A private philanthropist, Dr Lew Glucksman, has funded the transfer of University College Cork's marine research centre to waterfront premises at the Naval base in Cork Harbour.
The Coastal and Marine Resource Centre (CMRC) hopes to strengthen collaboration with the Naval Service as a result of the move to Haulbowline.
The centre was housed at premises owned by UCC on Western Road in the city. The new centre was opened yesterday by the Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, before a commissioning ceremony for Naval cadets.
CMRC scientists have already used "ships of opportunity" sailing from Haulbowline to carry out research on seabirds and cetaceans as part of a three-year study of the Atlantic margin.
Some 21 of 23 cetacean (whale and dolphin) species believed to occur in Irish waters were identified during the 440 days at sea, including false killer whales, northern right and blue whales.
Some 37 seabird species were also observed, with highlights including the Brunnich's Guillemot and soft-plumaged petrel which are rare visitors to this coastline.
The study, due for publication shortly, was funded by the Rockall and Porcupine Studies Group attached to the Irish Petroleum Infrastructure Programme.
UCC's environmental research institute signed a memorandum of understanding with the Naval Service as part of the transfer.
The CMRC has identified four key research objective of seabed mapping, sediment dynamics and climate change studies; integrated coastal and marine area management; geographical information systems, remote sensing, modelling and internet technologies for marine and coastal management; and further studies on marine mammals and seabirds.
The CMRC is managed by Ms Valerie Cummins, and has 19 international scientific staff involved in 21 research projects.
It has received funding from the Higher Education Authority to produce the first Irish marine digital atlas, and a prototype for this will be published on the internet this winter at http://mida.ucc.ie
Speaking at the opening of the centre at Haulbowline yesterday, Mr Smith said that Dr Glucksman and his wife, Ms Loretta Brennan Glucksman, had made "a quite remarkable contribution to the well-being and development of Irish academic research and Irish culture".
Dr Glucksman, a New York financier and philanthropist, and his wife first came to Ireland in 1984 to investigate exchanges between Irish universities and New York University, where Mr Glucksman was a trustee and where they eventually founded Ireland House.
Dr Glucksman, a shareholder in Fitzwilton, has been a major contributor to the Ireland Funds founded by Dr AJF O'Reilly. He has also contributed to the University of Limerick.
