Welcome to MARiS 

MARiS is formerly known as Ma-Re (the Marine Research Institute), which underwent a review process in October 2018 and re-branded. The new name, MARiS (Marine and Antarctic Research centre for Innovation and Sustainability) derives from the Latin word maris meaning “of the sea”, indicating that it pertains to the sea.

MARiS is officially recognised as the new interdisciplinary centre for marine and Antarctic scientific research, involving multiple departments within the University of Cape Town: Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Oceanography. 

Our new identity and purpose is based on UCT's Vision 2030 transformative plan. Vision 2030 includes assembling planning teams, cross-functional teams and working groups applying themselves to the task of giving expression to UCT's massive transformative purpose – “Unleash human potential to create a fair and just society” – in the core academic functions, the cross-cutting responsibilities of transformation and social responsiveness, and the systems that support and sustain UCT’s work. 

                                     

 

Our Mission

The MARiS centre is an aggregator of competence and expertise which considers academic and technological knowledge in relation to societal benefits, with the overarching aim of enhancing the production of knowledge and human capacity in marine and Antarctic research. This is achieved through:

  • Collaborative national and international research projects generated by the the academic participants and various partners;
  • Support of students and their integration in the academic environment, particularly supporting interdisciplinarity to address complex problems in interconnected marine systems;
  • Development of technological and innovative solutions for interdisciplinary marine problems;
  • Promotion and maintenance of post-graduate training courses, including interdisciplinary curricula such as the Applied Ocean Sciences (AOS) master course;
  • Contribution to national programmes and infrastructures

 

Our Objectives

MARiS provides services to any department or research unit at UCT in which academic and postgraduate research has a marine or polar aspect, e.g. Biological Sciences, Electrical Engineering, Environmental & Geographical Sciences, Historical Studies, Institute of Marine & Environmental Law, Mathematics & Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Molecular and Cell Biology, Oceanography, School of Economics, Social Anthropology, Sociology and Statistical Sciences. 

For all ocean-related research at UCT, MARiS's services include:

  • Research Collaboration & Expertise
    • UCT-MARiS integrates expertise across the natural and social sciences, including Southern Hemisphere climate, oceanography, marine ecology and microbiology, alongside environmental geography, marine governance, and the human dimensions of social-ecological marine systems. We underpin research with advanced data analysis, modelling,     fieldwork, and participatory and transdisciplinary methods.
  • Data Access & Analysis
    • We offer access to high-quality observational and satellite data, and advanced computational tools for ocean-atmosphere interactions, climate variability, ecosystem modelling, numerical ecology and polar studies.
  • Training & Capacity Building
    • Through our Master in Applied Ocean Sciences course, workshops, monthly coffee talks and mentorship, we help build technical and soft skills in marine and polar sciences, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration amongst our early career researchers.
    • MARIS hosts SAPRI’s integrated Polar Lab and advances polar science development and training in South Africa.
  • Field Campaigns & Logistics Support
    • We assist with fieldwork planning, equipment deployment, and logistical coordination for marine and polar expeditions, ensuring smooth and efficient operations.
  • Policy & Decision Support
    • Our research informs policy development, conservation strategies, and sustainable ocean governance by providing evidence-based insights into the multiple interacting drivers shaping marine ecosystem dynamics, including climate change and resource exploitation.
    • We engage directly with the governance of marine and coastal systems by examining the institutional, social, and equity dimensions of ocean change to support more just, adaptive, and effective governance and resource-management strategies.
  • Science Communication & Outreach
    • We help translate complex scientific findings into accessible formats, supporting public engagement, stakeholder communication, and educational initiatives.
    • We work with various partners, such as marine resource users, communities, government and civil society, to co-produce knowledge, using a diversity of methods, participatory frameworks, and transdisciplinary collaboration to surface and address the compound pressures shaping Southern Hemisphere oceans.
MARIS is a UCT initiative that recognizes the importance of the national research framework outlined in the recent White Paper on Science, Technology and Innovation by DSI2, and the role played by external (regional, national and international) partners in terms of innovation and expertise. It therefore aims to integrate national and international partners through collaborative actions that are aligned with the above objectives.

Support MARiS by:

  1. Promoting the concept of interdisciplinarity within marine and polar science.
  2. Choosing to be listed as a researcher affiliated with MARiS and be listed on our website.
  3. Sending information about marine-related projects to be listed on the MARiS website.
  4. Encouraging all marine postgraduates to subscribe to theMARiS student network, the MARiS distribution list and to contribute to the MARiS news blog and other MARiS activities.
  5. Showcasing your research at the MARiS Forums, Seminars and Conferences.
  6. Where appropriate, listing MARiS on your publications as an address along with your departmental affiliation: i.e., Marine and Antarctic Research centre for Innovation and Sustainability (MARiS), University of Cape Town, South Africa.
  7. Outsourcing MARiS to organise and co-ordinate marine-themed seminars, meetings, workshops and conferences.
  8. Popularising your research and research outcomes by sending them to be posted on the MARiS website and newsletters, distributed via the MARiS distribution lists and highlighted in the MARiS Annual Report to the URC.