The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is launching a new Center for Ocean Policy, bringing together ocean science and legal experts to develop solutions for pressing challenges facing Hawaiʻi and the world, a news release said.
The center is a collaboration between the William S. Richardson School of Law and UH Mānoa’s Department of Oceanography.
Law and oceanography students will gain experience working at the intersection of science, law and public policy through clinics, capstone projects and advocacy efforts focused on real-world environmental issues.
The center is the latest initiative supported by The Healy Foundation, which has longstanding partnerships with the university. The foundation’s mission is to partner with nonprofit teams working to mitigate climate change, protect ecosystems, educate and advocate for youth, and reduce child poverty, according to its website.
An early project will be a Law-Ocean Clinic, pairing students with local nonprofit organizations to conduct policy research and advocacy.
“The Center for Ocean Policy offers a powerful new bridge between science and law,” said Suzanne Geary, executive director of The Healy Foundation. “It creates a platform for scientific insights to directly inform the policies and decisions that protect our oceans and coastal communities,”
The center is a major milestone for the institution, said UH Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos.
“As a flagship university in the middle of the Pacific, it is our kuleana (responsibility) to apply our unique place-based knowledge and cutting-edge research to help shape the future of ocean stewardship,” he said. “The Center for Ocean Policy brings together the expertise needed to translate scientific knowledge into meaningful policy solutions.”
Chip Fletcher, dean of the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, said the center will deepen UH Mānoa’s existing commitment to Native Hawaiian and Indigenous Pacific communities.
“SOEST and the William S. Richardson School of Law each have long and distinguished records of working . . . on issues of ocean stewardship, climate resilience, resource management and justice,” Fletcher said. “The Center for Ocean Policy builds on that shared foundation, bringing science, law and Indigenous knowledge together to help shape policies that are effective, place-based, and responsive to the communities whose lives and futures are most closely tied to the ocean.”
