A local research group at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat (IUI) is an independent research unit operating on a permanent basis within the Institute and serving as a central pillar of its scientific activity. Each group is led by a resident scientist – a senior academic affiliated with one of IUI’s partner universities, who has relocated their residence and primary research activity to Eilat or the Hevel Eilot region.

The group is managed and directed by the resident scientist and typically includes:

  • Professional laboratory technicians, responsible for the day-to-day operation of the lab and research support
  • Postdoctoral researchers, conducting independent research as part of the group
  • Graduate students (Master’s and Ph.D. level), for whom the resident scientist serves as the principal academic advisor
  • Scientific trainees – early-stage students or visiting scholars who temporarily join specific projects within the group

The Institute serves as the primary base of operations for all group members: offices, laboratories, experimental facilities, and access to the marine environment. Most scientific activities – including marine surveys, scientific diving, field sampling, and laboratory analyses – are carried out either on-site or in the adjacent Gulf of Eilat.

A Scientific, Operational, and Community Anchor

Local research groups form the scientific core of IUI. The resident scientists who lead them also hold key academic, administrative, and community roles within the Institute:

  • They chair key Institute committees such as the Teaching Committee, Diving Committee, and Safety Committee
  • They coordinate and teach academic courses offered through IUI’s educational programs
  • They foster scientific collaborations with visiting researchers, academic institutions in Israel and abroad, and governmental bodies

The combination of daily on-site presence, access to diverse research infrastructure, direct proximity to the marine environment, and long-term institutional support makes local research groups a central engine of scientific excellence, innovation, and operational effectiveness.