Welcome to the Chesapeake Community Research Symposium 2026!

The Chesapeake Community Modeling Program will convene the 2026 edition of our biennial symposium June 1-3, 2026, in Annapolis, Maryland at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The theme of the 2026 Symposium is Chesapeake Bay Research and Restoration: Next Generation Tools for a Dynamic Future.

Scope and Aims

Significant progress has been made toward restoring Chesapeake Bay water quality and living resources. However, restoration efforts face significant challenges as we traverse the third decade of the 21st century. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges is how to deal with an emerging generation of new tools for collecting and analyzing water quality data and for simulating physical and biogeochemical processes. These new tools for collecting data include high resolution (vertical, temporal, spatial) in situ monitoring and remotely sensed data, and new tools for analyzing data include a wide variety of machine learning techniques as well as applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Machine learning and AI are also now being used to emulate mechanistic models. Moreover, these tools are emerging in the face of a “dynamic future” where we must maintain progress in the face of a changing natural and human environment. The need for transdisciplinary and “team science” is also increasing, but these approaches also present challenges. Managing misinformation and maintaining effective communication are also becoming increasingly important as AI influences and interpretations emerge.

Background

By bringing together managers, scientists, and stakeholders for a series of plenary talks, panel discussions, and special sessions, the 2026 Chesapeake Community Research Symposium will not only highlight the progress that has been made toward restoring the Chesapeake Bay, but will also address future challenges to maintaining this progress in the face of the emergence of new tools and challenges in a dynamic future.