Regional Marine Station Networks as Distributed Research Platforms: Lessons from the Chilean RCER Network

RCER (Red de Centros y Estaciones Regionales) is a Chilean network coordinated through the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile that connects marine and terrestrial field stations, regional research centres, and academic institutions distributed across the country. The network supports collaboration, shared infrastructure, research access, education, and long-term environmental observation across diverse ecosystems and geographic regions, while fostering coordination among institutions with differing regional priorities and operational models.This presentation will examine the experience of coordinating a national-scale network that links universities, research centres, and regional partners through shared objectives related to research access, collaboration, training, and long-term coastal observation. The RCER experience highlights both the opportunities and challenges associated with building interoperability among UC field stations with different operational models, governance structures, and regional priorities.Particular attention will be given to the practical dimensions of network coordination, including governance frameworks, communication mechanisms, institutional trust-building, and the development of collaborative approaches that support distributed scientific capacity. The presentation will also reflect on how regional marine station networks can strengthen international collaboration by serving as scalable platforms for environmental monitoring, data exchange, education, and coordinated responses to emerging ocean challenges.As the World Association of Marine Stations advances efforts to connect marine stations globally, experiences from regional networks such as RCER offer valuable lessons for strengthening cooperation across institutions and geographic regions. The Chilean experience demonstrates how coordinated regional infrastructure can contribute to broader international goals related to collaborative science, research accessibility, and resilient global observing networks.