Prominent visitor at the ICBM of the University of Oldenburg: Federal Research Minister Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka recently visited the ICBM to learn about the most recent achievements of Oldenburg’s marine researchers. One focus was on the new Helmholtz institute for Marine Biodiversity which is set up in Oldenburg in cooperation with the Alfred-Wegener-Institute (AWI) in Bremerhaven. Another focus was on the future Lower Saxony Center for Marine Sensors which will be built at the university location of Wilhelmshaven. The biggest habitat is under threat: overfishing, climate change and littering. The subject microplastics alone has serious impact on nature and human beings. The ocean is in urgent need of our help. Each year 13 million tons of litter end up in the ocean. All these problems can only be solved if supported by excellent marine research, as done here in Oldenburg, said the Federal Research Minister Wanka during her visit. https://www.uni-oldenburg.de/news/art/ministerin-wanka-besucht-oldenburger-meeresforscher-2506/