The Ocean Studies Board was established by the National Research Council to advise the federal government on issues of ocean science, engineering, and policy. In addition to exercising leadership within the ocean community, the Ocean Studies Board undertakes studies at the request of federal agencies, Congress, or other sponsors; or upon its own initiative. The Ocean Studies Board explores the science, policies, and infrastructure needed to understand and protect coastal and marine environments and resources.
Roger Revelle Lecture Series
The Ocean Studies Board would like to announce that Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, will be the speaker for the eleventh annual Roger Revelle Commemorative Lecture.
The Interconnected Biosphere: Science at the Ocean's Tipping Points
Advances in social and natural sciences provide hope for new approaches to restore the bounty and resilience of the ocean ecosystems that provide life support systems for Earth. From market-based approaches, such as catch shares, to community-based marine spatial planning and ecosystem-based management, from advances in ecosystem restoration to new insights into strategies for adaptation to the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification, new knowledge is beginning to inform policies and practices. This decade is a pivotal one for the future of oceans and therefore the planet. The confluence of local, regional, and global changes in oceans-driven by nutrient pollution, habitat loss, overfishing, climate change, and ocean acidification-is rapidly transforming many once bountiful and resilient coastal and ocean ecosystems into depleted or disrupted systems. Degraded ecosystems result in the loss of key ecosystem services ranging from the production of seafood to the protection of coastlines from severe storms and tsunamis, from the capturing of carbon to the provision of places for recreation. The accelerating pace of change presents daunting challenges for communities, businesses, and nations to make a transition to more sustainable practices and policies. Dr. Lubchenco will highlight new interdisciplinary approaches, tools, and insights that offer hope to recover the bounty and beauty of the ocean and the benefits they provide to people. She will emphasize holistic approaches-integrating oceans, coasts, and the land and blending social and natural sciences. This Revelle Lecture thus reflects new advances in sustainability science, with the conclusion that now is the time to Seas the Day.
The lecture will take place on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. at the Baird Auditorium in the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History (10th Street and Constitution Avenue). A reception will follow.
This event is free and open to the public. For planning purposes, please complete this brief registration form. You are encouraged to post the event flyer or to forward it to your colleagues. For more information, contact Pamela Lewis.
Roger Revelle Lecture Series: Additional information on Roger Revelle and on previous lectures.
