Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conference 2015: Liverpool
Rebecca Atkins
University of Georgia (USA) and Swansea University (UK)

The Aquatic Biodiversity and Ecosystems Conference (ABEC) was an incredible undertaking for all those involved in its organization. Building off of a previous conference that took place in 1990, ABEC was organized to both reflect upon the past 25 years of marine and aquatic research, and also to set the stage for future work and collaborative efforts. Having yet to attend an international conference, I was unsure of what to expect.
ABEC surpassed all of my expectations, encompassing a breadth of disciplines and actively seeking to bring together a diverse group of researchers, both established and emerging. The city of Liverpool, with its rich history and an abundance of pubs, was a brilliant choice to not only host this eclectic gathering, but to also foster dynamic interactions and collaborations. Amidst several days of contributed and invited talks, were a smattering of lively tea breaks, special topics workshops, and an exciting evening of pub exploration. Throughout this time, I had numerous opportunities to attend a variety of presentations. I was able to converse with researchers who shared similar interests and enthusiasm, while also networking with fellow graduate students from around the world. As a first year PhD student, attending ABEC gave me the motivation to continue exploring my ideas, expanding my perspectives, and seeking input from others. I also took another stab at conquering my fear of public speaking by presenting both a talk and a poster. Both were well received and resulted in insightful feedback.
One additional, and personally rewarding, result of this conference was earning recognition for both best student oral presentation (first place) and best student poster (third place). This was truly an honor that I will not forget. Being surrounded by a global network of scientists, enjoying a vibrant city, and talking about innovative and engaging research has instilled within me the desire to continue fostering broader collaborative efforts that seek to answer globally relevant questions.
I am extremely grateful to the Challenger Society for giving me such an incredible opportunity, and for allowing me to experience my first conference abroad. Having attended, I feel that I have formed a number of valuable professional and academic connections, which will likely result in future collaborative work outside of my host institution. I have also gained greater confidence in my ability as a researcher, and I’m excited to convey my experiences to peers back at my home institution. Personal profile: I am a first year PhD student at the University of Georgia. Currently, my systems of interest include salt marshes and the rocky shore. I enjoy the dynamic nature of coastal ecosystems, and hope to better understand how intraspecific variation in consumer and resource populations leads to variation in food web interaction strengths and structure. More information about my research interests and academic background can be found on my website: Rebeccaatkins.com
Latest News
Potential Availability of NERC Ship Time During the 25/26 Programme Year
The NERC Marine Facilities Programme for 2025/2026 for the RRS Discovery and the RRS James Cook has been published on the Marine Facilities Planning website.
The RRS Discovery programme currently contains a 79 day alongside slot between the 2nd of November 2025 and the 19th of January 2026, which is available for science delivery if funded science projects can make use of this time. Due to the location of the vessel, the ship is most likely to be able to deliver fieldwork in the North and East Atlantic regions. Some support for science capability within the National Marine Equipment Pool is potentially available, although there is no capacity for use of autonomous vehicles or remotely operated vehicles. Any fieldwork within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) will need the appropriate diplomatic clearance submitted to coastal states at least 6 months in advance, and to NMF with sufficient lead time for processing via the FCDO.
If interested in making use of this ship time, please contact NERC Marine Planning (marineplanning@nerc.ukri.org) ASAP to start discussions.
THE MARINE FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD – CAN YOU HELP?
The Marine Facilities Advisory Board advises the National Oceanography Centre on marine facilities and services, including the Natural Environment Research Council’s National Marine Equipment Pool (NMEP), the British Oceanographic Data Centre and the British Ocean Sediment Core Research Facility.
NOC Association AGM 2025
NOC Association (NOCA) AGM 2025
The 14th AGM of the NOC Association will be held on Thursday 15th and Friday 16th May 2025. This free, on-line event will take place on Zoom, across two consecutive mornings, each starting at 10:00 and ending at 12:30. Although discussion topics are being finalised, we will focus on national capability (NC) science, ships, and autonomous vehicles, and how the community can engage. There will be an update on AtlantiS and on the new marine science scoping group. All are warmly welcome to join. To participate, please complete your registration here. For enquiries: Jackie Pearson, Secretary to NOCA: jfpea@noc.ac.uk