Plenary Speakers
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
We are excited to announce our lineup of esteemed speakers for the opening plenary session.
8:25am–9:05am
Dr. Steve Gittings
Retired Science Coordinator
NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Dayton, MD
9:05am–9:30am
Dr. Mark J. Butler IV
Professor and Eminent Scholar (Retired)
Newfound Harbor Marine Institute
Big Pine Key, FL
9:30am–9:55am
Dr. James W. Fourqurean
Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Coastlines and Oceans Division
Florida International University – Institute of Environment
North Miami, FL
Thursday, October 30, 2025
The closing plenary will feature an interactive, interdisciplinary workshop.
8:30am–12:00pm
Joy Hazell
Interim Director
Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute
UF/IFAS Extension
Gainesville, FL
"A Collaborative Visioning and Research Identification Workshop for the Florida Keys Marine Ecosystem"
What does a "successful" Florida Keys marine ecosystem look like 10 years from now — and how can science help get us there?
We know that the future of this region does not rest in the hands of one group alone and want participants from across the scientific community, managers, resource users, and other interested parties to co-develop a shared vision for the future of the Florida Keys marine ecosystem.
Through a series of facilitated discussions and collaborative activities, we will work to define what ecological and socioeconomic "success" could look like for this unique and rapidly changing region and explore what it would take to get there. Outcomes from this workshop will include research priorities that will help drive future collaborations and shape a unified path toward long-term resilience and sustainability of the Florida Keys ecosystem in the face of accelerating change.
