NEWS FIRST IODP³ SPARC SUCCESSES!

The IODP³ initiative “Scientific Projects using Ocean Drilling Archives” (SPARCs) supports large-scale research projects that leverage legacy core materials and data to address the ambitions of the “2050 Science Framework”.

SPARC Expeditions provide opportunities for the scientific ocean drilling community to engage in innovative, interdisciplinary research involving international collaborations, complementing opportunities provided by IODP³ offshore expeditions.

We are thrilled to announce the first three SPARC successes:

Proposal 1102-S: The Volcanic Ash Record from Ontong Java Plateau: Testing Models of Subduction Reversal, the Reality of ‘Soft-Docking”, and the Eocene to Miocene History of Wind Transport in the Western Equatorial Pacific

Proponents:

Robert Musgrave, Co-Chief Scientist (University of Newcastle, Australia)
Ann Dunlea, Co-Chief Scientist (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA)
Christoph Beier (University of Helsinki, Finland)
Hironao Matsumoto (University of Tsukuba, Japan)
Gideon Rosenbaum (University of Queensland, Australia)

Proposal 1102-S Cover Sheet

Proposal 1104-S: SIGNALS – Stratigraphic Integration of North Atlantic Legacy Sites

Proponents:

David Hodell, Co-Chief Scientist (University of Cambridge, UK)
Arisa Seki, Co-Chief Scientist (Shinshu University, Japan)
Timothy Herbert (Brown University, USA)
Stephen Obrochta (Akita University, Japan)
Antje Voelker (IPMA, Portugal)

Proposal 1104-S Cover Sheet

Proposal 1108-S: ENIGMA – Exploration into a Global Early Miocene Anomaly

Proponents:

Adam Woodhouse, Co-Chief Scientist (Cardiff University, UK)
Jennifer Kasbohm, Co-Chief Scientist (Carnegie Institution for Science, USA)
Alexandra Auderset (University of Southampton, UK)
Kenji Matsuzaki (University of Tokyo, Japan)
Elizabeth Sibert (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, USA)

Proposal 1108-S Cover Sheet

Each of these exciting projects will now move forward as an IODP³ SPARC Expedition, with each receiving €300,000 of funding over a three-year period.

Calls for applications to join the Expedition Science Teams of these SPARC Expeditions will be announced here soon!

Applications will be welcomed from PhD students, early career researchers and senior scientists based in any country that has previously participated in a scientific ocean drilling programme.

Inspired by these successes?

If you have a compelling idea for a future SPARC Expedition, the next proposal deadline is 31 January 2026…

**…by this time next year, you could be leading a SPARC Expedition as a Co-Chief Scientist!**

Submission guidelines for SPARCs are available on our website here.
Our Guide for Applicants is on our website here.
For general information about IODP³ proposals, please see our webpage here.
For questions about proposal submissions, email: proposals@iodp3.org.
For help with registering for an IODP³ Gateway account, email: enquiries@iodp3.org.

July 17, 2025

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