Dr. Josef F. Stuefer (Coordinator JPI Oceans, Council Earth and Life Sciences) is senior policy advisor and program manager at the Dutch research council for Earth and Life Sciences . His national duties include the management of the Dutch National Program for Sea- and Coastal Research and the coordination of the scientific activities for the Dutch Governmental Priority Theme “Water”. Josef has worked as senior policy advisor at the Dutch Ministry for Education, Culture and Science, focusing on water-related policy issues. Internationally, Josef represents his organization and/or The Netherlands in various scientific bodies, such as the ESF Marine Board, the ECORD Council (scientific ocean research drilling) and the ICDP Assembly of Governors (Continental Research Drilling). Josef has 15 years of research experience at universities and other research institutions in the Netherlands, USA, UK and Japan.