Research Symposium a Success

The Coastal Science Research Symposium, held June 9-11, 2026, at the College of Charleston Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center, was a resounding success! Over 150 participants—researchers, students, resource managers, extension professionals, educators, and community partners—exchanged ideas, shared knowledge, and advanced conversations around South Carolina’s coastal challenges and opportunities.

Featured speakers were Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., under secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA administrator; Fred Holland, Ph.D., former director of the Hollings Marine Laboratory; Thomas Mullikin, Ph.D., J.D., director of S.C. Department of Natural Resources; Emily Osborne, Ph.D., director of S.C. Sea Grant Consortium; and Nancy Wallace, deputy assistant administrator for Programs and Administration, NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.

Over 30 oral presentations and 50 poster presentations highlighted current research and applied initiatives related to coastal resilience, water quality, stormwater management, marine debris, fisheries and aquaculture, science literacy, and sustainable coastal development. The Symposium Proceedings are now available and include both oral- and poster-presentation authors, titles, and abstracts.

The Marine Debris Exchange special event was widely attended and featured marine debris-themed exhibits by Gullah/Geechee CREATE artists, tours of the Mace Brown Museum of Natural History, and a screening of The Cigarette Surfboard documentary.

The Consortium is already planning for the 4th biennial Coastal Science Research Symposium—convening people at the forefront of research, outreach, and community collaboration—scheduled for 2028.