The registration is now open for the anticipated All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance (AAORIA) Forum 2025, hosted by the European Union on September 25-26 in Brussels.
The AAORIA unites countries across the Atlantic basin – from Europe, Africa, North and South America, to both polar regions – to advance marine research and innovation through collaborative efforts. This unique alliance continues to strengthen international cooperation in implementing the Galway and Belém Statements while addressing the priorities outlined in the All-Atlantic Declaration.
This year’s Forum holds particular significance as the EU’s chairmanship agenda aligns strategically with both the EU’s Atlantic Strategy and the ambitious EU Mission ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters’. The event will serve as a critical platform to showcase achievements in implementing the AAORIA Declaration and advance cooperation across all agreed partnership areas.
A key focus of the Forum will be promoting activities that transfer scientific knowledge and solutions to local communities along the Atlantic coastline. The upcoming network of Atlantic Beacon Sites- demonstration sites for coastal resilience – will be highlighted as a model for cooperation among inter-linked policy areas based on scientific results. Additionally, the Forum will further the Atlantic inter-generational dialogue through an innovative Blue Intergenerational Programme.
The AAORIA Forum represents a unique opportunity to connect the Atlantic research community with policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society. By bringing together diverse stakeholders from across the Atlantic, it can accelerate knowledge exchange and develop more effective, coordinated approaches to ocean challenges.
Attendance is free, but spaces are limited with registration accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The organizers strongly encourage early registration, particularly for participants requiring invitation letters for visa purposes.
In keeping with AAORIA’s commitment to accessibility, the Forum will also be web-streamed, with recordings made available on the AAORIA website following the event.
To register, please visit the following webpage: https://bit.ly/4m7Uda4
More information on the event will be shared soon.
Summer@LSTS 2020 – Session #7 with Katy Croff Bell (MIT Media Lab)
Summer@LSTS 2020 will continue on August 27th, 2020, 2:30-3:30 PM UTC, with Katy Croff Bell, who presented Deep Sea Exploration: Past + Present + Future. Dr. Katy Croff Bell is a deep sea explorer with a background in ocean engineering, maritime archaeology, and geological oceanography, and has led dozens of expeditions around the world. Bell is passionate about developing new ways to better understand the ocean and and make it more accessible to everyone around the world. Currently, she is the Founding Director of the Open Ocean Initiative at the MIT Media Lab and a Fellow at the National Geographic Society, developing programs for low-cost, distributed deployment of new and emerging technologies for ocean exploration and community building. Previously, as Executive Vice President of the Ocean Exploration Trust, Bell led the development of exploration, research, and educational outreach activities for E/V Nautilus, including management of scientists, engineers, educators, and students from 30+ countries working together to conduct telepresence-enabled expeditions around the world.
Summer@LSTS 2020 – Session #6 with Gerard Dooly (University of Limerick)
Summer@LSTS 2020 continued on August 27th, 2020, 1:00-2:00 PM UTC, with Gerard Dooly, who will present Autonomous Control & Inspection Capabilities for Complex Sites. Operation of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in the commercial sector are generally undertaken through manual control with significant dependence on pilot skill and with video feedback from onboard camera systems. These systems and mode of operation was developed for the oil & gas industries and may not be fully suited other applications such as offshore wind and other difficult environments. The progression towards more autonomy in the ROV sector offers larger operational windows as well as other safety and cost benefits. The University of Limerick has developed autonomous systems to address this technical gap and presents solutions though interfaces onto a commercial light work-class ROV, the MRE-ROV. This talk centers around the first year of operations for the UL MRE-ROV and discusses the technological developments ongoing within the UL research lab. The discussion also centers on technologies for resident robotics systems such as autonomous intervention, live 3D reconstructions, autonomous docking and advanced imaging systems. Test results are from ship based operations off the Irish coast on a number of sites varying from Shipwreck to Coral Grounds and Oil & Gas infrastructure.
II International Forum on the Environment and Blue Economy