Introductory ocean and environmental science courses provide an excellent opportunity to prepare both majors and non-majors for thinking about some of the largest issues facing society such as climate change and energy needs. Introductory courses can also serve to recruit students from highly diverse backgrounds into the field. Often, these courses are large (>50 students). This workshop will provide strategies to overcome challenges of these large introductory courses while making your teaching engaging, relevant, and effective for all students. A special emphasis is placed on a few big concepts that can help organize examples and knowledge for students to grapple with future ocean and environmental issues. Come ready to share ideas, to think actively about teaching and learning, and to discuss what works and why.

This workshop will focus on helping participants develop ideas for effective education and outreach activities. Featuring active, hands-on learning, small group discussions, and guided inquiry, this workshop will include short presentations on exemplary projects in formal and informal education designed for K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and public audiences to stimulate ideas. Discussions of how people learn, how to assess the effectiveness of outreach activities, and how to develop projects that meet specific goals will help support project development. Participants are welcome to bring ideas that they would like to develop and share, and for which they would like to receive feedback.

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This proposed workshop aims to critically examine the intertwined challenges of eutrophication and hypoxia in the Upper Gulf of Thailand within the context of the United Nations Ocean Decade. Aligned with the core theme of XMAS 2025, "transformative science & technology for a sustainable ocean," the workshop will shed light on the COASTAL-SOS initiative and its efforts in Thailand. COASTAL-SOS, or “Coastal Zones Under Intensifying Human Activities and Changing Climate: A Regional Programme Integrating Science, Management and Society to Support Ocean Sustainability”, is an endorsed project of the United Nations Ocean Decade. As part of the COASTAL-SOS initiative, COASTAL-SOS Thailand is embarking on comprehensive scientific study to examine the Upper Gulf of Thailand’s environmental trajectory over the past decades and forecast its future directions for the next 20 years, in order to address the severe eutrophication and hypoxia issues plaguing the Upper Gulf of Thailand. With a specific focus on COASTAL-SOS Thailand, this workshop will present the results of a rigorous decades of study on the environmental trends in the Upper Gulf of Thailand, analyzing the current status, drivers, and consequences of the eutrophication and hypoxia challenge and identifying knowledge gap. Additionally, it will also share experiences from the past studies and success cases in China, gather perspectives from experts in the field, and build bridges across a wide perspective of actionable science. Last but not least, the discussion panel will discuss the direction and best practices for site studies, particularly in areas with limiting capacities and technology. Overall, by analyzing the historical trajectories and projecting future scenarios for the next two decades, the workshop aims to provide actionable insights into tackling the pressing issues of eutrophication and hypoxia in the Upper Gulf of Thailand. This workshop tackles eutrophication and hypoxia in the Upper Gulf of Thailand by fostering stakeholder collaboration and emphasizing science-based solutions. It will achieve this through knowledge sharing and gap identification to address areas lacking understanding. The workshop will then assess essential skills and resources needed to fulfill these knowledge needs, empowering participants for effective action. Successful management practices from other regions facing similar challenges will be explored to generate concrete recommendations for sustainable management in the Upper Gulf. Ultimately, the workshop aspires to catalyze transformative action towards a more resilient and sustainable ocean ecosystem through collaboration and knowledge exchange.

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Hongmei Chen

Xiamen University

chenhm@xmu.edu.cn

You have been asked to review a paper- perhaps for an ASLO journal, perhaps another journal. Writing effective paper reviews is an acquired skill that can be mastered. This workshop will provide some tips to write an informative and constructive review that will aid the editor and author. An effective review helps expedite the publication process, assists the editor in taking the right decision, and most of all it guides your peers on how to improve the presentation of their science. Many students are taught effective writing techniques, but not effective techniques for critique other people’s work. Importantly, a reviewer does not need to be an expert in all aspects of a paper; it is OK to focus comments on one part (for example, the experimental design) without commenting on another part (for example, how the results were used in a model). Most importantly, is the problem or question being addressed clearly stated? Is the presentation of results logical? What have I learned from the paper? Reviews should be respectful, even when flaws, biases or errors need to be pointed out. ASLO is looking to expand its network of reviewers and this workshop will bring the experience of ASLO senior scientist and associate editors to help you become effective and valuable reviewers. Through the “best reviewer” award, ASLO thanks outstanding reviewers and highlights their contribution in L&O Bulletin.

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Are you a student or early career researcher interested in publishing your first (or second, or third…) paper? Are you spending valuable time rewriting the same paragraph over and over again? Are you unsure where to submit or what to expect from the scientific publishing process? You’re not alone! How many drafts are typical of an experienced writer? The answer in most cases is many! Each edit may be targeted at a particular aspect of the paper: are the conclusions supported by the data? is the presentation logical? is the paper free of grammatical errors? are all appropriate references cited? Did you know that many people write from the inside out? That is, starting with the methods and results, and only later winding up with an introduction and abstract. Feedback and reviews are an important part of the process and should serve to strengthen the paper, not discourage the author. This workshop will provide some tips and hints to help your craft a compelling and informative research paper and will introduce some author services such as language editing and other tools that are useful for authors of all career stages. Most importantly, writing can be fun– and a well written paper is bound to be read (and cited) more often!

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Collaborations on marine research in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is critical for understanding and addressing the impact of climate change on the sustainability of marine bioresources and environments. Such endeavours support biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, and the development of adaptation strategies, particularly in light of the region’s growing population. They also provide critical data for mitigating adverse effects, enhancing disaster resilience, and ensuring food security and economic stability for coastal communities. This workshop will showcase research examples and collect ideas for collaborative research within the ASEAN region, or with ASEAN nations, on the above theme. It also aims to identify gaps and actionable solutions for maintaining sustainable marine bioresources and healthy marine environments in the ASEAN region given the effects of climate change and human activities. Ultimately, this workshop will strengthen regional capacity, promote knowledge sharing, and foster effective climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies in the ASEAN region.

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