Meetings Other Relevant Events
This webinar has been postponed to 2026 and more information on the date will be shared shortly.
Hosted under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia represented by the General Organization for Conservation of Coral Reefs and Turtles in The Red Sea (Shams).
Artificial Intelligence for Coral Reef Restoration: Scaling Innovation for a Resilient Ocean
Coral reefs, vital to marine biodiversity and coastal protection, are facing unprecedented threats due to climate change, pollution, and overfishing. While monitoring these ecosystems is critical, active restoration is increasingly being adopted as a tool to build resilience.
Following the success of the #ForCoral webinar on Harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Coral Reef Monitoring, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), in collaboration with digiLab, is pleased to host a second webinar focusing on Artificial Intelligence in Coral Reef Restoration.
AI and emerging technologies hold transformative potential for scaling, optimising, and improving the effectiveness of reef restoration efforts. From predictive modelling and site selection to automated coral propagation and post-restoration impact assessment, AI can accelerate restoration and ensure smarter, data-driven interventions.
This webinar will bring together practitioners, researchers, and tech innovators, to explore the opportunities and challenges in applying AI for coral reef restoration.
The registration for this webinar will be managed through Luma.
Here’s how it will work:
- Registration: When attendees register through the Luma event page, they will not receive the Zoom link immediately. This is normal and part of the setup for this particular webinar.
- Zoom Link & Event Access: The Zoom link will be released closer to the event date. This will be shared via a ‘news blast’ sent to all registered participants. The email will include the Zoom access link and any final updates or materials related to the webinar.
- Why This Process? We’re using Luma to streamline communication and consolidate updates in one place. By sending the Zoom link closer to the date, we can ensure participants receive the most up-to-date information, avoid confusion, and increase event security.
- Reminders: Registered attendees will also receive automated reminders from Luma as the event approaches, ensuring nothing is missed.
English
Should you have any questions or need more information, do not hesitate to contact the ICRI Secretariat
Coming in 2026
Agenda
Welcome to the webinar, overview of ICRI, agenda and housekeeping
Margaux Monfared, ICRI Secretariat
Global community of practice for coral reef restoration
Tali Vardi, Coral Restoration Consortium
AI for coral reef restoration
Tim Dodwell, digiLab
Presentation 1
Coming soon
Presentation 2
Coral Restoration Foundation
REEFolution Kenya case study: AI for Automated 3D Reef Mapping, Fish Detection, and Coral Health Monitoring
Ewout Knoester, REEFolution
Question and Answer
Moderator: Margaux Monfared, ICRI Secretariat
Closing
Margaux Monfared
International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) Secretariat
Margaux Monfared works on Global Engagement and Ocean Policy for Blue Pangolin Consulting and serves as the International Policy and Advocacy Director for the International Coral Reef Initiative. An experienced marine biologist and policy specialist, her career spans hands-on coral reef restoration to global advocacy for reef protection. She holds an MSc in Applied Aquatic Biology and has led research and education programmes in the Maldives, Cambodia, and Honduras before transitioning to international policy roles. With several years of field experience, Margaux has focused on enhancing coral reef resilience to climate change through collaborative research, community outreach, and cross-disciplinary teamwork – yielding valuable insights into effective, science-based conservation practices. She is also a member of Leading Women for the Ocean, a global network that empowers women’s voices in ocean conservation, and the CBD Women’s Caucus. Through these and other platforms, she actively contributes to advancing more inclusive and effective ocean governance.
Tim Dodwell
digiLab
Tim is Co-Founder and CEO of digiLab, an award-winning deep tech company building market-leading AI products to drive reef conservation. Tim has been working with the world-leading team at KAUST to transform global reef conservation, harnessing trusted AI to improve efficiency and make scientific breakthroughs in this field.
Sustainability and renewable energy are Tim’s passion – digiLab is leading the way in the UK in the field of fusion development, and is a key contributor in the work towards net-zero in the wider engineering sector including Energy, Aerospace, Transport and Water. He is an advisor to the UKAEA, sits on the Fusion Skills Council and is an internationally recognised leader in Data-Centric Engineering, Uncertainty Quantification and Probabilistic Machine Learning.
Passionate about exploiting the power of Digital Twin technology – digiLab showcases extensive collaboration with industry partners at the forefront of safety-critical engineering. Alongside his work at digiLab, he remains a prominent member of the global machine learning research community at the University of Exeter, Alan Turing Institute, Turing AI Fellowship, and visiting professorships at Heidelberg and MIT.
Tim is an evangelist for technology, and through new products at digiLab like the Uncertainty Engine, he is setting new standards in trustworthy AI. In 2024, Tim won the Tech South West Leadership award, awarded to tech leaders who inspire and influence, maximise the efforts of others and deliver positive impact.
Tali Vardi
Coral Restoration Consortium
Dr. Tali Vardi is the Executive Director of the Coral Restoration Consortium (CRC), the global community of practice for the field of coral restoration – connecting scientists and practitioners, and providing the gold-standard of products to move the field forward. Tali brings 25 years of experience and has authored over 20 publications in the fields of habitat restoration, coral reef ecology and intervention science, as well as international policy, advocacy, and community building.
She has been at the center of the coral restoration movement for over a decade, co-founding the CRC during her 11 years as a coral scientist at NOAA. Beforehand she earned her PhD from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Tali started her career in New York City – working with the Parks Departments’ Natural Resources Group in wetland and forest restoration and grant writing. Tali is a mom, swimmer, SCUBA diver, big laugher, and has recently started learning how to harmonize Bluegrass music.
Ewout Knoester
REEFolution
Dr Ewout Knoester is a marine ecologist at Wageningen University & Research whose work bridges coral reef restoration and ecology. Based in coastal Kenya for the past decade, he has led field research with the REEFolution Foundation, an NGO that pioneered community-managed reef restoration and conservation in the region. His research focuses on developing cost-effective restoration methods that enhance coral resilience and ecosystem recovery under climate stress. Over the past two years, he has collaborated with the Accenture Foundation to explore how artificial intelligence and automated monitoring of coral performance, benthic development, and fish communities can accelerate reef restoration science and improve long-term ecological outcomes.
Coming soon