Building Resilient, Adaptive, and Inclusive Coastal Communities through Marine Science: Lessons Learned with Plenty Left to Do

About the Webinar

The impacts of climate change on coastal environments disproportionately influence minority populations, communities of low socioeconomic status and means, and populations whose cultural livelihood depends on the health of local marine ecosystems. These communities are often excluded from discussions of climate-related research, mitigation, and adaptation strategies that would greatly benefit from their perspectives and active participation. Here, I detail two community-oriented, place-based approaches to coastal environmental research and education that I have co-facilitated:

1. Establishment of a local community climate knowledge network for island nations in the Tropical Pacific
2. Development of a field research course for undergraduate students that explores the ecological and social impacts of climate change along coastal Australia.

While each experience is a work in progress, both seek to leverage the power of research, community, and educational partnerships to build more inclusive and equitable outcomes for resilient coastal populations against a backdrop of global climate change. We should embrace the power of such partnerships as integral to the success of inclusive environmental research.

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Presenters

Isaiah W. Bolden 

Isaiah Bolden is a Ph.D. Candidate in at the University of Washington School of Oceanography. He researches the health and impacts of climate change on modern coral reef ecosystems. Isaiah designs and monitors novel geochemical proxies (or “clues”) that can be used to fingerprint the rate and magnitude of changes in the community structure of reef environments as a function of time and compounding external stressors (like warming and ocean acidification). He also is committed to projects that increase educational accessibility and diversity in the geosciences.