Milos: Active Rifting, Vents & Ecosystem Links - MARVEL

MARVEL BIP aims to develop advanced skills in marine biogeoscience through multidisciplinary training in active volcanic and hydrothermal environments. It supports the CIVIS Alliance mission by promoting cross-university collaboration, field-based learning, and student mobility while addressing key societal challenges in environmental protection, climate change, and sustainable resource use.  

The programme focuses on Milos Island (Greece), a globally unique natural laboratory where submarine-to-subaerial volcanism, shallow-sea hydrothermal venting, metallogenesis, and tectonic activity interact. This setting provides an ideal environment for practical learning in environmental monitoring, risk assessment of toxic metals (e.g., mercury, arsenic), and the application of state-of-the-art marine technologies.  

Programme structure and workload: 6 ECTS (150–180 hours):  

• 7-day online module (42 hours synchronous learning + independent study): introduction to volcano-tectonics, biogeochemistry, geomicrobiology, and Hg analytics.  
• 5-day field module (40 hours contact time + field reporting): mapping, sampling, ROV/ USV operation, data interpretation, and safety practices.  

The workload includes lectures, virtual exercises, supervised laboratory work, field campaigns, and a final assessed group report, fully aligned with the learning outcomes.  

• practical training in planning, performing, and interpreting multidisciplinary fieldwork in complex geodynamic settings. 
• strengthening students’ analytical capability in toxic trace element cycling, with emphasis on mercury speciation in marine environments;
• equipping students with operational experience in high-tech tools such as ROVs and USVs in shallow hydrothermal systems;
• building transferable competences in environmental data quality assurance, risk awareness, and effective scientific communication.  

Upon completion, students will be able to: 

• explain geological and biogeochemical processes driving shallow hydrothermal vent systems;
• understand mercury behaviour, toxicity, and environmental regulation in marine settings;
• plan and execute sampling of seawater, biota, and sea-surface microlayer using ultra-clean protocols;
• operate ROV/USV systems for underwater mapping and data acquisition;
• perform high-precision analytical techniques (CVAAS, CVAFS; hybrid participation in GC-ICP-MS).

Competences:

• integrate multidisciplinary datasets and deliver high-quality environmental assessments;
• apply safety, ethical, and quality-control procedures during field and laboratory work;
• communicate findings effectively to scientific and stakeholder audiences.

The hands-on course is linked to the overall learning outcomes, by a 5 days intense programme:

1. Field work techniques: 

• ROV: optical imaging, seaflor exploration;
• USV sampling, for sea surface microlayer; 
• identification of volcanic morphotectonic features (faults, domes, craters, basins);
• creation of tectonic maps;
• onsite observations of the intense volcanic activity-mineralogy (vents, hot springs, etc);
• measurements of physicochemical parameters in aquatic samples (temperature, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, PH etc.);
• basic principles of sampling (devices, cleaning procedures, sterilization, packing, safety, contamination risk etc.) 

2. Analytical Techniques: determination of Total Hg and DGM. Total Hg and dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM = Hg0 + DMHg) will bedetermined via cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (CVAFS; BROOKS Rand Model)

3. Bioconcentration-bioaccumulation. To investigate bioconcentration and bioaccumulation of different Hg species (pHg, pMMHg) along the local marine food web, we will demonstrate sample suspended particles andphytoplankton with a teflon pump, zooplankton with nets, and local benthic biota. 

4. Quality Assurance (QA) / Quality Control (QC) of the previous processes and fluid dispersion will be integrated into numerical simulations for Hg biogeochemistry tracking the biotic and abiotic Hg transformations.

The virtual component of MARVEL will be held from 9 November 2026  to 12 February 2027. The online part of the course serves as a structured preparation phase that equips students with the scientific knowledge, technical understanding, and collaborative readiness needed for the physical mobility on Milos. It combines synchronous instruction, guided self-study, and group activities delivered through an accessible online platform.  Moreover, the online component includes:

• Synchronous sessions will include lectures and interactive seminars on volcano-tectonic settings, shallow hydrothermal vents, trace-metal cycling (with emphasis on mercury and arsenic), ecosystem responses, and environmental risk frameworks. AMU will introduce analytical methods for mercury speciation and QA/QC principles, while SU will guide students through ecotoxicological concepts and case studies. NKUA will lead geological and hazard-related topics, providing context for Milos’ unique submarine-to-subaerial hydrothermal system. Each live session will include opportunities for discussion, breakout-group problem solving, and Q&A with instructors. 
• Virtual practical exercises will introduce students to instruments used on site, ROVs, USVs, and portable water-chemistry sensors, via demonstrations, video tutorials, and digital mapping tools. This ensures that students are familiar with equipment operation, data structure, and sampling workflow before field deployment.  
• The virtual module will conclude with a preparatory briefing and submission of a group plan summarising intended field observations and sampling priorities. These deliverables will be revisited and applied during the mobility week, ensuring strong continuity between online preparation and hands-on learning.  
  
  Overall, the virtual component builds core competencies and team cohesion, enabling students to maximise the scientific and civic impact of the physical mobility on Milos.

The assessment strategy for MARVEL evaluates students' learning outcomes while promoting critical thinking, collaboration, and practical skills.The methods align with the programme's interdisciplinary nature, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of theoretical knowledge and hands-on competencies.

• Summative assessment: students prepare a concise report (up to 10 pages) summarizing the main outcomes of the virtual component, consolidating their understanding of key theoretical concepts.
• Benchmarking assessment: following the in situ analysis, students critically compare their results with relevant legislation and international standards.
• Final presentation of a teamwork project: students choose a topic that integrates knowledge from both the virtual and physical components. This project highlights the programme's interdisciplinary approach and assesses students' collaborative skills.
• Diagnostic assessment: the overall course assessment is based on a 100-point scale, with a successful mark set at 70% or above, encompassing both online and hands-on components.
• Diagnostic and reflective assessment: students complete course evaluation sheets, offering feedback on their learning experience. This process supports programme enhancement and encourages students to critically evaluate their own learning journey.

Motivation Letter

Level of english (According to CEFR)

CV

Applications will be evaluated by the academic selection committee based on the following criteria:

• academic background and relevance (30%) – alignment of the applicant’s degree and academic performance with the scientific scope of the programme (environmental sciences, marine sciences, geology, chemistry, biology or related fields);
• motivation (30%) – quality of the motivation letter and the applicant’s interest in marine biogeosciences, hydrothermal systems, and environmental monitoring;
• relevant experience (20%) – prior research, laboratory work, or fieldwork related to earth, marine, or environmental sciences;
• collaborative potential (10%) – ability to contribute to interdisciplinary teamwork and international learning environments;
• English proficiency (10%) – capacity to actively participate in course discussions and activities in English.

Asst. Prof. Sotirios Karavoltsos - Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - is an environmental chemist whose research focuses on trace metals and chemical contaminants in aquatic environments, water quality monitoring, and environmental analytical chemistry. His work investigates the occurrence, distribution, and environmental impact of metals and pollutants in marine and freshwater systems.

Prof. Paraskevi Nomikou - Geological Oceanography ,Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - is a marine geologist specializing in submarine volcanism, marine tectonics, and seafloor morphology. Her research focuses on the geological evolution of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc and the structure of submarine volcanic systems such as Santorini and Kolumbo.

Assoc. Prof. Sofi Jonsson - Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University - is an environmental chemist whose research focuses on mercury biogeochemistry, methylmercury formation, and contaminant cycling in aquatic environments. Her work investigates microbial and geochemical processes controlling mercury transformation and bioaccumulation in marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Dr. Lars-Eric Heimbürger-Boavida,Research Scientist – Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), CNRS / Aix-Marseille Université - is a chemical oceanographer whose research focuses on the marine biogeochemistry of mercury and other trace elements. His work investigates mercury speciation, isotope signatures, and the processes controlling trace metal transport and transformation in marine systems.