Outside view of the Churchill Marine Observatory with the northern lights, or aurora borealis, in the sky

Churchill Marine Observatory

Research

The research at CMO is transformative.

The multidisciplinary approach of CMO provides new insights into extreme weather and climate change. CMO provides the facilities necessary for leading edge studies into the detection, impact and mitigation of oil spills and related contaminants in sea ice-covered waters. Through the unique combination of mesocosm studies, information collected through the Environmental Observatory and the capabilities of the dedicated research vessel, researchers are able to better understand the processes that affect freshwater marine coupling.

Research facilities

CMO is comprised of a number of modern labs and facilities allowing researchers to conduct world-leading science. Our facilities are also available for booking by organizations that conduct Arctic research.

More photos from CMO

Governance

  • CMO is governed by a Board of Directors which is responsible for managing and supervising the activities and affairs of CMO. A majority of the board members are senior officials from participating institutions, government, industry, non-governmental organizations, and not-for-profit organizations. 

    Board Co-Chairs: Dr. Gary Stern, University of Manitoba and Mr. Adrian Schimnowski, CEO of Arctic Research Foundation

  • CMO is also managed by two-sub committees that report directly to the board: 

    1. Ocean Sea Ice Mesocosm Research Management Committee (OSIM-RMC): manages the research programs and ensures the ongoing assessment of all projects, to provide recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding research priorities and budget allocations
       
    2. Environmental Observing system & Research Vessel Committee (EO & RVC): manages the research programs aboard the RV William Kennedy and provides recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding vessel maintenance, science usage, and budget allocations.

Team

Funding and partners

CMO was funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the provinces of Manitoba and Alberta, the University of Manitoba and several federal and private partners.

Architectural and Engineering support provided by Prairie Architects and the KGS Group.

Contact us

Dr. Feiyue Wang, OSIM Chief Scientist