Join us on September 19, 2025 for the 2025 Smart Coast Summit – Coastal Bend Vision 2050, hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington’s Smart Coast Initiative. This transformative event brings together visionaries, experts, and stakeholders to address the Coastal Bend’s biggest challenges. The summit will explore innovative solutions and actionable strategies to shape a sustainable and resilient future. Join us as we chart a mid-century course toward a more resilient and smart Coastal Bend for generations to come. Be inspired by best-practice examples successfully applied in other cities as we showcase methods and approaches to address our region’s most pressing issues.
Please RSVP here.
Vision
As we gather at the 2025 Smart Coast Summit, our aim is to draft a vision of the Coastal Bend as a Smart Coast.
In becoming a Smart Coast, the Texas Coastal Bend integrates human experience, natural systems, and technology & design to co-create adaptive solutions that ensure the sustainability and resilience of the region’s resources and communities for generations to come.
– Smart Coast Initiative
Goals
The 2025 Smart Coast Summit is structured into two key segments: together, we will “Tackle the Status Quo” and “Chart a Mid-Century Vision.”
During the Tackle the Status Quo sessions, participants will identify the Coastal Bend’s key assets and challenges, exploring tangible strategies to address them. In the afternoon, the Chart a Mid-Century Vision sessions will focus on co-creating an initial step toward a regional vision for 2050. This will include discussions on smart infrastructure, resilient environmental systems, and forward-thinking planning while aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, laying out a roadmap for the region’s future.
Goals for the 2025 Smart Coast Summit – Coastal Bend Vision 2050:
- Identify Coastal Assets and Challenges
What are the key strengths and vulnerabilities of the Coastal Bend’s environment, economy, and community?
Assess the Coastal Bend’s environment, economy, and community resilience by examining its strengths and vulnerabilities. This includes understanding urban design, planning, hazards, emergency management challenges, and the role of data and technology in addressing these issues. This evaluation will lay the foundation for co-creating adaptive solutions. - Explore Tangible Strategies to Action
Which actionable strategies can address hazards and enhance emergency management in the Coastal Bend?
Investigate actionable strategies that focus on solutions to address hazards, enhance emergency management, and guide policy development, while improving the region’s environment and capacity to adapt to climate change and resource pressures. - Chart a Vision for 2050
How can the Texas Coastal Bend integrate human experience, natural systems, and technology & design to co-create adaptive solutions that ensure the sustainability and resilience of the region’s resources and communities for generations to come?
Develop an initial step toward a regional vision for the Coastal Bend by focusing on smart infrastructure, resilient environmental systems, and forward-thinking planning, while aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), to create a roadmap for the region’s future through 2050.
Location
American Bank Center Corpus Christi, 1901 N Shoreline Blvd, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Schedule
Friday, September 19, 2025
09:30am – 12:30pm Morning Session: Tackle the Status Quo
01:30pm – 06:00pm Afternoon Session: Chart a Mid-Century Vision
| Time | Activity |
| Tackle the Status Quo (Morning Sessions) | |
| 9:30am – 9:45am | Registration and Welcome Coffee Welcome coffee and light refreshments Registration and networking |
| 9:45am – 10:00am | Opening Remarks Introduction to the summit’s goals and objectives Overview of the schedule and session topics Details on the Smart Coast Initiative |
| 10:00am – 10:45am | Session 1 – Infrastructure & Environment Introduction to session and goals Panelist presentations (5-7 minutes each) Q&A and interactive discussion |
| 10:45am – 11:00am | Break |
| 11:00am – 11:45am | Session 2 – Hazards & Emergency Management Introduction to session and goals Panelist presentations (5-7 minutes each) Q&A and interactive discussion |
| 11:45am – 12:30pm | Session 3 – Data & Technology Introduction to session and goals Panelist presentations (5-7 minutes each) Q&A and interactive discussion |
| 12:30pm – 1:30pm | Lunch Break Networking lunch Informal discussions |
| Chart a Mid-Century Vision (Afternoon Sessions) | |
| 1:30pm – 1:45pm | Introduction of the Keynote Speaker |
| 1:45pm – 2:45pm | Keynote Speaker Keynote speech by a distinguished speaker |
| 2:45pm – 3:15pm | Panel Discussion with Session Leaders and Keynote Speaker Summary of key findings and action plans Audience Q&A and final thoughts |
| 3:15pm – 3:30pm | Break |
| 3:30pm – 5:30pm | Community Workshop Synthesizing feedback from morning sessions Breakout groups focusing on specific challenges and solutions Facilitated discussions to develop actionable strategies Aligning local strategies with global sustainability frameworks |
| 5:30pm – 5:45pm | Coffee over Dashboard Interactive session to rate dashboard designs while enjoying coffee |
| 5:45pm – 6:00pm | Closing Remarks Future outlook and next steps |