“Berkeley faculty assembled to launch the Berkeley Center for Ocean Futures, which includes 34 faculty and senior scientists, as well as numerous graduate and undergraduate trainees, representing 11 departments and institutions. The group discussed its mission and actions for its inaugural year.
Berkeley has a unique connection to ocean issues given its proximity to the San Francisco Bay, which affects nine counties and approximately 100 diverse municipalities in the Bay Area. In addition to its local significance, Berkeley has global reach to ocean communities, administering the Gump Research Station in Moʻorea, French Polynesia and conducting research in numerous communities worldwide. The new Berkeley Center for Ocean Futures was created to accelerate place-based, innovative research in the Bay Area and beyond while providing students with hands-on opportunities for ocean research and conservation beyond the classroom.
During its kickoff meeting, the group planned 2024-25 activities including enhancements to the Berkeley oceans curriculum (new oceans courses), outreach to community-based oceans organizations in the Bay Area, a seminar series and launch event designed to share student and faculty research, and diverse field-based programming. For more details, and to support these efforts, please see here. The group also welcomed three new oceans faculty members: Dan Okamoto (Integrative Biology), Adrienne Correa (Environmental Science, Policy, and Management), and Rachel Carlson (Environmental Science, Policy, and Management).”