Creating a shared vision for a healthy and sustainable ocean
The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and the Naval Postgraduate School recently convened experts to discuss how research can address climate change impacts on the ocean environment, economy, and national security.
Though the climate challenges facing society are enormous, so is the potential for innovative solutions.
According to marine ecologist Fiorenza Micheli, this was among the motivations for the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability to convene an oceans workshop in partnership with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) on February 9 at Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. "This potential can only be realized through deep, thoughtful, and strategic partnerships," added Micheli, who chairs the Doerr School's Oceans Department and co-directs the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions.
Jointly developed by the Oceans Department and NPS Department of Oceanography, the workshop included 35 brief presentations complemented by breakout and poster sessions showcasing the diverse range of research underway at both institutions in areas such as nearshore circulation, coastal and physical oceanography, acoustics, and modeling, among others, with the goal of fostering ideas for future research avenues.
“Seeing the crowd of researchers together today is really what we dreamed about,” said Charles Litchfield, senior associate dean and chief operating officer at the Doerr School of Sustainability, and an NPS graduate. “The fact we’ve had so many people here is a reflection of the interest that has been at the faculty level for some time. And we hope the backing of the Doerr School and the backing of NPS leadership will lead to more fruitful interactions.”
The workshop is the latest collaboration under an Education Partnership Agreement established in 2022 between the two institutions in direct support of the U.S. Navy’s Climate Action 2030 strategy, launched by Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro the same year.
“Climate affects every aspect of our planet, from the biodiversity of the oceans and lands all the way to societies, cities, and people,” Micheli said of the global crisis. “It’s crucial to come at it with different missions and entry points.”
This story was adapted from a story originally published by the Naval Postgraduate School.
Micheli is also a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and a professor, by courtesy, of biology at the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences.
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