Volunteering Opportunities

Join a branch committee

By joining a branch committee you will be an integral part of the Institute, enabling our activities in your local area. Our branches make IMarEST activities accessible to members across the world. These include technical lectures, conferences, networking, events and activities to inspire the next generation of marine engineers, scientists and technologists. You will develop links with other members, organisations and government and develop your career through exchanging knowledge with other marine professionals

Find your local Branch to get involved. 

Join the Membership Committee

Support candidates by providing advice on membership and registration through the Membership Committee. Sitting on the committee involves assessing and scrutinising applications for corporate membership (the membership categories of Fellow, Member and Associate Member) and applications for reduced fees and then making recommendations to Council. You will also make the final decisions around applications for professional registration (Chartered, Incorporated, Registered or Technician status).

Become a PRI assessor

Members wanting to become a Fellow or to gain Incorporated, Registered or Chartered status are required to attend a Professional Review Interview (PRI) to assess their competence. Your role as a PRI assessor would be to conduct this interview, assuming you are at the same level or more advanced than the person you are interviewing. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the breadth and diversity of your profession and to experience the enthusiasm of your peers, hear their innovative ideas and help you keep in mind your own performance, adaptability and receptiveness to different ways of thinking. Interaction with people from outside your usual work life is hugely valuable and will help you progress in your own career. You will also be ensuring the maintenance of high standards for the future of the marine sector

Become a CPD-recognition assessor

It is crucial that those working in marine engineering, science and technology maintain their continuing professional development (CPD) for the marine sector to remain at the forefront of innovation and technological progress. By assessing training courses, events and conferences against set criteria, and recognising that engaging in them would contribute to an individual’s CPD, you are helping professionals to not only stay up to date but also to progress in their careers. You will make a recommendation to the PAEC for the course to be recognised or alternatively, you will provide guidance on what improvements can be made to meet the criteria.

Join the Professional Affairs and Education Committee

As a member of the PAEC, you will lead on setting the Institute’s academic and professional development standards, dealing directly with the Engineering Council and Science Council on education, training and registration matters. You will make the final decisions regarding accreditation and CPD recognition. The PAEC is also responsible for identifying and training accreditation and CPD-recognition assessors and for making recommendations of award winners and grant recipients. 

Become an accreditation assessor

This is a great opportunity to engage with the current state of education in marine disciplines as well furthering the advancement of the sector by recognising excellence in teaching. As an accreditation assessor you will ensure that academic courses provide a high standard of teaching/training, development opportunities, mentoring and support throughout the course. If they meet set criteria, you will make a recommendation to the PAEC for the course to be accredited or alternatively, you will provide guidance on what improvements can be made to meet the criteria.

Join the Technical Leadership Board (TLB)

The IMarEST is a significant participant in industry, government and academic matters, providing impartial marine technical expertise for the benefit of society. The TLB is integral to this role. As a member of the TLB, you will ensure key marine engineering, science and technology issues are addressed and provide strategic direction on those issues as well as giving guidance on how and where the Institute should influence, provide technical contribution through research and best practice and contribute to policy development. You will work closely with the IMarEST Special Interest Groups.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and SIG committees

Help advance a variety of areas across the marine sector by participating or leading in our Special Interest Groups. A wide range of SIGs exist, reflecting the depth of knowledge and scale of marine activity that IMarEST members are involved in, including groups on: Biofouling Management, Small Ships, Human Element, Ballast Water Management, Emissions from Shipping, Maritime Cyber Risk Management, E-Navigation, Offshore Renewables, Operational Oceanography and Unmanned Surface and Underwater Vessels.

If a SIG covering your field of interest does not currently exist, the IMarEST will provide support for you to start your own.

IMarEST technical experts

In order to become an IMarEST technical expert, you will need to have a high level of expertise in one or more specific areas. You can then be called upon to contribute to relevant Institute activities such as:

• Getting involved in developing regulations and standards
• Being invited to review journal papers in your area of expertise (for which you will receive a free 60-day subscription to the relevant IMarEST journal and a CPD certificate)
• Helping and supporting other members by answering questions sent to our technical query inbox [email protected]
• Being invited to chair or speak at events and conferences

Contribute to technical activities

• Contribute to IMarEST position statements and respond to member consultations on topics which you are passionate about and that impact the marine community and wider world.
• Get involved in horizon scanning activities to look at future trends, uncertainties and challenges. l Support or participate in roundtable discussions.
• Get involved in research projects.
• Support and promote campaigns e.g. reducing accident rates at sea, ensuring safety of navigation in the Arctic or filling the gaps in global bathymetric data

Join conference organising committees

You will advise on conference location, programme, themes and potential attendees and sponsors. Our sector-leading learned society events cannot be run without our members’ expertise and experience. We aim to support delegates and speakers with conducting better research, the sharing and dissemination of research, highlighting new ideas and technological developments and to advance and promote the profession. By being on a conference organising committee you will have the extremely rewarding role of facilitating these objectives.

Review technical papers

You will determine whether a specific technical or scientific paper is worthy of publication in the Journal of Operational Oceanography (JOO) or the Journal of Marine Engineering & Technology (JMET). Two to three objective reviewers – with a high level of expertise in the subject – are generally selected for each paper. Becoming a reviewer gives you access to the latest developments in your specialist area and helps you contribute to the advancement of your subject and to the profession by ensuring the best quality research is published. You will also receive a 60-day subscription to either JOO or JMET on completion of a satisfactory review.

Join journal editorial boards

For the Journal of Marine Engineering & Technology (JMET) or the Journal of Operational Oceanography (JOO).

You will advise on the direction for the journal, giving feedback on past issues and making suggestions for both subject matter and potential authors to ensure the journals remain at the forefront of research and innovation. This is a prestigious position and an excellent way to become better known in a specialist field. You will see the latest research before anyone else and be able to shape the discipline by coordinating special issues, supplements or review papers.

Join the Publications Supervisory Board (PSB)

Become a custodian of the latest research in marine engineering, science and technology, overseeing the quality of the IMarEST proceedings and appointing editors-in-chief for the IMarEST’s journals: Journal of Marine Engineering and Technology (JMET), Journal of Operational Oceanography (JOO) and Marine Technical Notes (MTN). You will ensure that the editorial board for each journal is working well to produce papers reflecting the interests of the marine community.

You will also advise the Institute on its book strategy and portfolio, including recommendations on which subject areas require coverage, potential new markets and developments around the publication of learned society papers and books. You will also have the opportunity to identify outstanding authors and recommend them for relevant awards.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is the IMarEST’s governing body and has responsibility for policy and strategic matters. Vacancies for Trustees of the Board are advertised as required. Additionally, by-invitation members of the Board are usually chairs of council committees or IMarEST representatives of our licensing bodies (Engineering Council and Science Council); they attend and participate in Board of Trustees meetings but are neither trustees of the IMarEST nor voting members of the Board.

Council

The purpose of the IMarEST Council is to represent our members and to advise the Board of Trustees, providing leadership on the strategic and operational delivery of the professional, technical and learned society activities of the Institute.

Council oversees the work of its four committees:                                                                                         

• Membership Committee
• Professional Affairs & Education Committee (PAEC)
• Publications Supervisory Board (PSB)
• Technical Leadership Board (TLB)

It also serves as a key channel of communication between the Institute, its branches and its members. Council also appoints key roles including the President, President-Elect, Council Trustees, elected members of Council and Honorary Fellows.