From 29 September to 1 October 2025, the BioGeoSea consortium met for the first time in Brussels — three days of getting to know one another, forming working relationships and building a shared understanding of what lies ahead. Through open discussion, early planning and lively exchange, we laid the groundwork for the project’s first steps and strengthened the sense of working together as one team.
The BioGeoSea project officially came to life in Brussels — not just as a Horizon Europe initiative, but as a shared effort, a growing community, and a coordinated step towards improving how we observe and understand ocean biogeochemistry.
Over three days, from 29 September to 1 October 2025, project partners gathered at the CSIC Office in Brussels for our kick-off meeting. The event brought together 36 participants onsite and 6 online, including all partner institutions, three members of the Advisory and Foresight Committee, one EC Policy Officer, and the responsible REA Project Officer.
The tone was set early: collaboration, openness and the ambition to drive biogeochemical ocean observing forward — together.
Day 1 — Setting the Stage & Work Package Presentations
The meeting opened with remarks from Project Coordinator Toste Tanhua, welcoming participants and encouraging early exchange across the consortium. The policy officer followed with a strategic perspective on BioGeoSea’s role in shaping European ocean observing, emphasising its relevance for the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and the UN Ocean Decade.
The afternoon then focused on the five project work packages (WP1–WP5), each presenting goals, activities and early plans. Through lively discussion and Q&A, the consortium explored interdependencies, identified shared needs and outlined first connections between data, observation, modelling, indicator development and communication. The day closed with an introduction to project ethics requirements, reminding partners that responsible, transparent research is central to BioGeoSea’s identity.
Day 2 — Interactive Exchange, World Café & External Alignment
Day two opened with a World Café session, bringing partners into rotating thematic discussions. Topics included:
- Updating BGC EOV specification sheets
- Data integration, products and observations
- Modelling key processes
- Multidisciplinary indicators
- User communities and data pathways
- Policy alignment and European leadership
The format sparked constructive exchange between disciplines, regions and work packages, highlighting shared challenges and opportunities.
The afternoon focused on administrative processes, coordination structures, and BioGeoSea’s relationship to GOOS and sister projects ObsSea4Clim and BioEcoOcean, strengthening alignment from the outset.
Day 3 — Breakout Workshops & Path Forward
The final day shifted into smaller work package breakout meetings, where teams refined plans, defined responsibilities and set priorities for the first implementation period. A stakeholder mapping workshop laid the groundwork for engagement activities, identifying communities, policy actors, and industry groups relevant to BioGeoSea’s outcomes.
Before closing, partners reflected together on achievements and next steps — with clear motivation, commitment and energy for what lies ahead.
Outlook
The kickoff meeting achieved exactly what it set out to do: build a shared foundation, strengthen collaboration across partners and launch the work ahead with clarity, optimism and momentum. With strong engagement, a diverse consortium and high ambition, BioGeoSea is now moving forward — ready to develop indicators, advance observations, improve models and help shape global ocean knowledge.
Stay tuned as we share milestones, results and stories from our journey.