The UK Coastal Research Conference took place in Liverpool from 1–3 July 2025. Dr Charlotte Lyddon represented the Coast-R Network and reports back on the event, which brought together coastal researchers and practitioners from across the country.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to connect with attendees throughout the event to share the motivations, aims, and upcoming plans of the Network. Many attendees were already familiar with Coast-R, some had attended the launch event in Hull last year, while others were eager to learn more about upcoming flexible funding opportunities for interdisciplinary research.
Interdisciplinarity was a key theme throughout the conference. Multiple and overlapping challenges faced by coastal communities, such as regulatory challenges and environmental change, were highlighted in the dedicated session on Coastal Community Resilience.
Professor Graham Underwood (University of Essex) highlighted the need to view our coastal environments as seascapes – integrated systems that span physical processes, ecosystems, and human dimensions.
Nick Hardiman (Environment Agency), an Expert Adviser on coastal issues within the national Flood and Coastal Risk Management Directorate, directly acknowledged the value of the Coast-R Network in fostering collaboration. He also emphasised the cultural importance of coastal heritage in shaping how communities perceive and value their coastlines.
Dr Dafni Sifnioti (EDF) underlined the vital importance of the science-policy-infrastructure interface, stressing that community engagement and co-design are essential for building resilience. She left us with a powerful reminder:
“Interdisciplinary teams aren’t optional – they’re essential,” and “The future is collaborative, data-driven, and climate-smart.”
The conference will be co-hosted by the British Geological Survey and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 2027, where we look forward to hearing updates on progress and results from fellow researchers, practitioners, and projects in the Resilient Coastal Communities and Seas programme.
