean Discovery Expedition, Study Marine Energy Resources

A Banaras Hindu University (BHU) professor has clinched an opportunity to participate in the International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP) Expedition 397 in the Atlantic Ocean as a micro-palaeontologist (one who studies micro-fossils).

Komal Verma, an assistant professor at the department of geology, has been invited to be a part of the expedition scheduled for two months—October to December 2022 and represent India.

The Indian professor will carry out research onboard the Joides Resolution and a team of international scientists from 17 countries, including the United Kingdom, the USA, Germany, Japan, and China, among others.

The Times of India reported that a team of scientists would analyse the potential of marine energy resources. Through international collaborations with eminent shipboard scientists, Verma's contribution would provide an unprecedented opportunity for advanced research and teach in Ocean Science at par with international standards at BHU university and the nation.

Department Of Geology, BHU

The laboratory of the Department of Geology at the Banaras Hindu University primarily focuses on oceanography and micro-palaeontology. It is the centre for the study of global oceanic and climate change and its impact on marine organisms and related processes.

Reports have stated that many programmes of the IODP are going on at the university under the supervision of professor Arun Deo Singh.

What Is International Ocean Discovery Programme (IODP)?

Called one of the prestigious expedition programmes globally, IODP is an international marine collaboration that aims to deepen scientific understanding of Earth's history through drilling, coring and monitoring the subseafloor.

The data collected during the exploration helps in understanding the changing climate, conditions in the ocean, origins of the past and risks posed by geohazards.

"IODP depends on facilities funded by three platform providers with financial contributions from five additional partner agencies. These entities represent twenty-three nations whose scientists are selected to staff IODP expeditions conducted throughout the world's oceans," read its website.

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