An internationally recognized leader in studying marine biodiversity in a changing ocean, Senior Scientist Francisco Chavez participated in a series of international conferences and workshops in Europe hosted by the Global Ocean Oxygen Network, the World Biodiversity Forum, and Deutsche Bank.

This week, MBARI and the Monterey Bay Aquarium hosted members of the board of directors from the Oceano Azul Foundation and ARDITI for a two-day workshop to develop strategies for advancing ocean exploration and science in support of conservation and policy.

Last week, MBARI researchers participated in the inaugural conference for the Midwater Science and Engineering Community, a new initiative to advance collaboration, data sharing, and policy impact for the largest habitat on Earth. During the weeklong conference, our team shared decades of expertise in midwater research and technology with peers from around the world.

MBARI postdoctoral fellows Guillaume Liniger, Olívia Soares Pereira, and Shawnee Traylor have been named inaugural Neptune Fellows. This philanthropic fellowship program, administered by the Mission Neptune initiative, supports young researchers working to advance ocean exploration and science.

MBARI and partners in the FathomNet Program have released a new version of the FathomVerse community science app. The updated app includes new features to expedite verification of labeled imagery, helping advance the development of AI tools that can accelerate ocean discovery.

This week, MBARI President and CEO Antje Boetius was awarded the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit, one of the eight classes of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the highest honor given by the Federal Republic of Germany.