Scientific Committee On Oceanic Research

What Scientific Committee On Oceanic Research does

The Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization founded in 1957 by the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU, now the International Science Council) as its first interdisciplinary body. SCOR coordinates global ocean science research through a portfolio of working groups (short-term focused research), research projects (long-term large-scale initiatives including GEOTRACES, SOLAS, IMBeR), and infrastructural projects (COBS, IOCCP, SOOS) that produce scientific standards, methodologies, intercalibrated datasets, and best practices for the international ocean science community.

SCOR's technical outputs include foundational standards such as TEOS-10 (Thermodynamic Equation of State of Seawater-2010, the international SI standard for seawater properties) and global datasets like the GEOTRACES trace elements and isotopes database spanning all ocean basins. The organization also maintains the open-access Zooplankton DNA Barcode Database (WG 157 MetaZooGene) and coordinates ocean carbon observation networks through IOCCP. SCOR's secretariat is hosted at the University of Delaware with 1-10 employees, and the organization is incorporated in Maryland as a 501(c)(3).

SCOR's business model is non-commercial: it is funded by contributions from 70+ member national committees and external grants (primarily from the U.S. National Science Foundation and foundations such as the Agouron Institute and Simons Foundation). All activities, including working group participation, capacity development programs (Visiting Scholars, POGO-SCOR Fellowships, Research Discovery Camps), and access to publications and data products, are provided free of charge to eligible scientists worldwide.

Name

Scientific Committee On Oceanic Research

Legal name

Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research

Website

https://scor-int.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SCOR is an international non-profit founded in 1957 that coordinates global ocean science research through working groups, large-scale research projects (GEOTRACES, SOLAS, IMBeR), and capacity development programs. It serves ocean scientists worldwide via 70+ member national committees, funded by member dues and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Ocean Science Coordination

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE), Scientific & Laboratory Reference (Chemistry, Biology, Physics; Methods & Protocols) (EDAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Ocean science coordination
• Marine research standards
• International scientific collaboration
• Capacity development programs
• Oceanographic research projects

Headquarters

HQ city

Newark

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Member National Committee Contributions: SCOR is funded primarily through contributions from its member national committees who provide oversight and connections to national communities of scientists.
2. U.S. National Science Foundation Grants: SCOR receives grant funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (grants OCE-2513154 and OCE-2346864) to support infrastructural projects such as COBS and IOCCP, as well as the Visiting Scholars Program.
3. Foundation Funding: SCOR activities are supported by foundation grants, including from the Agouron Institute and Simons Foundation for Research Discovery Camps in Namibia.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SCOR coordinates international ocean science research through Working Groups (focused interdisciplinary collaborations producing publications and data syntheses), large-scale Research Projects (such as GEOTRACES, SOLAS, IMBeR), Infrastructural Projects (COBS, IOCCP, SOOS that build databases, communities, and standards), and Capacity Development Programs (Visiting Scholars, POGO-SCOR Fellowships, Regional Graduate Networks of Oceanography, and Research Discovery Camps). The organization produces foundational scientific standards (notably TEOS-10 for seawater properties) and global intercalibrated datasets for the worldwide ocean science community. All activities are funded through member national committee contributions and external grants, with participation provided free of charge to eligible scientists.

Product overview

The Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR) is an international non-governmental non-profit organization that coordinates global ocean science research rather than offering commercial products. SCOR's portfolio consists of international scientific programs organized around Working Groups (short-term focused research), Research Projects (long-term large-scale initiatives like GEOTRACES, SOLAS, IMBeR), and Infrastructural Projects (COBS, IOCCP, SOOS) that build databases and communities. Capacity Development Programs including Visiting Scholars, POGO-SCOR Fellowships, and Regional Graduate Networks support developing-country scientists. SCOR also contributes to UN Ocean Decade endorsed activities and produces scientific publications. All activities are funded by member committees and grants, with the Secretariat hosted at the University of Delaware.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Development of TEOS-10 international standard for seawater properties, replacing EOS-80
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• GEOTRACEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR, through NSF funding, is the sole international sponsor of the GEOTRACES project, which creates a global dataset of trace elements and isotopes in every ocean basin. This is SCOR's flagship international research project for marine biogeochemistry.
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR co-sponsors GlobalHAB with IOC-UNESCO. SCOR-IOC jointly sponsored the GEOHAB project and the CO2 Panel that led to IOCCP. IOC participates in SCOR working groups and projects including GLOBEC.
• International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Ocean (IAPSO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR and IAPSO co-sponsored WG 127 on Thermodynamics and Equation of State of Seawater, which created TEOS-10. Both organizations co-sponsored the Joint Committee on Seawater with IAPWS.
• International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR, IAPSO, and IAPWS co-sponsored the Joint Committee on Seawater responsible for maintaining and improving TEOS-10 standards.
• Surface Ocean-Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOLAS provides international science coordination and capacity building to advance understanding of ocean-atmosphere interactions for carbon and other elements. SCOR has co-sponsored SOLAS activities including summer schools.
• Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (IMBeR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIMBeR focuses on ocean sustainability under global change. SCOR co-sponsored the project from 2009 onwards. IMBeR runs ClimEco summer schools and regional programs including ICED for the Southern Ocean.
• Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR sponsors SOOS jointly with the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR). SOOS coordinates observations in the Southern Ocean through development of coordination networks and tools.
• International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2005, SCOR has supported IOCCP jointly with IOC. IOCCP facilitates development of a global network of ocean carbon observations through technical coordination and international standards agreements.
• GlobalHABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR co-funds GlobalHAB with IOC-UNESCO, an infrastructural program on harmful algal blooms that evolved from the GEOHAB project.
• International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR and IUPAC created WG 109 on The Biogeochemistry of Iron in Seawater in 1996, which advanced understanding of iron's role in ocean productivity.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO co-sponsored multiple SCOR working groups and projects, and publishes SCOR working group outputs in the Monographs on Oceanographic Methodology series.
• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR and SCAR jointly sponsor the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) to enhance coordinated collection of observations in the Southern Ocean.
• UN Ocean DecadecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple SCOR activities have received endorsements from the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), including GEOTRACES, GlobalHAB, IMBeR, IOCCP, SOLAS, SOOS, and various working groups.
• Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR and POGO jointly operate the POGO-SCOR Fellowship Programme for early-career scientists. Both organizations collaborate on capacity development activities.
• Agouron InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Agouron Institute funds Research Discovery Camps at the University of Namibia since 2014, conducted within the RGNO concept developed by SCOR.
• Simons FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2018, the Simons Foundation joined the Agouron Institute in funding Research Discovery Camps in Namibia.
• International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCOR, UNESCO, and ICES created WG 13 on Zooplankton Sampling Methods in 1963 and collaborated on standardizing zooplankton collection and analysis methods.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO: IOC-UNESCO is SCOR's closest counterpart: both convene international ocean science coordination bodies. They co-sponsor projects like GlobalHAB and IOCCP, and operate overlapping mandates in ocean observing standards and capacity building, making them direct functional peers.
• International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES): ICES coordinates marine science among governments (primarily North Atlantic), historically collaborating with SCOR on standards (e.g., WG 13 zooplankton methods). It is a regional but comparably-structured peer organization convening working groups and producing scientific advice.
• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR): SCAR is the Antarctic counterpart of SCOR under the International Science Council, jointly sponsoring SOOS with SCOR. Same founding-era origin, similar operating model (working groups, scientific research coordination), and overlapping science community.
• Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans (POGO): POGO is a forum of major oceanographic institutions that, like SCOR, focuses on international observation coordination and capacity development, and jointly runs the POGO-SCOR Fellowship Programme. Directly comparable in mission and beneficiary community.
• World Climate Research Programme (WCRP): WCRP coordinates global climate science across coupled ocean-atmosphere-cryosphere domains that SCOR also covers (e.g., SOLAS, SOOS). It uses a similar working-group and large-scale-project model and overlaps substantively with SCOR's atmospheric-ocean programs.
• Future Earth: Future Earth is an ISC-affiliated international research coordination platform focused on global sustainability, operating with the same working-group/network model as SCOR but broader (climate, biodiversity, development). It is a comparable 'science coordination for global change' peer.
• Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS): GOOS is the intergovernmental UN-system framework for ocean observations; it shares SCOR's mission of integrating ocean observations globally and overlaps with SCOR projects like SOOS and IOCCP. Directly comparable peer in coordinating global ocean data.

Broad incumbents

• International Science Council (ISC): ISC is SCOR's parent/umbrella body (formerly ICSU), convening a much broader portfolio of scientific unions and committees across all disciplines. It is comparable as the supra-structure that legitimizes SCOR's role and provides international diplomatic standing.
• International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA): IIASA is a multi-national, treaty-based research institute that convenes international science collaboration across borders, comparable in structure to SCOR (international governance, member-country funding, working-group research outputs) though broader in topic scope.

Emerging players

• International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) legacy / sustained programs: Programs that emerged from or were modeled alongside IGBP (such as SOLAS, IMBeR) operated under the same ICSU-era coordination model as SCOR. They are thematic peers in international Earth-system research orchestration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SCOR_Int
• Facebookfacebook.com/1089153774455148
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scientific-committee-on-oceanic-research

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Scientific Committee On Oceanic Research