The 2024 RVTEC Meeting took place October 21-25, 2024, at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH. The 2024 RVTEC meeting marked a transition from a meeting to a full-fledged conference, boasting a record number of attendees with 165 participants in person and over 20 joining online. This impressive turnout underscores the growing complexities of sea-going technical services as well as the need for community-based solutions. 

A special thanks goes to the University of New Hampshire for hosting the event at their excellent venue, which provided an ideal setting for both formal sessions and informal networking. Friday's agenda featured three well-attended training options, offering valuable learning opportunities for all participants. The conference proved to be an excellent platform for technicians to forge new relationships and collaboratively address technical challenges.

The 2025 UNOLS Research Vessel Technical Enhancement Committee (RVTEC) Meeting, held November 3–7, 2025, at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California, was a fantastic week and an important milestone for the RVTEC community. With 170 people attending in person and 28 joining virtually, this year’s meeting had the largest in-person turnout yet, reflecting the strong engagement and continued momentum across the research vessel technical community.

Over five full days, marine technicians, engineers, operators, and program partners from across the U.S. Academic Research Fleet came together to share experiences, learn from one another, and strengthen the connections that keep science at sea running smoothly. 

The program included a solid mix of plenary sessions, technical breakouts, and hands-on training opportunities. Conversations covered fleet initiatives, emerging technologies, operational best practices, and common technical challenges faced across the fleet. Specialized workshops and trainings, such as rigging gear inspection and basic rigging, a Kongsberg SIS workshop, and a Fortinet SD-WAN workshop focused on vessel networking and cybersecurity, offered practical, technician-focused content that attendees could take straight back to their ships and shops.

Just as important as the technical sessions were the opportunities to connect as a community. Highlights included a lively icebreaker reception at Birch Aquarium, a networking dinner at the Ida and Cecil Green Faculty Club, and an exclusive tour of the R/V Sally Ride and the Scripps Nimitz Marine Facility, giving participants a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world’s premier oceanographic research operations.

To be held at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL in November 2026, (dates TBD)