Meeting #01 - October 2024
The first meeting focused on governance and the progress and planning for RV Investigator’s mid-life refit. Members endorsed the TIAG Terms of Reference and inclusion of two early career researchers as members and emphasised the importance of broad disciplinary engagement. Updates on equipment performance and strategic planning for future vessel capability were shared, including the successful installation of the EM2040 echosounder and plans for winch upgrades.
TIAG members highlighted the need for clearer feedback mechanisms to the user community and improved data management strategies for new science capabilities. Actions included consolidating voyage Chief Scientist survey feedback for TIAG consideration and enhancing community engagement.
Meeting #02 - April 2025
The second meeting focused on progress updates from RV Investigator’s mid-life refit, including winch capabilities, seawater systems, and HVAC air quality monitoring. Members reviewed capital expenditure plans for maintaining and upgrading ship infrastructure, discussed the strategic investment process for new capabilities, and explored emerging trends such as modular coastal fleets and autonomous systems. A wide range of new capability suggestions were proposed, spanning deep-sea ROVs, atmospheric remote sensing, geoscience labs, and biological oceanography tools.
Actions were agreed to improve equipment deployment efficiency, enhance voyage planning resources, and gather stakeholder input to guide future investment priorities.
Meeting #03 - August 2025
This meeting focused on updates to capability management projects, including the completion of several maintenance items and the addition of a TMR CTD (Trace Metal Rosette Conductivity, Temperature, Depth instrument) replacement. The group discussed the relocation and upgrade of the radon detector, the need for clearer communication about capability changes, and ongoing technical support for data management and cybersecurity. Strategic capability discussions were informed by the National Marine Science Committee Draft White Papers, a discussion around the visibility of Antarctic research and the importance of highlighting key regions like the deep ocean.
The meeting undertook a preliminary review of 23 capability proposals, with significant interest in ROV capability, and the Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP) identified as a high-priority, short-term need. The group agreed to implement a structured decision-making framework to effectively prioritise proposals.
Meeting #04 - October 2025
Members reviewed 24 MNF capability proposals from the MNF Capability Needs Survey, focusing on strategic alignment with national research priorities and the breadth of benefit to the research community. The group emphasised the importance of supporting ship-based research infrastructure, discussed operational and technical challenges, and agreed that some types of proposals such as national instrumentation pools would require expanded mandates and resources.
Members were tasked with finalising their scoring of proposals that guide the overall advice on priorities. The next steps involve internal MNF teams assessing feasibility and operational impact to guide future investments.
Meeting #01 - October 2024
The first meeting focused on governance and the progress and planning for RV Investigator’s mid-life refit. Members endorsed the TIAG Terms of Reference and inclusion of two early career researchers as members and emphasised the importance of broad disciplinary engagement. Updates on equipment performance and strategic planning for future vessel capability were shared, including the successful installation of the EM2040 echosounder and plans for winch upgrades.
TIAG members highlighted the need for clearer feedback mechanisms to the user community and improved data management strategies for new science capabilities. Actions included consolidating voyage Chief Scientist survey feedback for TIAG consideration and enhancing community engagement.
Meeting #02 - April 2025
The second meeting focused on progress updates from RV Investigator’s mid-life refit, including winch capabilities, seawater systems, and HVAC air quality monitoring. Members reviewed capital expenditure plans for maintaining and upgrading ship infrastructure, discussed the strategic investment process for new capabilities, and explored emerging trends such as modular coastal fleets and autonomous systems. A wide range of new capability suggestions were proposed, spanning deep-sea ROVs, atmospheric remote sensing, geoscience labs, and biological oceanography tools.
Actions were agreed to improve equipment deployment efficiency, enhance voyage planning resources, and gather stakeholder input to guide future investment priorities.
Meeting #03 - August 2025
This meeting focused on updates to capability management projects, including the completion of several maintenance items and the addition of a TMR CTD (Trace Metal Rosette Conductivity, Temperature, Depth instrument) replacement. The group discussed the relocation and upgrade of the radon detector, the need for clearer communication about capability changes, and ongoing technical support for data management and cybersecurity. Strategic capability discussions were informed by the National Marine Science Committee Draft White Papers, a discussion around the visibility of Antarctic research and the importance of highlighting key regions like the deep ocean.
The meeting undertook a preliminary review of 23 capability proposals, with significant interest in ROV capability, and the Moving Vessel Profiler (MVP) identified as a high-priority, short-term need. The group agreed to implement a structured decision-making framework to effectively prioritise proposals.
Meeting #04 - October 2025
Members reviewed 24 MNF capability proposals from the MNF Capability Needs Survey, focusing on strategic alignment with national research priorities and the breadth of benefit to the research community. The group emphasised the importance of supporting ship-based research infrastructure, discussed operational and technical challenges, and agreed that some types of proposals such as national instrumentation pools would require expanded mandates and resources.
Members were tasked with finalising their scoring of proposals that guide the overall advice on priorities. The next steps involve internal MNF teams assessing feasibility and operational impact to guide future investments.