Christopher Gobler, distinguished professor and endowed chair of coastal ecology and conservation at Stony Brook University’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, and director of the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology at the university, will deliver “State of the Bays 2026: No Time to Waste” tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the Avram Theater on the Stony Brook Southampton campus.
The annual symposium brings together scientists, local leaders, and community members to better understand the health of coastal waters. It will highlight recent water quality and public health threats in coastal waters while also identifying innovative solutions to complex problems.
This year’s message is “We are out of time to wait, but not out of solutions.” Experts will discuss harmful algal blooms and their impact on water safety, rising low-oxygen “dead zones” affecting marine life, new risks to public health including bacteria like Vibrio vulnificus, and the growing role of microplastics in water pollution.
Those attending will learn what is being done and what they can do, as this year’s focus will be on action including proven advanced wastewater treatment systems that dramatically reduce pollution, public funding programs that can cover up to 100 percent of upgrade costs, and new technologies designed to improve water quality and combat harmful algal blooms.
The symposium is free and open to the public, but registration is required at bit.ly/4cZ7Rsn.
