The Key Laboratory of Polar Oceanography and Global Ocean Change (POGOC) was founded by Ocean University of China (OUC) in May, 2005. In July 2007, it became one of the three top laboratories jointly established by a university and the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA), State Oceanic Administration (SOA). Professor Zhao Jinping is the first chief director of POGOC.

POGOC pools all strengths of OUC’s polar research. Our research covers polar ocean and sea ice, weather and climate change, material cycle and environment, ecology and biological resources, politics and law, and technical fields such as on site observation, ice and snow remote sensing, and special materials. As an important force for China’s polar research, we benefit from the OUC’s many ocean-related programs and engage in interdisciplinary studies.

Our members are from 10 colleges of OUC and 2 key laboratories of the Ministry of Education (MOE): College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (COAS), Marine Technology College in Faculty of Information Science and Engineering, College of Marine Life Science (CMLS), School of Medicine and Pharmacy (SMP), Fisheries College, School of International Affairs and Public Administration (SIAPA), Law School, College of Engineering, School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), School of Marxism, Key Laboratory of Physical Oceanography (POL) and Key Laboratory of Marine Chemistry Theory and Technology. 

We have more than 70 permanent staff. Among of them, one was honored  “Excellent member of China Polar Expedition”; two received the funding for Distinguished Young Scholars from the National Natural Science Foundation (NSFC); one was selected as a Leading Talent in Science and Technology Innovation of the National Ten Thousand Talent Program; four were included in the New Century Excellent Talent of the MOE; two are included in Shandong’s Taishan Scholars Program. Currently, we also have more than 150 temporary research staff, consisting of post-doctors, PhD candidates and master’s students.

Since the establishment of POGOC, more than 500 papers on polar research have been published in domestic and international academic journals, including Nature, Science. Our brilliant staff also lead dozens of polar research projects, including the National Program on Key Basic Research Project, the National High-tech R&D Program of China, the National Key R&D Program of China,the NSFC programs, and the Special Fund for Polar Research from CAA. Besides that, We have worked closely with over 10 international polar research institutes in collaborative expeditions and research. So far, over 200 of our staff have participated in polar expeditions, half of which were organized by foreign institutions or POGOC.