17DSBS Travel Award

Travel Award Report, Irina Zhulay: 17th Deep-Sea Biology Symposium (DSBS), Hong Kong

The 17th DSBS was a big event and brought together over 350 deep-sea enthusiasts from over the world (more than 40 countries), with 200 oral presentations, and an equal number of poster presentations over five days of sessions. Thanks to the generous support of the travel award, I was able to attend in person and share the results of my postdoctoral research conducted at the University of Bergen (UiB, BIO, Deep-Sea Biology Group and Centre for Deep Sea Research), Norway. The DSBS was held for the first time in the Pacific Asia region, in the dynamic Hong Kong. It was also my first time traveling to this part of the world. After the long journey from Norway and the jet lag, everything felt as if I were drifting through a pleasant dream - filled with inspiring talks, engaging conversations, meetings with old and new friends, and the excitement of being at a great conference in an entirely new place. 

During this conference, I learned a lot about the latest advancements in deep-sea research, spanning diverse topics, such as biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, technological innovations and exploration, human impact and conservation, current and upcoming scientific programs, creative approaches to communicate deep-sea science and many other exciting subjects. Presenting my work in a broad international forum of deep-sea ecologists was a valuable opportunity to receive insightful feedback. The conference fostered a warm, welcoming atmosphere that encouraged knowledge exchange and provided good networking opportunities.  It was a pleasure to engage in fun and interesting discussions with so many wonderful people who share a passion for deep-sea science.

While learning exciting things about the deep sea was great, taking a break with the field trip to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park was a nice way to recharge, explore local coastal ecosystems, and learn about conservation efforts. We got to see baby corals and took a trip on a glass-bottom boat in beautiful weather - especially nice after coming from winter in Norway- to observe corals in their natural habitat right beneath our feet.
The conference took place on a beautiful and interesting HKUST campus with its modern futuristic architecture surrounded by lush greenery and stunning sea and mountain views. At mealtimes, we got to practice our chopstick skills with an endless variety of dishes arriving at our shared round table with rotating centerpieces - my first time dining this way, it made sharing food social and fun. Thanks to the artists at the welcoming dinner creating personalized calligraphy fans, intricate paper-cutting art, and delicate grass crafts that offered us wonderful souvenirs to bring home as lasting memories. We also had the pleasure of enjoying beautiful traditional music at the closing dinner, thanks to the musicians who made the evening even more enjoyable.

A huge thanks to the local organizing committee and the 17th DSBS conference committee for organizing such a successful and well-run event. And thank you once again for awarding me the travel grant. It was a great experience to be part of this wonderful event.