The International Coral Reef Symposium is an excellent opportunity for the global coral reef community to come together and share experiences, research, solutions, and traditional knowledge with the shared goal of protecting coral reefs and safeguarding their future.   

As part of our joint venture with Research Planning, Inc., our coral reef ecologists supporting the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program and NOAA Centers for Coastal Ocean Science attended the 2026 International Coral Reef Symposium in Auckland, New Zealand. Our team had the opportunity to network with global colleagues and collaborate on issues affecting coral reefs around the world. 

In addition, staff presented on several projects. Below is a list of the presentations they delivered. 

  • Life-history Strategies of Corals: Evidence from Population Trends and Demographic Rates  
  • Endangered, Threatened, and Stressed Out: What the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Reveals about ESA-Listed Caribbean Coral Populations  
  • More Than Just Counting Corals: What the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Can Tell Atlantic Reef Managers About Benthic Community Status and Trends 
  • More than Decade of Rapid Coral Community Change on U.S. Atlantic Reefs: What the U.S. National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Can Tell Atlantic Reef Managers About Benthic Community Status and Trends
man on state presents life-history strategies of corals

See More CSS Insights

woman pointing to a sign talking to a group of students

Training the Next Generation of Researchers 

CSS staff support the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Division of Occupational Safety and Health by providing Safe Techniques Advance Research Science (STARS) training to summer interns. Following a pause during the pandemic, staff resumed training May 15, 2024. During the in-person STARS training, CSS staff cover key concepts from the pre-requisite NIH Lab Safety…

Wet road with sign that reads Flooded

Strengthening Risk Communications Training Support to Clients

A CSS employee owner supporting NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management (sub-contracted through Lynker Technologies) has been working closely with colleagues to develop, improve, and deliver trainings related to risk communication.    The CSS trainer delivered their first training of Building Risk Communications Skills in Rhode Island to an audience of over 30 coastal managers, planners, practitioners, and a U.S. Representative. The training was well received and will help participants develop new…

Octocoral in a tank

Planning, Preparing for, and Participating in a Major Partner Workshop

The Mesophotic and Deep Benthic Communities (MDBC) team with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science attended a team meeting at the Wicker Center in Gulfport, Mississippi. CSS employee owners supporting this team (as part of our joint venture with RPI) participated in the meeting January 26-29. The objective of this workshop was for project managers, advisors, and partners to discuss 2025 accomplishments and plan next steps for 2026 and…