A successful Summer School edition
OBAMA-NEXT well represented on AZTI Summer School 2023
The recently concluded AZTI Summer School 2023, held at Aquarium of San Sebastian, Spain, was an extraordinary gathering that brought together experts and enthusiasts passionate about marine biodiversity. OBAMA-NEXT was one of the projects involved in this ground-breaking event and we were thrilled to contribute to the exploration of innovative tools for monitoring and assessing human pressures on marine ecosystems. From the 5th to the 7th of June, this event sparked inspiration and fostered collaboration among attendees.
AZTI, known for its annual international Summer Schools on marine research, set the focus for the 2023 edition on the practical and transformative tools essential for understanding and mitigating the diverse challenges faced by the marine environment. Collaborating with other notable projects such as GES4SEAS, BIOcean5D, ACTNOW, and MARBEFES, we collectively embarked on a journey to unveil the potential of innovation in the assessment of marine environmental status.
During the Summer School, distinguished speakers took the stage, sharing their expertise on a wide range of topics. Participants eagerly absorbed knowledge on the practical application of eDNA for monitoring ecosystem components, the assessment of cumulative impacts using cutting-edge methodologies and climate modelling as a support tool for marine spatial planning. The workshop on science communication by our partner Science Crunchers, provided valuable insights into effectively conveying complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences.
Among the speakers, Anders Gjørwad Hagen (NIVA, Norway) represented OBAMA-NEXT project with a presentation about drones for mapping and monitoring benthic communities where he highlighted the results of the SeaBee. We also had the pleasure of being represented by Sophie Pitois (CEFAS, UK) that explored the use of imaging and AI for monitoring the pelagic communities.
We left AZTI Summer School 2023 highly invigorated and committed to leveraging innovation, collaboration, and knowledge to effectively manage marine ecosystems and the services they provide.
