WE ARE IMO
We aspire to become an internationally recognized Institute in oceanographic research and education, leading the exploration of the central and southeastern Pacific region, and making a significant impact on the country and society at large.
OUR HISTORY
The Millenium Institute of Oceanography (IMO) is a center of excellence established in December 2013 to study open-sea physical, biogeochemical, and ecological processes and conduct ocean exploration in the deep and abyssal sea, targeting pelagic ecosystems related to seamounts, oceanic islands, and the Atacama Trench.
IMO was founded thanks to the Millenium Science Initiative (ICM) of Chile’s Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism, whose goal is to promote greater competitiveness in Chilean science and technology. Such competitiveness is viewed as the ability to create, adapt, contextualize, and apply new scientific and technological knowledge favoring our country’s social and economic development.
To lead the exploration of the eastern South Pacific, IMO strongly stresses national and international collaboration, and is currently planning new oceanographic expeditions that will help us make more discoveries and test out hypotheses on board our new research vessel, the Cabo de Hornos.
Mission
IMO’s mission is to conduct pioneering interdisciplinary oceanographic research, addressing scientific problems in a comprehensive and collaborative manner.
In terms of exploration, our mission is to develop and apply new technologies and platforms for ocean observation and experimentation. IMO will achieve this using the new Chilean research vessel Cabo de Hornos, which will allow us to reach unexplored areas in the South Pacific Ocean.
We also want to increase human resources in the field of marine sciences both in Chile and South America through higher education and research training based on observation and direct experimentation at sea.
Additionally, we are forging links with our society by raising awareness and informing the general public and decision-makers about the importance of the ocean, its conservation, and its relationship with human beings and global change.
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Vision
IMO aims to become an institute that is internationally known for its ocean research and education, leading the exploration of the central and southeastern regions of the Pacific Ocean and impacting Chile and our society at large.
We are committed to creating a thought-provoking environment to generate and spread scientific knowledge that will transform and provide new insights into our understanding of the ocean from a creative, daring, and collaborative standpoint.
LEADERSHIP
Victor Villagrán
Director de Desarrollo y Transferencia Tecnológica
Director of Development and Technology Transfer
ANNUAL REPORTS
COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS
