Speaker — Neptune Forum 2026
Antje Boetius
MBARI President and CEO
CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), co-Chair of the Mission Neptune Board
MBARI President and CEO Antje Boetius is a globally recognized leader in polar and deep-sea research. She has provided vital insight into the functions of extreme ecosystems, including the dynamics of ocean and polar ecosystems by integrating cutting-edge ocean observation technologies with long-term ecosystem studies. Boetius and her team use autonomous and tethered seafloor observatories and robotic sampling systems that enable real-time monitoring of unique habitats in the deep ocean. She has led or participated in more than 50 international deep-sea and polar expeditions and coordinated numerous national and international research programs to study continental margins, ocean basins, and polar life under ice. Prior to joining MBARI, Boetius was the director of the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven, Germany. She is affiliated with several international societies and academies, including the Helmholtz Association and Max Planck Society, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, the Royal Swedish Academy, the UK’s Royal Society, and Germany’s Order Pour le Mérite for Science and Arts. She is also an Adjunct professor in the Oceans Department of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Boetius acts as a policy advisor to numerous national and international commissions on ocean health, biodiversity, and science innovation. Currently, she is the Chair of the International Steering Board of Antarctica InSync, a UN Ocean Decade program dedicated to integrated, synchronous observation of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean. A champion of science communication, Boetius is known for her work at the intersection of science, art, and society.
On the Neptune Forum 2026 programme
- 10am - 10.15amNeptune in the MakingOpeningCEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), co-Chair of the Mission Neptune BoardSee in the programme
- 3.40pm - 4.10pmExploration and knowledge as the foundation of cooperation for Planet OceanOcean, climate and planetary stabilityCEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), co-Chair of the Mission Neptune BoardSee in the programme
