ED010
Innovating Ocean Sustainability: Integrating Science, Innovation, and Workforce Development for a Resilient Future

Session ID#: 258223

Session Description:
The ocean is central to climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable economies. Accelerating human impacts demand bold, systems-level solutions that necessitate a departure from traditional paradigms, embracing holistic, transdisciplinary approaches integrating science, technology, policy, and workforce development.

This session welcomes contributions that demonstrate how institutions and initiatives are translating interdisciplinary research into scalable impact, identifying synergies, addressing trade-offs, and fostering cross-sector collaborations. Emphasis will be placed on frameworks that move beyond single-impact analysis toward life cycle thinking and integrated tools/approaches. As the blue economy expands, new career paths are emerging at the intersections of science, entrepreneurship, data science, and policy. With growing demand for ocean professionals skilled in systems thinking, data science, climate resilience, and stakeholder engagement, this session also emphasizes education and workforce development. Highly encouraged are submissions that explore how education, training, and partnerships can equip the next generation with diverse skillsets needed to lead sustainable ocean solutions globally and thrive in the emergent climate economy.

Join us to explore case studies, innovations, and capacity-building efforts from around the world. This session aims to connect scientists, educators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers in an open exchange that advances the UN Ocean Decade’s goals and drives inclusive, forward-looking ocean solutions.

Co-Sponsor(s):
  • Climate and Ocean Change -
  • Education, Public Engagement, and Arts -
  • Human-Ocean Connections -
Index Terms:

4299 General or miscellaneous [OCEANOGRAPHY: GENERAL]
4355 Miscellaneous [NATURAL HAZARDS]
6349 General or miscellaneous [POLICY SCIENCES & PUBLIC ISSUES]
6630 Workforce [POLICY SCIENCES & PUBLIC ISSUES]
Primary Chair:  Dr. Stephanie Sharuga, BSc, MS, MBA, PhD, PMP, Independent Affiliation, Saratoga
Co-chairs:  Dr. Leonardo Valenzuela Perez, PhD, Ocean Visions, Leesburg, United States and Carlie Wiener, Schmidt Sciences, Palo alto, United States
 
Strengthening the U.S. Blue Economy Through Early Career Leadership and Community Building (2008623)
Caisey Myers, Marine Technology Society, U.S. ECOP Node, Steering Committee, Co-Chair, San Antonio, United States, Emily Johnson, U.S. ECOP Node, Steering Committee, Co-Chair, Washington, DC, United States, Maria Grima, U.S. ECOP Node, Steering Committee Member, Boston, United States and Hannah Toerner, Marine Technology Society, Board of Directors, VP of ECOPs, Houston, United States
 
From Concrete to Coastlines: Cultivating Climate Resilience and Blue Economy Skills Through School-Based Sustainability Innovation (2009453)
Ryan Johnson, UNITED STATES
 
From Silos to Synergy: Enabling Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Ocean Sustainability (2011202)
Stefanie Ypma, Utrecht University, Faculty of Science, Utrecht, Netherlands, Kjeld Werther, Wageningen University and Research Center, Wageningen, Netherlands, Nicole Bale, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Microbiology & Biogeochemistry, Den Burg, Netherlands, Sabine Gollner Dr., Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Ocean Systems, 't Horntje Texel, Netherlands, Erik de Lange, Utrecht University, Department of History and Art History, Utrecht, Netherlands, Cale Miller, Utrecht University, Department of Earth Sciences, Utrecht, Netherlands, Alex Oude Elferink, Utrecht University, Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea, Utrecht, Netherlands and Erik van Sebille, Utrecht University, Institute for Marine and Atmospheric research Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
 
An Innovative and Integrated Framework for Assessing Ocean Compound Climate Risks and Advancing Resilience in Global Mariculture within Exclusive Economic Zones (2015805)
Zhetao Tan, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique - ENS, Paris, France, Laurent Bopp, LMD/IPSL, Ecole Normale Supérieure/Université PSL, CNRS, Département de Géosciences, Paris, France, Karina von Schuckmann, Mercator Ocean International, Toulouse, France, Lijing Cheng, Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China, Sabrina Speich, Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique – IPSL, Paris, France, Lorena Moreira, Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems, Santiago de Compostela, Spain and Hengqi Wang, Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Beijing, China
 
Useful Arctic Knowledge: Training, Collaboration and Innovation in Ocean Observing (2018304)
Stein Sandven1, Hanne Sagen1, Espen Storheim1, Lora Van Uffelen2, Børge Hamre3, Arne Skodvin Kristoffersen3, Håkon Sandven3, Daniel Koestner3, Peter F. Worcester4, Rick A Reynolds5, Matthew A Dzieciuch4, Dariusz Stramski5, Anders Tengberg6, Marcel Babin7, Kathy Vigness-Raposa8 and Vår Iren Dundas1, (1)Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Bergen, Norway, (2)University of Rhode Island Narragansett Bay, Ocean Engineering, Narragansett, United States, (3)University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, (4)Scripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States, (5)Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States, (6)AADI Xylem, Bergen, Norway, (7)Laval University, Quebec City, Canada, (8)INSPIRE Environmental, Newport, United States
 
The Deep-Sea Capacity Development Maturity Model: A Framework for Evaluating Sustainable Capacity Development in Ocean Science (2022206)
Nadiah Rosli1, Katherine Leeper2, Karlisa Callwood3, Susan Poulton4, Michelle Guraieb1 and Katy Croff Bell1, (1)Ocean Discovery League, Saunderstown, United States, (2)Ocean Discovery League, Saunderstwon, United States, (3)Perry Institute of Marine Science, Miami, United States, (4)Ocean Discovery League, Philadelphia, United States
 
Community-Driven Mapping of Saltmarsh Habitats to Support Conservation Initiatives in Coastal Southeast Bangladesh (2022714)
Most. Jarin Tabassum Tethe, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Oceanography, Sylhet, Bangladesh and Subrata Sarker, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Department of Oceanography, Sylhet, Bangladesh
 
Training a New Generation of Ocean Innovators: the Bridge to Bluetech Internship Program (2026053)
Aimee Bonanno1, Julia Pangan2, Robert F Chen3 and Nayma de Luz Baptista2, (1)University of Massachusetts Boston, School for the Environment, Boston, United States, (2)Sea Ahead, Cambridge, United States, (3)University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, United States
 
Mentorship: A Reciprocal Relationship for Career Resiliency (2028879)
Sarah Clem, University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, United States, Dr. Mona Behl, University of Georgia, Georgia Sea Grant, Athens, GA, United States, Colleen B Mouw, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI, United States, Sonya Legg, Center for Ocean Leadership at UCAR, Boulder, United States, Erin Hackett, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, United States, Kristin C Burkholder, Stonehill College, Environmental Sciences and Studies, Easton, MA, United States, Kristopher B Karnauskas, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, United States, Sarah T Gille, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, United States, Lauren A Freeman, Naval Research Laboratory, Remote Sensing Division, Washington, DC, United States, Subhas Karan Venayagamoorthy, Colorado State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Fort Collins, CO, United States and Jerry Miller, Science for Decisions, Hemingway, United States
 
DueSouth: Advancing Sustainable and Collaborative Polar Science Through Shared Logistics (2032032)
Julia Bach, Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS), Hobart, TAS, Australia, Michaela Miller, Southern Ocean Observing System, Hobart, TAS, Australia, Alyce Hancock, Southern Ocean Observing System, Hobart, Australia and Maria Grigoratou, European Polar Board (EPB), Umea, Sweden
 
Ocean Literacy for Ocean Sustainability and Circularity: How ‘Marine Plastic Abatement Through Hopeful Youth/MPAthy’ Promotes Innovative Thinking that Weaves Connection and Empathy for Our Ocean (2036914)
Gayathri Govindarajan, Enviheals Foundations, Chennai, India
 
Co-Creating a Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science: Advancing Ocean Observations for a Sustainable Future (2039034)
Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Uppsala University, Department of Earth Sciences, Natural Resource sand Sustainable Development, Campus Gotland, Uppsala, Sweden, Said M Hashim, Uppsala University, Earth Sciences, Visby, Sweden and Artur Palacz, Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences, Sopot, Poland
 
Pedagogical Approaches in the Overlap of Ocean Science and Marine Engineering at a US (Maine) Maritime Academy (2041625)
Ann Cleveland1, Karen Merritt1 and Nicholas Rigas2, (1)Maine Maritime Academy, Ocean Studies, Castine, United States, (2)Maine Maritime Academy, Marine Engineering, Castine, United States
 
Expanding Ocean Career Pathways: Interdisciplinary, Cross-Sector, and Entrepreneurial Roles Driving Systems-Level Solutions for Climate Resilience, Biodiversity, and the Blue Economy (2047250)
Dr. Stephanie Sharuga, BSc, MS, MBA, PhD, PMP, Independent Affiliation, Saratoga
 
Transdisciplinary Approach for Transitioning from Ocean to Blue Economy (2048067)
Ronnie Noonan-Birch, Ocean Frontier Institute, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, Marie-Chantal Ross, National Research Council Canada, Ocean Program, Ottawa, Canada and Michelle Adams, Dalhousie University, School of Resources and Environmental Studies, Halifax, Canada
 
BLUE ECONOMY IN BASIC EDUCATION: A GLOBAL REVIEW AND PROPOSED STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR CURRICULA AND PUBLIC POLICIES (2048433)
Enaile Oliveira1, Mariana Almeida2, Aline Veloso3, Mrs. Janaína de Sousa Pontes, Estudante de Pós-Graduação2, Socorro Bastista4, Claudia Medeiros5, Glacia Rondon2, Graco Viana2, Mario Gonzalez2, Jocely Alves2, Sidnei Oliveira6 and Inês Mauad7, (1)Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, Natal, Brazil, (2)Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil, (3)Brazilian Space Agency, Brasília, Brazil, (4)Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid Region, Natal, Brazil, (5)INPE, Natal, Brazil, (6)Federal University of Rondônia, Ji-Paraná, Brazil, (7)Programa GLOBE, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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