About the MIDA Team

The MIDA team currently consists of Kathrin Kopke, Rory Scarrott, Declan Dunne, Ashley Bennison and Jesus Ortuno.

Kathrin oversees the project, keeping the team on track. Previously she has been responsible for metadata implementation and the sourcing of many of the data layers. Rory is the data manager; co-ordinating the acquisition and preparation of new layers as well as updating the atlas. Declan contributes to the project in the area of database design and programming. Ashley contribution is focused on providing technical support. Jesus started his MIDA internship in January 2015 as part of the Leonardo da Vinci vocational training programme. He is maintaining the MIDA website as well as creating, editing and uploading GIS layers.

Ned Dwyer, one of the MIDA "parents", who previously oversaw the development and successful continuation of MIDA, has moved on to become the Executive-Director of EurOcean based in Lisbon, Portugal. Alfonso Paga joined the MIDA team initially in November 2013 on a six month internship with the European Leonardo Da Vinci Programme and continued to work for CMRC till December 2014. Thibaut Juge, from CNAM-Intechmer in France, joined the MIDA team in April 2014 for a 5 month. During his internship he focused on updating the existing layers and the general maintenance of MIDA web. He returned to France after his placement. Daragh Kervick joined the MIDA team in October 2012 with the National Internship Scheme JobBridge to learn about GIS and WebGIS. She successfully completed the internship in Summer 2013 and has since moved on to work in conservation projects in South Africa and to pursue her career as a marine biologist. Miguel Castillo joined MIDA in May 2012 having received a grant from the Leonardo da Vinci programme. He focused on updating the existing layers and creating new ones, as well as the general maintenance of the MIDA website. He returned to Spain after his placement. David Roig joined the MIDA team in March 2012, after receiving funding from the European Socrates Erasmus programme. He focused on updating the existing layers and creating new ones, as well as the general maintenance of the MIDA website. He successfully completed the internship and started in October 2013 an MSc with the CMRC. Hector Barco joined the MIDA team in May 2011 and got involved in several projects in CMRC after completing his intership while continuing to keep the MIDA up to date and running. He left to return to Spain in December 2011. Iván Portugués initially joined the MIDA team in November 2010, and maintained the MIDA website, GIS and metadata database, whilst creating a number of new layers. He returned to Spain in August 2011, to work in the Confederación Hidrográfica del Jucar in Valencia. Diego completed the Leonardo da Vinci vocational training programme in 2008 and since then he kept working on GIS data incorporation and update in the MIDA project. He left MIDA at the end of 2010, currently studying a PhD programme in Denmark. Valerie who previously oversaw the development of MIDA and kept the team on track, is currently directing the MERC3 initiative. Paula joined the MIDA team in April 2009 to start the Leonardo da Vinci vocational training programme her main tasks being creating, editing and preparing various GIS layers as well as completing metadata records. She returned to Spain having successfully completed the training programme. Iban Ameztoy returned to Spain in March 2008. He initially joined the MIDA team on a 12 month Leonardo da Vinci vocational training programme in March 2006. He then continued working for the CMRC and MIDA creating, editing and preparing various GIS layers as well as completing metadata records. Liz O'Dea, one of the MIDA "parents", returned to the United States in December 2007. She joined the CMRC in 2002 and worked on the atlas design, implementation, GIS data integration, web development and management of the MIDA project. Ciara Herron left the MIDA team in the summer of 2007 after two years of sourcing and preparing datasets for Northern Ireland. Yvette Harrington joined the MIDA team for six weeks work-experience in June/July 2007, writing a number of information pages for the atlas. Natasha Faucher left the CMRC in March 2007 after a six month internship from the Marine Institute International Internship Programme of the Memorial University of Newfoundland. Juan Arévalo Torres returned to Spain in December 2006 after working with MIDA and the CMRC for almost two years. After completing a six month Leonardo da Vinci vocational training program with MIDA, Juan worked as the data manager of the atlas. Carlo Brondi continued his studies in Italy in September 2006 after a three-month GIS internship in the CMRC. Kristell Coutel left the CMRC in December 2005 after a seven month GIS internship from her University in France. Dídac Perales returned to Spain in March 2005 after completing a year of work on a Leonardo grant with MIDA in preparing various GIS layers, metadata and information pages.