The 2017 Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) Conference in Providence, Rhode Island had the theme "Coastal science inflection point: celebrating successes, learning from challenges." The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) always has a strong presence at CERF conferences, but because this was the first conference hosted on the East Coast since 2011, we had a particularly large delegation.

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I drive regularly between Ottawa, Ontario, where I live, and Chestertown, Maryland , where I grew up. My family still lives on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay . Over the 30 years that I have been making this trip, the landscape has not changed, but recently my perception of it has. Susquehanna River at Great Bend. Image credit here … One of the landmarks that I look for is the bridge where I-81 crosses the Susquehanna River at Great Bend, Pennsylvania .

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During the week of November 6th, Alexandra Fries traveled to São Paulo, Brazil to support our Belmont Forum colleagues while most of the rest of Integration and Application Network traveled to Rhode Island for the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Conference (CERF). In preparation for her trip, we wrote a song that she could use at the Belmont Forum workshop.

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As part of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation 2017 Conference in Providence, Rhode Island, Heath Kelsey and I were assigned two five minute ‘ignite’ style talks. In these style talks, you are required to have the slides automatically advance as you are speaking. I watched several people struggle to keep up with the slides as they advanced, and this made me nervous.

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The Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) holds a conference every alternating year. At this conference, coastal and estuarine scientists and resource managers gather to share knowledge. This year’s CERF conference theme was ‘Coastal Science Inflection Point: Celebrating Successes, Learning from Challenges’. The CERF 2017 Conference was held in Providence, Rhode Island, the third time that CERF conferences were held in Providence due to the popularity of this venue.

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I enjoy occasionally returning to Woods Hole to visit with the folks at the Sea Education Association. As a former student and a former Chief Scientist aboard the R/V Westward, it is great to check up on the program, such as when they created the new S.E.A. slogan “Adventure with a Purpose.” I always enjoy talking with the staff and current students. I am an Overseer with S.E.A. with such eminent colleagues as George Woodwell and John Farrington.

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Twas Saturday morning, at Horn Point Lab Open House, Many creatures were stirring: scientists, children, and spouses. Posters were hung throughout the entire laboratory, In hopes that visitors would listen to our stories! The Horn Point Lab researchers created a unique alliance, With activities, displays, games, and compelling science. Our mission, as the Integration and Application Network, Was to lay for the public a science communication framework.

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Recently, our first ever Integration and Application Network (IAN) Strategic Plan was released on IAN Press. This 16-page Strategic Plan outlines the vision, mission, and goals of the Integration and Application Network. It also identifies the IAN priorities in terms of partner engagement, social impacts and ecological outcomes. The cover of our Strategic Plan.

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My perceptions about where innovations in report cards are heading in Australia and the US. The foundations of these report cards are similar, but influences have caused the two groups to go in slightly different directions. Both appear to be very valuable. Image credit Heath Kelsey … The report cards developed from each group have common characteristics, but focus on different strengths.

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Bill Dennison, Simon Costanzo and I made our annual pilgrimage to Riversymposium in September 2017 for the 20th anniversary of the event. This year the conference was back in Brisbane, Australia (it was held in Delhi in 2016). This is one of my favorite conferences, maybe because the City of Brisbane has become so comfortable for me, but I think it’s really the quality of the content, the clear focus on practices that create real impact, and the wonderful people I get to meet.

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