On May 26, MTS Vice President for ECOPs Alfredo Giron-Nava served as a panelist in the Ocean Studies Board (OSB) for the 22nd Annual Roger Revelle Commemorative Lecture. The virtual lecture featured Early Career Ocean Professionals leading the way on the UN Ocean Decade of Science for Sustainable Development.

Alfredo is an André Hoffmann Fellow at the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions and the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. His research focuses on the use of technology to support sustainable fisheries management and the reduction of illegal, unregulated, and unreported catch. In 2014, he co-founded dataMares, a platform for enhancing science communication and data visualization.

He discussed how through ECOPs programs and mentorships, we can empower the next generation of solution-oriented ocean professionals. Alfredo spoke of his upbringing in Mexico City and the pollution he encountered and wanting to make a change. “I grew up understanding sustainability and how the environment is important for our society,” he said. Alfredo discussed how barriers can be broken down through the Ocean Decade and through inspiring people. While attending conferences, he realized the few numbers of ECOPs and became involved in advocating for early career professionals. He recommended encouraging effective communications, meaningful collaborations, and formative experiences to help and grow ECOPs in their careers. And he suggested ocean science colleagues reach out to early career ocean professionals and ask the question - How can I help you? 

Alfredo was joined by Dr. Harriet Harden-Davies, an Ocean Nexus postdoctoral research fellow at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong. She is also Guest Investigator at the Marine Policy Centre of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, co-lead of the Deep Ocean Stewardship Initiative, and member of the UNESCO-IOC Group of Experts on Capacity Development and UNESCO-IOC Informal Working Group of Early Career Ocean Professionals. Harriett discussed how scientists can best work with policy makers. She said for ECOPs this is something that takes critical thinking and capacity building through equitable partnerships. She also said it is important to work with mentors and experts from outside sectors to learn others perspectives. 

Anjali Boyd, a Duke University PhD student and Dean’s Graduate Fellow in the Nicholas School of the Environment, joined the panel and discussed the work that she does to combat the underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities in STEM fields through educational entrepreneurial programs. She discussed the importance of getting out of our silos and working with people of different disciplines.

A recording of the lecture will be available HERE. 

Learn more about this event and the Decade HERE.