GulfCon 2026

Researchers, environmental managers, and policymakers use information to make important decisions about the environment and inform restoration activities, among a great many other things. While several applications and data portals have been developed to address the wealth of information that has been generated, we have yet to answer the question of how to integrate, synthesize, and distribute the information now available to effectively inform environmental management, restoration efforts, future response strategies, community members, and Gulf research priorities.  

Further, how can we foster more trans-disciplinary and cooperative approaches to science, decision-making, and community engagement? Data on its own will not fulfil the need and must be synthesized and served to the many Gulf audiences in a clear and compelling way if we are to achieve the goal of turning information into insight. Existing analyses and tools can be powerful instruments in effectively communicating science, and efforts are underway to develop a data management framework to support more efficient aggregation, integration, and synthesis of information in the future.  

Sessions are:

• How do we advance and apply scientific synthesis to restoration efforts in the Gulf?
• Activating collaborative science for a sustainable Gulf
• Data management and sharing strategies

Methods in science education, communication, engagement, and extension are rapidly evolving, providing opportunities to reimagine effective methods of collaboration, communication, and engagement with youth and adults.   

Sessions are:  

• Using your science for community action and engagement
• Engaging stakeholders in developing a common framework for the Adaptive Capacities for Transformation (ACT) Initiative
• Turning climate projections into community conversations: The art & science of scenario planning
• Place-based education in the Gulf: An overview of initiatives, lessons learned, and ongoing efforts to show the value of learning in nature
• Reaching audiences where they are with the messages they need
• From points to partnerships: Advancing Community Rating System (CRS) for resilient and flood-safe Gulf coast communities

Water quality, quantity, and management are of utmost importance to the Gulf ecosystem. The Gulf is vast and water quality patterns and trends are highly variable, both in space and time. Human activities (e.g., water use, excess nutrient inputs, sediment diversions, oil production, derelict fishing gear, etc.) and natural disturbances (e.g., storms, flooding, etc.) influence the water quality and quantity of the coastal environments within the Gulf, many of which lead to changes in physical, chemical, and biological conditions.  

Sessions are:

• Hidden pathways: The overlooked contribution of small and decentralized wastewater systems to nutrient loading in Gulf waterways
• Integrating artificial intelligence with data and modeling for water resource management

Effective habitat management and restoration in the Gulf is critical for the sustainability of its many living resources (including human populations). Addressing threats and stressors to coastal habitats and living coastal marine resources is a cornerstone of ecosystem restoration. There is a great need to understand how habitat management and restoration support the long-term development of community structure and function and how human linkages and behaviors impact project success.  

Sessions are: 

• Vegetation, carbon, and change: Land cover dynamics and habitat restoration in the U.S. Gulf coast
• Innovations in oyster shell recycling and oyster reef restoration
• Restoring estuarine and marsh habitat with dredged material
• Blades of glory: Seagrass resilience, restoration, and management

Living Resources encompasses terrestrial and aquatic organisms ranging from bacteria to megafauna. Management of these important and sometimes understudied resources is complicated by insufficient data on biology, ecology, and poorly understood vulnerability to various threats and stressors, including anthropogenic impacts. Complex and diverse life histories, population trends, and responses to natural and anthropogenic stressors have and will remain the focus of science and management to correctly guide policy decisions. 

Sessions are:

• Wildlife and fisheries status and trends and species conservation
• Cooperative research and management of Fish Spawning Aggregations in the Gulf
• Relationships and underlying mechanisms between environmental trends and variability and fisheries populations
• Oyster Community of Practice: Managing Gulf oysters as a living resource through science and strategy
• The open ocean as a nexus for ecological connectivity in the Gulf
• Co-production of avian science to inform management of species, habitats and humans in the Gulf: successes and lessons learned

As investments are made to promote the recovery, restoration and protection of the Gulf Coast’s ecosystems and economies, sound science is needed to develop systems-level, integrated strategies that support local, state, and regional planning; adaptive management; and science-based decision-making. At the same time, for successful application of science it is important for the scientific community to understand the needs of managers and policy makers and the roles of science in informing decisions and practices.  

Sessions are:

• Decision-focused, integrated approaches to maximize the benefits of restoration and management across the Gulf coast
• Nature-Based solutions for compound flooding in Gulf coast estuaries: Advancing modeling and decision-making

Coastal ocean processes and physical oceanography encompass a wide range of dynamic phenomena, including tidal currents, wave-driven circulation, and estuarine mixing. These processes are critical for understanding sediment transport, nutrient cycling, and ecosystem health in nearshore environments. For example, studies of upwelling systems and internal wave propagation reveal how physical forces influence biological productivity and climate interactions. Together, these topics highlight the interconnected nature of coastal and global ocean dynamics, offering vital insights for advancing marine science.   

The session is: 

• Advancing ocean observations and remote sensing for coastal resilience and decision support in the Gulf of America

Environmental conditions, natural, and other systems drivers are changing in the Gulf region. Whether due to natural or man-made conditions, scientists and resource managers must study, understand, and address emerging environmental issues to ensure effective planning and management.  

Sessions are:  

• Leveraging emerging technologies for living resource management in the Gulf
• Impacts from acute, chronic, or multi-stressor effects on the Mississippi Sound and Bight ecosystem
• Microplastics and beyond: Integrating science, technology, and community action for a sustainable Gulf Coast