Amid ongoing restrictions on federal funding for scientific research, technology, and education in the United States, the ocean science community faces a critical inflection point. The decommissioning of essential ocean infrastructure and the aging and downsizing of the academic research fleet threaten the nation’s capacity for ocean observation and exploration at a time when sustained access to ocean data is more vital than ever for national economic and security interests, environmental sustainability, and global leadership. The urgency is further amplified by pressing global crises, including climate change, biodiversity loss, food security, and geopolitical instability. The recently released 2025-2035 Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences for the National Science Foundation by NASEM highlights these challenges and outlines priorities for the next decade if the US is to develop a 21st-century global blue economy. Addressing these issues requires bold, forward-thinking strategies to support national needs while advancing research and development and the education needs of the next generation of ocean scientists and policymakers. Immediate action is imperative. Join us for a discussion on how we work together through the newly launched Research and Education Coalition for Ocean Sciences (RECOS) to advance targeted, science-driven advocacy at the highest levels of leadership in Washington.

Deborah Bronk (Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences); Leila Hamdan (University of Southern Mississippi); Paula Bontempi (University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography); Richard W. Murray (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)

Lead Organizer: Deborah Bronk, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (dbronk@bigelow.org)

Co-organizers:

Leila Hamdan, University of Southern Mississippi (Leila.Hamdan@usm.edu)

Paula Bontempi, University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography (paulabontempi@uri.edu)

Richard Murray, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (rickmurray@whoi.edu)