About RCUKReef Conservation UK (RCUK) is a networking group and annual meeting for reef scientists, conservationists and enthusiasts to discuss and collaborate on issues related to coral reef research and conservation. The community is increasingly expanding to include those who work on cold water coral ecosystems, as well as tropical coral reefs.
We hold an annual conference which opens the lines of communication through a series of presentations, posters and networking opportunities. Aside from the scheduled programme, this gathering is an excellent opportunity to meet fellow reef workers, and enthusiasts to discuss ideas and activities on an informal basis. |
Evolving out of the UK committee for the International Year of the Reef, RCUK was founded in 1997 and aimed to maximize communication between coral reef enthusiasts based within the UK, whilst minimising time and money required to gather together. The first RCUK conference was held in 1998 and attracted a great mix of students, academics and professionals, all sharing an enthusiasm for promoting reef awareness with the first ever conference programme stating:
“We hope this is the beginning of a sustained and continued effort to ensure that RCUK and the UK reef community maintain an active role in promoting conservation, public awareness and education about coral reefs”
Twenty odd years later, our annual RCUK meeting at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has continued to grow. In 2016 we hosted our first sell out event, and in 2017 we hosted the European Coral Reef Symposium (ECRS) in Oxford to mark our 20th anniversary. Visit the ECRS pages for information on how we made ECRS sustainable, and to view three inspirational plenary talks by Heather Koldeway, Barbara Brown, and Madeline van Oppen. In 2018 and 2019 we returned to ZSL for two more sell out events, and in 2020 we moved online for our first virtual RCUK! In 2021 RCUK was held at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, and we loved exploring a different location. So after our 25th birthday at ZSL in 2022, RCUK 2023 was on tour again at Newcastle University. See here for more information on the history of RCUK.
Each year fosters a welcoming atmosphere and has developed some great traditions - most notably Christmas jumpers, mince pies and (warm) beers in the aquarium! We are excited to return for our 27th annual conference on 30th November 2024 at ZSL London.
Each year fosters a welcoming atmosphere and has developed some great traditions - most notably Christmas jumpers, mince pies and (warm) beers in the aquarium! We are excited to return for our 27th annual conference on 30th November 2024 at ZSL London.
