KNOT - KOREAN Network of Oceanic Teams
KOREAN Network of Oceanic Teams
Empowering Early-Career Ocean Professionals in Korea and Beyond
KNOT is a Korea-based network of Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) established to lower barriers to entering academia, foster ECOP-led initiatives, and strengthen collaboration across ocean-related disciplines. Rooted in Korea, KNOT serves as a hub connecting education, research, policy, and international ECOP activities under the UN Ocean Decade framework.
About KNOT
KNOT, Officially endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade ECOP Programme since March 2025, was created to support early-career oceanographers in building sustainable academic and professional pathways. By providing networking opportunities, mentorship, and platforms for collaboration, KNOT aims to cultivate a vibrant ECOP community in Korea while contributing to regional and global ocean science initiatives.
What KNOT Seeks to Expand and Deepen
Bridging Oceanographers and Educational Institutions
KNOT serves as a bridge between ocean scientists and educational institutions by:
- Supporting outreach programs for elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as universities
- Providing a pool of marine science experts for lectures, mentoring, and R&E programs
- Promoting ocean literacy and the dissemination of ocean science
Raising Awareness Among Policymakers
- Communicating the importance of ocean science and ECOP contributions to policymakers
- Enhancing the visibility of ocean issues and ECOP-led perspectives in decision-making processes
Developing ECOP-Led Research Projects
- Facilitating ECOP-driven research ideas, team building, and collaborative projects
Promoting research initiatives led by ECOPs that can grow into larger national and international collaborations
About KNOT
KNOT activities include:
- Holding regular ECOP sessions at the Korean Oceanography Society’s biannual meetings and planning ECOP-led initiatives
- Operating mentor–mentee programs for graduate students in oceanography
- Hosting group talks and seminars on topics beneficial to future oceanographers, such as further education, scholarships, funding, and career opportunities
- Publishing and sharing newsletters and email updates on scholarships, support programs, events, and job opportunities for ECOPs
- Acting as a contact point between ECOPs and marine-related organizations, as well as educational councils of elementary, middle, and high schools in Korea
- Leading updates and coordination for the Korean node of the UN Decade ECOPs program
KNOT Activities
December 2025 at Seoul, Korea – “K-ECOP Workshop for Advancing the UN Ocean Decade”
The domestic ECOP workshop is hosted by the Korea Institute of Marine Science & Technology Promotion (KIMST) and organized by Korean ECOPs. The workshop focused on strengthening networks among ECOPs, enhancing communication with policymakers, discussing ECOP-led research project ideas, and exploring strategies to support and expand future ECOP activities.
November 2025 at Uljin, Korea – Participation in the Ocean Science Road Forum-International Workshop
An international workshop was held at the Korea National Ocean Science Museum (Uljin, Korea), involving middle and high school students. The workshop introduced marine ecosystems, the UN Decade of Ocean Science, including ECOP activities, and discussed approaches for utilizing ocean big data. Through interactive discussions, the workshop aimed to encourage interest and participation in ocean science research and education, and to promote collaboration between scientists, educators, and students.
May 2025 at Busan, Korea – Korean Society of Oceanography Spring Meeting
A mentor–mentee program was conducted, and activities of the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP) were reported.
Archive
- Online publication of newsletters
- Documentation and sharing of decision-making processes via Google Docs
- Sharing KNOT activities at domestic and international ECOP events
Expected Outcomes
- Establishment of a sustainable and active ECOP community in Korea
- A positive cycle in which junior ECOPs grow into senior ECOP leaders
- Expansion of collaborative, ECOP-led research initiatives
- Stronger connections between Korean ECOPs and the global ECOP network, leading to future international research collaborations
Join KNOT
KNOT welcomes early-career ocean professionals, educators, and collaborators who share a vision of advancing ocean science and empowering the next generation of ocean leaders.
Contact
Please use the following link to register for K-ECOP
Project Lead: Jae-Hyoung Park (oceanjhpark@gmail.com)