By Joanna Moore

This year the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is fortunate to be joined by Dr. Tom Anderson, a marine ecosystem modeller based at the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, UK. BIOS' establishment as the Nippon Foundation (NF)-Partnership for the Observation of Global Oceans (POGO) Centre of Excellence (CofE) in Observational Oceanography has demanded that - in order to ensure that the NF-POGO scholars are comprehensively trained in all areas of observational oceanography - the Institute bring in world-class scientists from across the globe. Tom Anderson is one of these scientists.

Dr. Anderson achieved both his undergraduate and doctoral degree at the University of Edinburgh, where he researched computer modelling of agroforestry systems. Today, his main expertise is in the development of ecosystem models - particularly models of zooplankton, bacteria and dissolved organic matter, as well as complete models and their application to the study of marine biogeochemical cycles. At the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton he co-leads the Ocean-Modelling and Forecasting group, which has world-class expertise in high resolution ocean modelling, with embedded models of marine biogeochemistry and sea-ice, as well as the development of innovative models of the climate system.

BIOS is the ideal place for students to learn about modelling of marine ecosystems because of the comprehensive time-series study provided by the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series (BATS) - the longest record of ocean observations of its kind available in the world. Dr. Anderson recognises this advantage: "The BATS time-series is one of the very best available. It is absolutely essential to have good data sets for model validation, and the time-series are the best source of this". Dr. Anderson will help the students - who are not expected to have any experience in this field prior to their study at BIOS - to build up their competence with a series of lectures, tutorials and practical sessions.

Training the students in computer modelling will be key to POGO's aim to pool the world's oceanographic expertise and resources. According to Dr. Anderson, "Modelling is all about seeing the big picture, which in itself fosters collaboration. Oceanography is 'big science'. It is interdisciplinary, and requires collaboration between experts in order to be successful."

Dr. Anderson sees his work at BIOS as a unique opportunity to 'broaden horizons'. His input in training the NF-POGO scholars will allow them to do the same, and in turn - we hope - will 'broaden the horizons' of oceanography as a whole.

"I am a modeller. Modelling is all about seeing the big picture, which in itself fosters collaboration between different disciplines. I hope that the students will have an appreciation of modelling by the end of the course, which will facilitate their interaction between the modelling and observational communities, no matter which side of the fence they choose to go."