Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conference 2015: Liverpool
Rebecca Atkins
University of Georgia (USA) and Swansea University (UK)
The Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conference (ABEC) was an incredible undertaking for all those involved in its organization. Building off of a previous conference that took place in 1990, ABEC was organized to both reflect upon the past 25 years of marine and aquatic research, and also to set the stage for future work and collaborative efforts. Having yet to attend an international conference, I was unsure of what to expect.
ABEC surpassed all of my expectations, encompassing a breadth of disciplines and actively seeking to bring together a diverse group of researchers, both established and emerging. The city of Liverpool, with its rich history and an abundance of pubs, was a brilliant choice to not only host this eclectic gathering, but to also foster dynamic interactions and collaborations. Amidst several days of contributed and invited talks, were a smattering of lively tea breaks, special topics workshops, and an exciting evening of pub exploration. Throughout this time, I had numerous opportunities to attend a variety of presentations. I was able to converse with researchers who shared similar interests and enthusiasm, while also networking with fellow graduate students from around the world. As a first year PhD student, attending ABEC gave me the motivation to continue exploring my ideas, expanding my perspectives, and seeking input from others. I also took another stab at conquering my fear of public speaking by presenting both a talk and a poster. Both were well received and resulted in insightful feedback.
One additional, and personally rewarding, result of this conference was earning recognition for both best student oral presentation (first place) and best student poster (third place). This was truly an honor that I will not forget. Being surrounded by a global network of scientists, enjoying a vibrant city, and talking about innovative and engaging research has instilled within me the desire to continue fostering broader collaborative efforts that seek to answer globally relevant questions.
I am extremely grateful to the Challenger Society for giving me such an incredible opportunity, and for allowing me to experience my first conference abroad. Having attended, I feel that I have formed a number of valuable professional and academic connections, which will likely result in future collaborative work outside of my host institution. I have also gained greater confidence in my ability as a researcher, and I’m excited to convey my experiences to peers back at my home institution. Personal profile: I am a first year PhD student at the University of Georgia. Currently, my systems of interest include salt marshes and the rocky shore. I enjoy the dynamic nature of coastal ecosystems, and hope to better understand how intraspecific variation in consumer and resource populations leads to variation in food web interaction strengths and structure. More information about my research interests and academic background can be found on my website: Rebeccaatkins.com
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Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset
The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) and OceanWise are delighted to invite you to attend our popular free online training workshop: ‘Marine Data Management, Governance and the MEDIN toolset’ on the 19th – 23rd of May 2025.
Workshop on the contribution of UK Arctic Ocean science to the International Polar Year 32/33
12:00 11th June – 16:00 12th June 2025: NOC Southampton (In-person with online option): Registration deadline 16th May
REGISTER HERE
Pre-meeting questionnaire (open to all)
The purpose of this workshop is for the UK Ocean Science community to discuss and then draft a prospectus document outlining the priority Arctic research questions the community would like to address during the run up to, throughout and beyond the International Polar Year 32/33. Additionally, to identify what unique strengths and technologies the UK has to help fill these knowledge gaps.
The second day of the workshop will be dedicated to writing groups, one for each of the priority research questions identified - from both the pre-meeting questionnaire (HERE) and day one discussion. By the end of the meeting, each group will have produced draft text and sourced supporting figures for the prospectus.
Post meeting, the draft will be opened for comments and suggestions from everyone, regardless of whether they were able to attend the workshop or not. It will then be shared with UK funders (UKRI, FCDO, DSIT, ARIA) and potential international programmes with whom we would like to collaborate (e.g. Arctic 2050, Norway). It will form a basis from which wider integration with terrestrial, atmospheric and cryosphere communities can be built, e.g. at the UK Arctic Science Meeting in September in Northumbria.
To ensure balanced community and ECR representation, and to ensure that the size of the writing groups is efficient and effective, if the number of registrations from individual institutes becomes overwhelming, we may contact individuals or teams and ask that each institute selects a smaller number of individuals to attend in-person. Please wait for confirmation of in-person attendance before finalising travel arrangements.
The workshop will be open to hybrid attendance and contributions on both days.
Challenger Society Council Position Vacancy
The Challenger Society for Marine Science (CSMS) are pleased to announce an exciting opportunity to support the next generation of ocean scientists and innovators. CSMS are looking for a new Council member to fill the Student Travel Awards and Stepping Stones Portfolio. The successful applicant will administer the travel and research grants available for Early Career Researchers.
The role involves:
- Receiving applications for the two schemes and responding to applicant inquiries
- Soliciting and compiling input from the rest of the Council for assessing the applications
- Communicating with successful and unsuccessful applicants for the two schemes
- Working with the Honorary Treasurer on allocating funds to successful applicants
- Following up with award winners on their reporting requirements
- Attending Council meetings four times a year (in person or online) and contributing to discussions and decision making for CSMS
The usual term for Council members is three years.
For more information about the CSMS Council, please follow this link: https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/The_Council
For more information about our Early Career Researcher grants and awards, please follow this link:
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Stepping_Stones
and
https://www.challenger-society.org.uk/Travel_awards
If you are interested in applying or have any questions regarding the role, please contact kathen@bas.ac.uk