Empowering ECOPs at the 2024 All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Forum

7th October – Intergenerational Dialogue

The Intergenerational Dialogue was held on October 7th and was conducted in a hybrid format comprising groups of experienced researchers, policymakers, and Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) who spent the afternoon discussing how to address challenges and differing priorities along the Atlantic Ocean. The ECOPs were divided into groups, each focusing on a priority area: Coastal Resilience, Ocean Observation and Modeling, and Cross-Synergies among the two priorities. The discussions centered on fostering collaboration among ECOPs and senior industry experts to influence the future generation of leadership.

Participation of ECOPs

Funded by EU4OceanObs in the framework of OceanBRIDGES initiative, three ECOPs, Blessing Charuka, Nikia Gooding, and Hind Azidane, were among the Early Career Ocean Professionals who participated in this event. Collectively, ECOPs engaged in discussions on coastal resilience, and ocean observation and monitoring, and contributed perspectives on integrating local knowledge and scientific data. They also discussed leadership, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and the need for cross-generational knowledge exchange to advance ocean science and drive innovation.

Active participation from early career professionals encouraged the exchange of innovative ideas and perspectives on how science and the scientific community can enhance their contributions to policymaking and promote practical approaches to ocean stewardship.

The objective was to constructively engage with new ideas related to each priority area and develop policy briefs to address some of the challenges facing the Atlantic. Each proposal represented a potential project that could benefit future collaborations and innovative initiatives. During the discussions, the importance of delivering a policy brief report emerged as a priority, emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between research and practice by translating scientific knowledge into actionable insights.

The event was supported by the EU4OceanObs project and Geo-Blue Planet, enabling the participation of three Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs) from South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, and Morocco…

Read the full article at EU4OceanObs https://www.eu4oceanobs.eu/empowering-next-gen-leadership-participation-of-early-career-ocean-professionals-at-the-2024-all-atlantic-ocean-research-and-innovation-alliance-aaoria-forum/