This workshop will bring together scientists who specialize in interstitial water geochemistry, as well as scientists who use interstitial water data and/or are interested in producing or using this data in the future.

Interstitial water analyses are a crucial aspect of current Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) activities and within the Science Framework 2050, which outlines scientific ocean drilling priorities in a post-IODP world. With the end of IODP and the recent decision to end support for the US drilling vessel, the JOIDES Resolution, the future landscape of scientific ocean drilling is especially uncertain. For scientists who study interstitial (or pore) waters, opportunities for research using legacy materials are more complicated than for some other specialists. While many researchers can make use of archived core materials, new geochemical analyses on interstitial waters require fresh samples and archived material is rarely useful. Additionally, while significant amounts of legacy data exist, their usage for data synthesis work is complicated. Shipboard interstitial water data quality and methodology varies significantly, requiring significant efforts to determine which data can be included and how. Additionally, compilation of this data in a meaningful way is complex, as interstitial water interpretation is often based on trends rather than discrete measurements. Potential ways to efficiently compile downcore records for multiple analytes across numerous sites and expeditions must be determined. This community workshop will provide opportunities to discuss these issues and plan for the future of interstitial water geochemistry.