Preface: European Commission’s Marie Curie Action ECOSUMMER

Abstract

Marie Curie (born Marja Sklodowska) was the first person to win Nobel Prizes in two sciences (in Physics-1903 and in Chemistry-1911). She moved from her native Poland to study and pursue a scientific career in France and became well known for her dedication, persistence and passion for work. Her scientific achievements are all the more remarkable for taking place at a time in history when conditions for research and in particular for women in science were often difficult. She was well liked by both her colleagues and friends, to whom she was able to communicate the passion she felt for her work. Hence, it is fitting that the European Commission named its programme of training awards for young researchers after Madame Curie. Marie Curie Actions provide the opportunity for young researchers to improve their research skills and enhance their career prospects through competitive and intensive efforts, mobility and dedication; characteristics that will always contribute to the establishment of a promising scientific career. Specifically, Marie Curie Initial Training Networks (ITN) promote the mobility of young researchers, between different European countries and into Europe from other parts of the world, an important step that exposes them to a variety of established research centres and universities in order to meet, interact with, and collaborate with other researchers, expand their research ideas and horizons, and develop those character attributes required in the increasingly competitive field of research. This issue presents some of the scientific output of one such network in the field of marine sciences. ECOSUMMER (ECOsystem approach to SUstainable Management of the Marine Environment and its living Resources) was a 4-year (2006–2009) multihost Training Site for Early-Stage Research Training (EST). Eight universities and research institutes collaborated in the project: the University of Aberdeen (UABDN, UK), the Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory (FRS, UK), the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS, UK), the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR, GR), the Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia (IEO, ES) with Guest editors: Graham J. Pierce, Vasilis D. Valavanis, M. Begona Santos & Julio M. Portela / Marine Ecosystems and Sustainability