Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School (GGOSSS 2025) – A Landmark First Edition at the University of Dschang, Cameroon

The University of Dschang in Cameroon, in partnership with international organizations, successfully hosted the first edition of the Gulf of Guinea Ocean Sciences Summer School (GGOSSS) from August 25 to 29, 2025. Held at the Joseph Fondjo Auditorium, this landmark event brought together 36 trainees and 12 instructors from six francophone countries of the Gulf of Guinea—Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo, and Senegal—for five days of intensive scientific exchange, practical workshops, and field activities.

The summer school was founded and led by Dr. Babette Christelle Tchonang, with the ambition of strengthening the scientific capacity of francophone students and early-career researchers in ocean sciences. The program sought not only to provide hands-on training in oceanographic parameters such as sea level, salinity, and ocean circulation, but also to foster international collaboration and to establish a professional network of emerging ocean scientists in a region that is acutely vulnerable to climate change.

[IMAGE: Official photo of the participants with the authorities of the University of Dschang during the opening ceremony.  | Credit: GGOSSS]

The week began with a solemn opening ceremony that set the tone for the days ahead. Prof. Christian Kenfack Sadem, representing the local organizing committee, welcomed participants and partners while outlining the logistical objectives of the event. Dr. Tchonang shared the vision behind GGOSSS, highlighting the importance of transnational collaboration in safeguarding the marine environment of the Gulf of Guinea. Representing the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Vice-Dean for Research Prof. Célestin Lélé stressed the strategic role of the summer school for developing local expertise and strengthening partnerships with international institutions such as Mercator Ocean International. Finally, Prof. Christian Zamo Akono, Technical Advisor representing the Rector of the University of Dschang, reaffirmed the University’s strong commitment to making ocean science a pillar of sustainable development in the region.

[IMAGE: Top left: Prof. Christian Kenfack Sadem – President of the Local Organizing Committee; Top right: Dr. Babette C. Tchonang – Founder and Coordinator of GGOSSS; Bottom left: Prof. Célestin Lélé – Vice-Dean for Research, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang; Bottom right: Prof. Christian Zamo Akono – Technical Advisor to the Rector, University of Dschang. | Credit GGOSSS ]

Over the following days, participants engaged in a comprehensive curriculum that blended theory and

[IMAGE: Dr. Franck Ghomsi, University of Manitoba (Canada)  | Credit: GGOSSS]

practice. The scientific sessions began with lecture on oceanography fundamentals where Prof. Christian Kenfack Sadem presented the foundations of ocean science, from ocean circulation and currents to atmosphere, and ocean interactions. Dr. Franck Ghomsi spoke to participants about sea level rise in the Gulf of Guinea, examining its drivers, impacts, and regional implications, and underscoring the need for cooperative monitoring.

[IMAGE: Prof. Crépin Mama, University of Ebolowa (Cameroon)  | Credit: GGOSSS]

Prof. Crépin Mama’s session on Marine Biogeochemistry examined the cycles of matter and energy in marine ecosystems, emphasizing the Gulf of Guinea’s rich biodiversity and the threats from climate change, pollution, and overexploitation. Dr. Fernand Assene’s presentation on Introduction to Python for Data Analysis summarized the 40 hours of training delivered in 10 practical online sessions between July 30 and August 23. Designed to prepare participants for the summer school, the course introduced the Python environment and its applications for exploring, analyzing, and visualizing oceanographic data.

The second day deepened participants’ understanding of oceanographic measurement techniques and practical data applications. Dr. Alina Nathanaël Dossa and Dr. Odilon Joël Houndégnonto introduced

[IMAGE: Dr. Odilon Houndégnonto, ICMPA - Unesco Chair (France) and Dr. Alina Dossa, University of Miami (USA) | Credit: GGOSSS]

in-situ instruments such as ADCPs, CTDs, drifters, buoys, and ARGO floats, highlighting their evolution and importance for climate, navigation, fisheries, and coastal safety. Dr. Babette C. Tchonang presented the principles of oceanographic satellites and the relevance of SWOT for regional and global research. Finally, Dr. Audrey Delpech (online) introduced ocean numerical modeling through the CROCO model, explaining its core components and coupled modules.

These lectures were followed by hands-on workshops divided into three tracks. The in-situ data group, led by Dr. Victor Okpeitcha, Dr. Nathanaël Dossa, and Dr. Odilon Houndégnonto, worked with instruments and prepared a field campaign. The remote sensing group, guided by Dr. Babette C. Tchonang, analyzed Copernicus Marine Service datasets in Python to map sea surface height and currents. Meanwhile, the modeling group, led by Dr. Audrey Delpech and Dr. Fernand Assene, explored the CROCO regional ocean model and its applications to the Benguela upwelling system.

[IMAGE: Dr. Fernand Assene, University of Ebolowa (Cameroon) | Credit: GGOSSS]

[IMAGE: Dr. Victor Okpeitcha, ICMPA - Unesco Chair (Benin) | Credit: GGOSSS]

The summer school also offered a series of thematic lectures that broadened horizons beyond the classroom. Rear Admiral Fernand Maxime Ahoyo, Maritime Prefect of Benin, connected online to address the challenges of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, a region that accounts for the vast majority of piracy incidents in Africa. Dr. Sahra Kacimi guided participants on how to build and fund scientific projects, while Serge Ghomsi, a data scientist at LGS/IBM Canada, shared his journey from oceanography to artificial intelligence, encouraging trainees to embrace new technologies as opportunities for innovation. Additional interventions by experts such as Dr. Victor Okpeitcha on coastal ecosystems and Dr. Tchonang on SCOR capacity-building programs reinforced the school’s mission of preparing young scientists for the complexities of ocean research and international collaboration.

[IMAGE: A section of partcipants in auditorium room  | Credit: GGOSSS]

[IMAGE: A section of partcipants in auditorium room | Credit: GGOSSS]

The week reached its climax with a field excursion to the Municipal Lake of Dschang. Under the guidance of Dr. Okpeitcha and Professor Kenfack Sadem, students practiced using CTD probes to measure conductivity, temperature, salinity, pressure, and dissolved oxygen. The hands-on experience not only consolidated classroom learning but also produced environmental data that will be shared with the municipality for local monitoring. The summer school concluded with a vibrant closing ceremony marked by the awarding of certificates and a cocktail reception celebrating the intercultural and interdisciplinary spirit of GGOSSS.

[IMAGE: A section of trainees in the Municipal Lake of Dschang | Credit: GGOSSS]

[IMAGE: A section of students near the municipal lake of Dschang | Credit: GGOSSS]

[IMAGE: Trainees and trainer preparing to deploy in-situ data acquisition instruments in the Municipal Lake of Dschang | Credit: GGOSSS]

Acknowledgments and Future Directions

The success of this first edition was made possible through the financial support of Copernicus Marine Service via Mercator Ocean International, the SCOR Capacity Development Program, and the Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean (POGO). Additional expertise and institutional backing came from the International Chair in Mathematical Physics and Applications (ICMPA–UNESCO), the Coastal Ocean Environment Summer School in Nigeria and Ghana (COESSING), and the Association of Professionals in Coastal and Aquatics Management (APCAM). We would like to extend special thanks to the Institute of Fisheries and Oceanographic Research of Benin (IRHOB) and the French Research Institute for Development (IRD) for providing the equipment used in the practical data collection activities at Lake Dschang.

By the end of the program, participants left with a strong foundation in ocean sciences, valuable hands-on skills, and a renewed sense of purpose. Perhaps more importantly, GGOSSS 2025 succeeded in creating a community of young scientists determined to work together across borders. As one participant noted during the closing ceremony, the week was not only a training but also a turning point in building a network for the future of oceanography in the Gulf of Guinea. With the next edition planned for Benin in 2026, GGOSSS is laying the foundation for a long-term regional initiative aimed at training African scientists, strengthening collaboration, and urging governments to support ocean science.