The theme of this year's 9th US Symposium on Harmful Algae will reflect the shift in the current climate in the field. Harmful algae and its environmental effects are becoming better understood by scientists, and this meeting will hopefully serve as a means to usher in new ideas and ways of researching and treating harmful algae that will be embraced by the next generation of researchers in the field.

We encourage everyone who works on harmful algae issues to attend the only national conference focused exclusively on HABs. Whether your focus is freshwater or marine systems, microalgae or macroalgae, basic research and monitoring, or policy and management there will be opportunities for you to learn and discuss all facets of HAB studies. Students, established HAB folks, managers and scientists from NGOs, academic institutions, and local, state and federal agencies are invited to join us in Baltimore. Sign up for workshops preceding the meeting that will provide hands-on training opportunities in the identification of HAB species using microscopy, toxin detection techniques, molecular algal species and toxin identification, and the latest analytical tools used in HAB science.