GEOTRACES is an international research programme that aims to improve an understanding of biogeochemical cycles in the oceans.
The concept of cycle describes the pathway by which a chemical element moves through the three major compartments of Earth (such as continents, atmosphere, and ocean). Because these cycles are directly related to climate dynamics and are heavily impacted by global change, it is essential to quantify them.
GEOTRACES focuses on the oceanic part of the cycles, with the ambition to map the distribution of trace elements and isotopes in the ocean and to understand the processes controlling this distribution. Some of these trace elements are directly linked to climate via, for example, their role as essential nutrients for life; others allow quantification of ocean processes (origin and dynamics of matter, age of water masses, etc.); some of them are pollutants (for example, lead or mercury). Modelling based on the data collected will thus achieve substantial progress in understanding the current and past of the ocean and improve projections of the ocean’s response to global change.
GEOTRACES is organised internationally under the auspices of the [http://www.scor-int.org/ Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research] (of the International Council for Science). Its management is overseen by a Scientific Steering Committee (SSC), with representatives of 15 nations from across the globe, and the programme involves active participation of more than 30 nations. 
The GEOTRACES SSC was initially led by co-chairs, Prof. Robert F. Anderson of the Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory (Columbia University) and Prof. Gideon M. Henderson from University of Oxford. Current co-chairs are Dr. Maeve Lohan of the University of Southampton and Dr. Karen Casciotti from Stanford University.