Four Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH) members, including Jeanne Herb, Executive Director of the Environmental Analysis & Communications Group (CUPR), and colleagues Lisa Auermuller (SEBS), Victoria Ramenzoni (SEBS), and DeeDee Bennett-Gayle (SUNY-Albany), were selected by NSF and the Kaleta A. Doolin Foundation to serve as NSF-KADF Ocean Decade Champions.
NSF and KADF have joined together to empower 31 women scientists associated with the NSF Coastlines and People (CoPe) program. These women are leaders at the frontiers of research and innovation in ocean and coastal science. Their work with CoPe, an endorsed Ocean Decade Action, focuses on critically important coastline and community research that integrates natural, social, and technological processes toward a mission of coastal resilience.
With the Ocean Decades Champion funding, these women are extending their efforts far beyond their academic interests to advance our ability to thrive in a changing coastal environment and to engage with and solve the problems of underserved communities in these areas. NSF and KADF have collectively contributed over half a million dollars to support the careers of these leading women.
The Ocean Decade Champions receiving funding through this program will be active participants in the United Nations (UN) Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), which aims to support endeavors to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and create improved conditions for sustainable development of oceans and coasts. Advocating for fair representation of women as both scientists and decision-makers is essential to help unlock opportunities and foster a much-needed transformation in ocean research. These women Ocean Decade Champions demonstrate their excellence in research, impact on society, and helping others excel in the ocean science enterprise.
View the profiles of each NSF-KADF Ocean Decade Champion, including details of their upcoming projects for the year. Feel free to contact the Champions to explore opportunities for collaboration and engagement with your Ocean Decade initiatives!