SSI’s 2026 research program is the most active in the organization’s history. This year the research team is conducting water quality sampling across four ocean regions, running two major Caribbean expedition legs aboard R/V Dawn, completing a strategic vessel refit in Puerto Rico, and collaborating with international science partners on Arctic, French Polynesian, and Baltic Sea projects.
| 4 Ocean regions | 2 Caribbean legs | 3 Science partners | 2026 Active field season |
Active Caribbean research programs
The two programs below form the scientific core of SSI’s Caribbean field operations. Water samples collected across all 2026 expedition legs contribute directly to both programs.
Completed 2026 global field work
In addition to its Caribbean home waters, SSI conducted water sampling expeditions in three additional ocean regions in 2026. These projects extend SSI’s comparative dataset and broaden the geographic reach of Caribbean-baseline findings to global context.
2026 R/V Dawn expedition calendar
R/V Dawn is operating on a full 2026 expedition schedule. The calendar below covers all planned and confirmed legs, from the June Caribbean transit through the December Bahamas science cruise. The vessel will be based in Puerto Rico during the Atlantic hurricane season for a scheduled refit before departing for Baltic Sea and Bahamas operations in the second half of the year.
Science in the Wild — Partnership spotlight
Two of SSI’s 2026 field programs are conducted in collaboration with Science in the Wild, an international organization that organizes science expeditions bringing researchers into remote and challenging marine environments. SSI’s partnership with Science in the Wild extends the geographic reach of our water quality research well beyond the Caribbean and allows our science team to contribute to and benefit from a broader international field network.
