Next Generation Oil Spill
Researchers

Next Generation Oil Spill Researchers is a community of practice that provides senior and early career researchers, decision-makers, and community leaders with an overview of the many issues related to conducting research in the aftermath of a Spill of National Significance. Interactive webinars and networking opportunities will provide a foundation for a new generation to conduct rigorous, ethical, and community-centered research on the human, environmental, and economic impacts of a future spill in the U.S. Southern Gulf. This initiative is a collaboration between the National Academies’ Gulf Research Program and the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Interactive Webinars

A multi-year webinar series will prepare researchers and their partners for a timely, coordinated, and scientifically rigorous research response in the event of an oil spill of national significance in the Gulf. Each webinar will feature expert speakers from across the region, an interactive Q&A session, and related resources. This series is designed to support disaster research that is interdisciplinary, built on regional expertise, and rooted in community needs. The first 7-part webinar series launches in September 2026!

Networking

Networking opportunities connect researchers and practitioners across disciplines and organizations. The Next Generation Oil Spill Researchers LinkedIn group provides a networking space for members to engage with each other, exchange knowledge, and build collaborations. Members will receive regular updates about upcoming webinars, resources, recent publications, and invitations to join in-person networking events in the Gulf and other parts of the United States.

Resources and Readings

A curated collection of resources provides next generation researchers with the opportunity to build their knowledge of past research on Exxon Valdez, Deepwater Horizon, and other hazardous spill disasters. Researchers will also find trainings, research design tools, and data collection resources that support interdisciplinary, community-based work in the event of future oil spills.

The Next Generation Oil Spill Researchers Community of Practice is funded by the Gulf Research Program at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (Award #SCON-10001452). Opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations produced through this initiative are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Gulf Research Program or Natural Hazards Center.