We are now accepting proposals to host the WAMS World Congress of Marine Stations for 2026 and 2028. Please submit your proposals to the WAMS Secretariat by Friday, March 14, 2025.
Please direct any questions, and proposal submissions, to Matt Frost, Chair of WAMS: worldmarinestations@pml.ac.uk
Discussions during the most recent Congress highlighted the essential role marine stations play in cutting-edge research and education and their critical need for global support and focused on how marine stations across the globe can collaborate to tackle the urgent environmental challenges posed by climate change.
We are opening the call for proposals to be submitted to the WAMS Secretariat by Friday 14th March 2025. Please direct any questions, and proposal submissions, to Matt Frost, Chair of WAMS (worldmarinestations@pml.ac.uk).
What is involved in hosting a World Congress of Marine Stations?
WCMS meetings are funded by the host institution (often with support from local sponsors and ticket sales), and their organisation is mostly taken care of by the local organisers, with support from the WAMS Secretariat. Meeting hosts need to provide the following:
- A meeting venue with a meeting room for up to 100 delegates for the 2-day Plenary, plus at least one smaller meeting room for, e.g. Steering Committee Meetings.
- Coffee breaks and lunches.
- Technical support for the presenters and other IT-related issues – decision on whether to host the congress in a hybrid format or not is to be made by the host and the WAMS Steering Committee Group.
- Administrative support for logistical arrangements, visa letters, printing agendas, name badges etc.
- Ice-breaker reception and conference dinner.
It is expected that the host will form a Local Organising Committee to run the event. The Local Organising Committee and will form and manage the budget of the event and establish the costing of the event participation to offset the costs of running the event together with the WAMS Management Group. The Chair of the Local Organising Committee will become the member of the WAMS Management Group for the year preceding the meeting and the year following the meeting (i.e. a 2-year term).
How will the venues be selected?
Written proposals (up to 2 pages) should be submitted to the WAMS Secretariat describing the proposed venue. There is no specific template, but proposals should include information on the following, and may also include photos:
- Location (city/country)
- Venue if known (e.g. institute, conference centre, etc)
- Number and size of meeting rooms
- Provisions for catering (lunch/coffee breaks)
- Proposed venues for ice-breaker reception and conference dinner
- Possible tours/excursions
- Flexibility to host the meeting on a specific year (e.g., 2026, 2028, or further)We are opening the call for proposals to be submitted to the WAMS Secretariat by Friday 14th March 2025. Please direct any questions, and proposal submissions, to Matt Frost, Chair of WAMS (worldmarinestations@pml.ac.uk).
Proposals will be reviewed by the WAMS Management Group, who will make recommendations to the WAMS Steering Committee. Locations will be selected that enable a geographical rotation (as well as accessibility for an international audience). Other criteria that will be considered when choosing the meeting host – (1) geographical representation / reach of the wider WAMS community; (2) accessibility (in terms of distance to travel and immigration regime, including requirement for and processing time for entry visas); (3) flexibility with dates; (4) venue capacity.
The venue for the 3rd World Congress of Marine Stations will be confirmed no later than April 2025.