FROM THE TOS PRESIDENT
Deborah Bronk

Hello TOS members! As I look forward to heading to Gran Canaria to attend the Ocean Optics Conference, I am reflecting on the important role meetings have played in my career and I encourage you to do the same.

What have science conferences meant to you?

As a graduate student, meetings were where I started to build my network, found that collaborator who had an instrument I needed to access, and heard a rumor that my science idol might be looking for a postdoc. As a mid-career scientist, it was where I went to meet with collaborators, commiserate and recharge. These days I go to try to be of service and to be inspired by the younger generations who are doing things that seemed like science fiction a few decades ago.

Conferences play such a pivotal role in our development as scientists. They also take a lot of work and creativity to plan and execute. I have served on a number of conference planning committees and I highly recommend the experience. It will give you a chance to meet and work closely with people from many disciplines and countries as well as the opportunity to take the broad view of the work we collectively do as a global ocean science community.

It is now time to start planning in earnest for the 2026 Ocean Science Meeting (OSM) to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, UK from February 22–27, 2026. If you are willing to serve, I encourage you to submit self-nominations to be the TOS Vice-Chair, Early Career Representative, or Student Representative. The willingness to serve comes with the added bonus that the travel expenses for the TOS-appointee representatives are covered by the conference budget. I note that the 2026 TOS Vice-Chair assumes the position of TOS Co-Chair for OSM 2028, which will be held in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Members of the conference committee play a critical role in planning for a successful OSM and participate in reviewing and merging proposed sessions, communicating with session chairs, collaborating with their ASLO and AGU counterparts, hosting, moderating, and monitoring activities, inviting speakers, and participating in other OSM activities. This is a rewarding and collaborative experience, and I encourage you to read more below and submit a self-nomination by November 1, 2024.

I’m here to serve, so please reach out to me at [email protected] if you have any concerns or ideas about how TOS can better serve its members and the work they do.