The State of the Georgia Coast is a conference dedicated to the future of our coast.

The State of the Georgia Coast is a conference dedicated to the future of our coast. Hosted by UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and partners, this three-day event will take place September 22 – 24, 2026 at the Richmond Hill City Center. The conference brings together coastal residents, community leaders, and industry professionals with leading experts in marine science, policy, and resource management. Our collective mission is to identify pressing challenges, share innovative research and solutions, and foster collaborative partnerships essential for building a thriving, resilient coast.

Organized around the theme, “Partnerships and Problem Solving for Georgia’s Coast,” the event will spotlight Georgia-specific case studies, build partnerships across public, private, and academic sectors, and engage participants in interactive conversations designed to foster collaboration.

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The Conference At A Glance 

Day 1
The conference opens with a welcome session and keynote highlighting coastal Georgia’s leadership and opportunities in coastal resilience followed by a plenary presentation on the future of Georgia’s blue economy. Afternoon discussions will focus on roadmaps to resiliency. The evening features a poster session and networking reception hosted by Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant.

Day 2
Participants will begin the day with breakfast roundtables on coalition building, career development, and other coastal topics. Morning sessions will showcase research on fisheries, aquaculture, coastal tourism, coastal ecosystems, community resilience, and environmental literacy, followed by a panel on navigating the intersection of industry, economy, and environment on Georgia’s Coast. In the afternoon, attendees can join workshops and dialogues on pressing topics for coastal Georgia as well as a panel discussion with some of coastal Georgia’s emerging leaders. The evening will offer a special screening of Sam Ghioto’s latest documentary, A Thousand Rivulets Run: A Portrait of the Georgia Coast.

Day 3
The final day highlights the future of Georgia’s growing coastal communities through a panel featuring local and state leaders. The conference closes with coastal collaboration competition pitches, a keynote address, awards, and a call to action for continued collaboration.

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Registration

Cost: $200 | Student Rate: $60

 Questions about the event? Contact Brooke Carney at Brooke.Carney@uga.edu

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Call For Abstracts

The conference will feature research presentations (oral and posters), interactive sessions, and a community challenge opportunity. These talks, posters, and sessions will align with the mission-oriented focus areas of Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant and the collaborative spirit of the conference.

Deadline for submissions: July 10, 2026

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Coastal Collaboration Pitch Competition

Join the Coastal Collaboration Pitch Competition to win one of three $10,000 awards from UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant for collaborative projects addressing coastal Georgia’s sustainability, resilience, and blue economy challenges. Eligible non-profits, educational institutions, and government agencies are invited to submit an abstract and pitch their innovative solutions live on the final day of the State of the Georgia Coast conference.

Deadline for submissions: Noon on September 23, 2026

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Venue and Accommodations

The State of the Coast will take place at the Richmond Hill City Center. Lodging will be available at group rates at the hotels below.

Guests are responsible for making their hotel reservations and paying for their own room, tax, and incidental charges.

The room block will cut off on September 2, 2026