Five IBSS Scientists Join Pacific Floating University Expedition

On 26 July 2025, the Pacific Floating University expedition departed from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Over 34 days, aboard the R/V Professor Multanovskiy, a scientific team from across Russia will conduct research in the waters of the Sea of Okhotsk and the southeastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The primary objective is to study the structure and dynamics of the Far Eastern marine ecosystems to preserve their biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of biological resources.

The expedition includes five representatives from the A.O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IBSS). Dr. Elena Tikhonova, Head of the Chemoecology Laboratory and Candidate of Biological Sciences, serves as the head of the molysmology team. The biooptics team is led by Nataliia Moiseeva and Elena Skorokhod, researchers at the Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Marine Biooptics, while Ksenia Zaripova, Junior Researcher at the Chemoecology Laboratory, oversees the hydrochemistry team. Georgy Frolkin, Junior Researcher at the Laboratory of Applied Ichthyology (Freshwater and Brackish Water Hydrobiology Research Centre, a branch of IBSS), successfully passed the competitive selection of the All-Russian Floating University Programme and joined the molysmology team as a student.

“Every voyage is more than just a journey—it is a unique experience that leaves an indelible mark on one’s memory and opens new horizons in science. Our research covers a broad spectrum of questions: studying the composition and structure of benthic communities, monitoring marine mammals and birds, determining the hydrological structure of waters in the Pacific shelf and continental slope off Kamchatka’s coast. Additionally, we will assess microplastic and oil pollution, collect biological samples to enrich scientific collections and for genetic barcoding, examine the biooptical characteristics of the water area, and study the distribution of biogenic substances. Participants will encounter breathtaking natural landscapes, collaborate with eminent scientists, and have the opportunity to contribute to the advancement of marine science,” noted Olesya Rutenko, Candidate of Biological Sciences, Senior Researcher at the Laboratory of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Aquatic Organisms (Far Eastern Federal University), and leader of the Pacific Floating University expedition.

We wish the scientific team and crew of the R/V Professor Multanovskiy good luck, fair winds, and seven feet beneath the keel!

Background: The Floating University is a nationwide scientific and educational programme that connects students, academic supervisors, graduates, and employers. It helps motivated participants begin their research careers and become part of the scientific community. The project is implemented through collaboration among Russia’s leading educational, scientific, and industrial institutions focused on the study, exploration, and conservation of the World Ocean. The Coordination Centre for the Floating University, based at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, organises the programme. The Floating University operates with support from the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, aligns with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and is part of the “Science Wins” initiative of the Russian Decade of Science and Technology.

For more information, visit: https://pu-ocean.ru/2025?ysclid=mdmyg6dbg6943854337