(Formerly BIO 6N) We will learn how to design pathways to solutions by integrating social sciences and governance into our case studies. We will address both conventional (fisheries management, reducing the impacts of global shipping, marine protected areas) and emerging research and management approaches (marine spatial planning, dynamic ocean management, environmental DNA). Oceans are facing long-term challenges, like overfishing and pollution that we know how to solve, and emerging challenges, like climate change and ocean plastics, for which solutions are more elusive. Ultimately to achieve long-term sustainability, solutions have to work for both people and the planet. These puzzles offer challenging complex systems problems that will require our best interdisciplinary thinking to solve.
3 units · Letter (ABCD/NP) · GER: WAY-SI, WAY-SMA
(Formerly BIO 6N) We will learn how to design pathways to solutions by integrating social sciences and governance into our case studies. We will address both conventional (fisheries management, reducing the impacts of global shipping, marine protected areas) and emerging research and management approaches (marine spatial planning, dynamic ocean management, environmental DNA). Oceans are facing long-term challenges, like overfishing and pollution that we know how to solve, and emerging challenges, like climate change and ocean plastics, for which solutions are more elusive. Ultimately to achieve long-term sustainability, solutions have to work for both people and the planet. These puzzles offer challenging complex systems problems that will require our best interdisciplinary thinking to solve.
Offered in Winter 2026 at Stanford University.