The Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026 marked a major milestone for the American Geophysical Union (AGU), becoming the first time the biennial conference was hosted outside the United States. Following previous editions in San Diego and New Orleans, the event expanded its global reach by bringing the international ocean science community to SEC Centre in Glasgow. Welcoming nearly 6,000 attendees from 60 countries, the conference provided a platform for collaboration, discovery, and innovation.

As AGU prepared to host its flagship Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, the organisation sought to create a welcoming and intuitive experience for a truly global audience. The event needed to support scientific collaboration, encourage engagement, and make it easy for attendees to navigate a large and complex venue environment.

Key objectives included creating a series of themed theatres and engagement spaces that reflected the event's scientific focus while encouraging collaboration, learning, and networking. The client also wanted a colour-coded floor plan strategy to improve attendee wayfinding and help delegates easily navigate the large venue environment. 

Working closely with the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) and the AGU team, GES coordinated the delivery of a complex, multi-hall event designed specifically for the needs of the global ocean sciences community.

To support the diverse audiences of ocean science attendees, GES designed and delivered a range of immersive feature areas, learning theatres, networking spaces, and one of the event's most significant components: an extensive scientific poster programme.

The themed environment was further enhanced through a strategic colour-coded flooring system that helped attendees easily navigate between educational sessions, networking zones, exhibition areas, and poster halls while reinforcing the identity of each feature space.

• White Octanorm shell scheme construction
• Scientific posterboard installation
• Large-scale scientific conference delivery
• Extensive poster programme management
• Immersive themed environments and feature areas
• Multi-hall venue operations
• International event logistics
• Exhibitor services
• Sustainable event solutions 

The Ocean Sciences Meeting 2026 successfully welcomed nearly 6,000 attendees from 60 countries, showcasing GES's expertise in delivering complex international scientific events.

As AGU's first Ocean Sciences Meeting outside North America, the event benefited from GES's venue partnerships, local delivery expertise, and budget management.

Organiser Heather Nalley praised the conference's success, describing the GES team as "nothing short of exceptional" and commending its creativity, venue knowledge, and execution.