The Internal Waves Service (IWS) Workshop 2026 kicks off tomorrow in Lisbon, Portugal, marking the second gathering of the international consortium behind one of AIR Centre’s most ambitious ocean science initiatives. Running from 14 to 16 April, the workshop convenes leading researchers and partners to take stock of what has been achieved since the service’s launch and to collectively shape its path forward.

Building on the outcomes of the first edition, held last year in Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, and co-hosted with the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD), this year’s event provides a dedicated forum to review progress within the IWS, draw on lessons learned, strengthen the IWS community, foster interdisciplinary exchange, and identify priorities and next steps for its continued development and long-term consolidation as a scientific reference.

Launched in 2025 by the AIR Centre in collaboration with leading international partners, the Internal Waves Service (IWS) aims to globally map oceanic internal waves – a critical yet underexplored component of ocean dynamics with significant implications for mixing, energy transfer, and climate modelling.

Beyond reviewing technical progress, this workshop is designed to strengthen the IWS community as a whole, bringing together scientists, data providers, and service developers in an opened collaboration. The goal is not only to consolidate what has been built, but to ensure the Internal Waves Service endures as a trusted, long-term scientific resource for the international oceanographic community.