Recently Dr. Asbjorn Bergheim, Senior Research Scientist Marine Environment from the International Research Institute of Stavanger (IRIS), Norway visited AIT and met with Professor S. K. Rakshit, Vice President for Research. IRIS is currently collaborating with AIT, with Dr. Dhirendra Thakur as the AIT PI, in a project contributing their expertise in the areas of water circulation and exchange, recirculation of water, oxygenation of water and environmental monitoring of water and organism quality. IRIS (www.irisresearch.no) is a reputed research institute which places emphasis on applied research and commercialization. They are 90% project financed for example by the petroleum industry, land based industry and commerce, regulatory authorities and the Research Council of Norway and EU. IRIS is presently involved in an active collaboration with the University of Stavanger to develop new student education courses within the field of environment science, ecotoxicology and biomarker research. The possibility of there being synergies and collaboration between AIT and IRIS in some of their areas of competence which include marine biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, ecology, physiology, ecotoxicology, molecular biology, microbiology, organic chemistry & inorganic chemistry an aquaculture, were also considered, and will be further pursued.