The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research in the Helmholtz Association celebrates its 30th birthday. Through its innovative scientific and excellent research infrastructure the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) has developed into one of the world’s leading internationally recognised centres for climate research on both polar regions and the oceans.
The AWI is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, the largest scientific organization in Germany. The Federal Research Ministry provides 90 % of the funding. The federal state of Bremen accounts for 8 %, the states of Brandenburg and Schleswig-Holstein 1 % each.
In addition to the headquarters in Bremerhaven, the research centre includes the Potsdam research unit, the Biological Institute Helgoland and the Sylt Wadden Sea station. The institute has a budget of around 120 million euros and 920 employees.
The AWI conducts research in the Arctic, Antarctic and oceans of the high and mid latitudes. It coordinates polar research in Germany and provides major infrastructure to the international scientific community, such as the research icebreaker Polarstern and stations in the Arctic and Antarctic.
