From 30 November to 1 December, the 5th International Marine Science Communication Conference CommOCEAN 2022 is organized by the European Marine Board’s Communication Panel. The event will combine talks, hands-on exercises, expertise-sharing, and latest marine science. EuroGOOS will showcase the development of the UN Ocean Decade action ‘Scientists for Ocean Literacy‘.
The Ocean Decade Scientists for Ocean Literacy project coordinated by EuroGOOS, aims to empower scientists as key actors of a sustainable future. It embraces the diversity of marine disciplines, promotes inclusiveness in knowledge and innovation linked to the ocean, and fosters blue careers. The talk, given by the project coordinator Dina Eparkhina, will address several aspects of Ocean Literacy activities in ocean science and will build on the EuroGOOS policy brief ‘Ocean Literacy in European Oceanographic Agencies – EuroGOOS recommendations for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development’.
The following key questions will be raised with the audience:
- What role are the scientific institutions to play in engaging the public?
- How to sustain and improve the Ocean Literacy offer and improve the impact?
- How to build cohesive communications around Ocean Literacy?
‘Scientists for Ocean Literacy’ is being developed by EuroGOOS to help oceanographic agencies to engage more impactfully with people in their communities, but also internationally. But the scientists cannot act alone – as part of the Ocean Literacy movement, we need a wide range of disciplines on board. Furthermore, despite the policy interest in Ocean Literacy, the scientists’ public engagement work is still under-funded and under-recognized in oceanography.
‘Scientists for Ocean Literacy’ will inspire joint events and resources for public and educators, embrace multi and trans-disciplinarity and inclusiveness in ocean knowledge and innovation, help exchange best practices, and promote blue careers. An important emphasis of the project is the promotion of Ocean Literacy as a strategic activity area in oceanography. The talk at CommOCEAN 2022 will help engage the European communication professionals and scientists interested in communications in the promoting and enabling Ocean Literacy.
