As Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) are interested to engage in the marine science-policy discussions, the European Marine Board Ambassadors organized a 2-day EMB ECOP Network Forum to provide both training and a space for intergenerational dialogue between EMB ECOPs and European policy makers, experts, as well as senior scientists. The event took place in person only on Sunday 8 and Monday 9 October 2023 at the Cidade da Cultura, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Forum Proceedings

The Forum Proceedings outline what took place during the two days of the event, and also present the main messages and outcomes of the event. These messages relate to how we can all help ECOPs engage in the marine science-policy landscape. These messages were also presented by the Ambassadors during their keynote speech during the opening session of EurOCEAN 2023. You can download the Forum proceedings here.

During this unique forum, participants were able to:

1. Participate in training sessions on the European marine science policies landscape, science communication tools to make your science more impactful for policy, and collaboration strategies 
2. Meet and network with other ECOPs from different institutions across Europe to create an interdisciplinary EMB ECOP community 
3. Exchange and open dialogue with policy-makers, experts, as well as senior scientists
4. Have the opportunity to speak with one voice by providing recommendations on how to improve ECOP engagement in the current marine-science policy landscape. These recommendations will be communicated to European science and policy organizations through the EMB.

Call for participants closed

38 ECOPs joined us from following EMB Member organisations:

BELSPO, CIIMAR, CNR, CoNISMa, DELTARES, FCT, FNRS, GEOMAR, HCMR, IEO-CSIC, IFREMER, IO-PAN, IOF, Irish Marine Universities Consortium, Konsortium Deutsche Meeresforschung, Marine Institute, MASTS, NOC, NORCE, Norwegian Marine University Consortium, OGS, Romanian Black Sea Research Consortium, SINTEF Ocean, SZN, TÜBITAK, UGOT,  Universities Marines, and VLIZ (Flanders Marine Institute)

Funding

Travel expenses were mostly covered by the institution. On-site catering and accommodation was covered by the EMB and additional funding from the Marine Institute and a Sustainable Ocean Alliance grant. The participation of TUBITAK ECOPs was covered by a travel grant from the Scientific Committee of Oceanic Research (SCOR). IIM-CSIC and the Cidade da Cultura of Galicia provided support and the venue of the forum.