mareXtreme Annual meeting 2026 in Hanover
From 23 to 25 September 2026, the mareXtreme consortium convened at Leibniz Universität Hannover for its third annual meeting. Hosted in the historic Königlicher Pferdestall, the gathering brought together researchers from oceanography, ecology, geosciences, geography, coastal engineering with experts from data management, communication, and transfer to exchange the latest results, align on methods and field activities, and advance actors engagement. The programme was designed as forum for a focused scientific exchange under the shared goal of developing enhanced protection concepts for coastal inhabitants, the environment, and critical infrastructure in the face of marine extreme events and natural hazards.
During the three days, participants discussed current findings from each project of the mission (ElbeXtreme, METAscales. MULTI-MAREX, PrimePrevention), including a poster session dedicated to the early-career researchers (ECRs), and charted the outlook, transfer and identity for the upcoming phase of the mission. Beyond project updates, the meeting prioritised genuine interdisciplinary collaboration. Breakout sessions structured around the cross-cutting topics (Participation & Living Labs, Extreme Events & Cascading Effects, Early Information Systems & Technology) were followed by a plenary cross‑fertilisation discussion to synthesise insights across disciplines. Strong exchange also came through the ECRs’ feedback session and a forward‑looking discussion on mission‑wide transfer, identity, and products. The discussions underscored how closely measurement concepts, modelling, and knowledge transfer must interact to build a comprehensive understanding of extremes and their impacts and, in turn, to strengthen preparedness and adaptation in affected coastal regions.
Ovidio Garcia-Oliva (Hereon) and David Needham (Geomar) during poster session (left). Prof. Beate Ratter (mission speaker, Uni Hamburg - Hereon) moderating the cross-cutting topics session (right) (Photos: Felix Gross, CAU).
Conclusion: the annual meeting demonstrated that mareXtreme not only advances cutting‑edge research, but also grows as a community. By transcending disciplinary boundaries and aligning science with societal needs, the mission continues to position itself as a formative force in how we understand, anticipate, and respond to marine extreme events.
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