Town Halls, Panels & IEEE JOE Papers

OCEANS 2026 Monterey invites proposals for forward-looking Town Halls and Panels, and welcomes eligible IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering authors to present their work.

Town Hall Proposal Deadline: July 20, 2026
IEEE JOE Paper Transfer Deadline: July 15, 2026
Submissions are closed.

Call for Town Halls and Panels

OCEANS 2026 Monterey invites proposals for Town Halls and Panel Sessions addressing timely issues in ocean science, engineering, technology, policy and industry. These sessions are designed to stimulate forward-looking discussion, cross-sector dialogue and community engagement beyond traditional technical paper presentations.

Purpose of Town Halls and Panels

Town Hall and Panel sessions are intended to:

  • Facilitate open discussion on issues of broad community interest
  • Gather stakeholder input on emerging priorities or standards
  • Explore cross-sector collaboration opportunities
  • Connect academia, industry, government and nonprofits
  • Identify community needs, roadmaps or future initiatives

Town Halls may include short introductory remarks but should prioritize moderated discussion and audience engagement. Panels are moderated sessions featuring three to five invited experts who provide diverse perspectives on a focused topic, followed by audience Q&A. Product marketing or commercial promotion should be avoided.

Suggested Topics

Ocean Data Policy, Governance & Sovereignty

Data ownership, open access models, geopolitical implications and AI-driven data ecosystems.

Standards & Interoperability

Open architectures, scalable systems integration and industry–academia alignment on technical standards.

AI in Ocean Science & Engineering

Transformative opportunities, risk and reliability, human oversight and operational implications of autonomy at scale.

Large-Scale Mapping & Observing

Persistent autonomy, basin-scale monitoring, funding models and coordination of global infrastructure.

Blue Economy Strategy

Cross-sector collaboration, sustainability frameworks, commercialization pathways and long-term impact.

Public–Private Partnerships & Dual-Use Technology

Technology transition, civil–defense intersections and international collaboration challenges.

Workforce & Talent Development

Future skillsets, interdisciplinary training and aligning education with emerging technologies.

Shared Infrastructure & Test Facilities

National testbeds, validation standards, cost-sharing models and collaborative platforms.

Provocative or “Moonshot” Futures

Unconstrained computing power, fully autonomous ocean monitoring systems, AI governance and rethinking innovation models.

Town Hall Submission Instructions

All proposals must be submitted electronically via PaperCept. Select OCEANS 2026 Monterey – Town Hall Proposal from the conference list.

Include the Following Information

Proposals should be two pages maximum and include:

  • Title
  • Format: Town Hall or Panel
  • Organizer names, affiliations and contact information
  • Motivation and objectives, including why the topic is timely and relevant
  • Proposed format, including moderator, discussion structure and audience engagement plan
  • Intended audience
  • Expected outcomes, such as recommendations, roadmap discussion or community coordination
  • Anticipated participants or stakeholder groups, if known
  • Equipment needs; a computer projector and room will be provided
  • Expected duration, typically 60–90 minutes
Submissions are closed.

Present Your IEEE JOE Paper at OCEANS 2026 Monterey

Authors of recently accepted or published papers in the IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering are invited to present their work at OCEANS 2026 Monterey.

Eligible papers, accepted within 12 months before the date of submission, can be submitted via the PaperPlaza transfer system as presentation-only contributions without additional review. Only the Corresponding Author can transfer the paper.

Requirements

  • Accepted presenters will be included in the technical program.
  • Authors must submit a preprint of the accepted version of their paper.
  • Authors must register for the conference.
  • Preprints will be shared with attendees in accordance with IEEE policies.

A quick way to obtain a preprint is to download the author accepted manuscript from the IEEE Author Gateway, which will include the IEEE copyright and required published DOI already stamped on the document.

Transfer IEEE JOE Paper- CLOSED