CCU to host marine science meeting in April 2017

Coastal Carolina University will be hosting the 46th Annual Marine Benthic Ecology Meeting (BEM) jointly with the Southeastern Estuarine Research Society (SEERS) at the Sheraton Convention Center April 12-15, 2017.

The BEM began as an informal gathering of east coast researchers and their students, but has transformed into an annual event that attracts hundreds of marine scientists, many from around the world. Still comfortably informal and focused on student research (more than 50 percent of the 400 presentations last year were senior authored by students), the 2016 meeting was hosted by Bowdoin College and attracted more than 500 participants to the Westin Portland Harborview in Portland, Maine (http://www.bemsociety.org).

SEERS is the southeastern affiliate of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Society and holds biannual, regional meetings, again focusing on student research (http://www.seers.org/ ).

It is estimated that between 500 to 700 attendees will visit Myrtle Beach for the joint meeting. Along with oral presentations in multiple sessions and a poster session-reception, plans include a CCU reception, tour of the new science building, a film festival one evening and the traditional closing dinner-dance on the last evening.