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Ocean policy issues are front and center on UC Santa Barbara's coastal campus. Credit: Matt Perko
Although modern science has only been around for a few centuries, we've become quite adept at training students in the scientific method. But learning how to translate research insights into practical actions often isn't part of a budding scientist's curriculum.
UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor Alexandra Phillips has put together a guide to help professors and administrators support their students' interests in ocean policy and build broader policy literacy across their campuses. The recommendations, published in npj Ocean Sustainability, are based on research and literature in education, sociology, policy and marine biology.
As concerns like climate change, plastic pollution and overfishing become increasingly dire, "We can't just train scientists in technical skills anymore," said Phillips, a marine scientist by training but now a professor of environmental communication at UCSB's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management.
"One of the issues is that all this training in policy doesn't happen at the university right now. It happens outside of it," said Phillips, who served as an environmental policy fellow for Senator Alex Padilla. "But we have the resources and ability to do this in-house, as well, and we should."
Phillips and Hetherington summarize five options for top-down department ideas and five options for bottom-up faculty member actions. Credit: npj Ocean Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44183-026-00185-2
Phillips and her co-author Elizabeth D. Hetherington, at UC San Diego, devised ten strategies for supporting ocean policy prowess at the graduate and undergraduate levels. For faculty, they recommend actions like embedding ocean policy into existing courses and creating new offerings, as well as considering science policy-focused sabbaticals. For departments and institutions, they suggest funding opportunities for students to engage in policy work and leveraging the expertise of alumni and government affairs staff.
While this paper focuses on ocean policy, most of its recommendations are applicable across different fields and disciplines. "My hope is that this is a roadmap for any department, institution or even PI to take a hard look at what they could do differently to support students that want to do applied and policy-related work," Phillips said. The recommendations will also benefit STEM students that pursue careers in sectors other than research and teaching, such as industry, regulation, and non-profit work.
"I'm inspired by the next generation of students who want to solve complex ocean policy problems," Phillips said. "My role as an educator is to help make that possible."
Publication details Alexandra A. Phillips et al, Fostering ocean leaders through science-policy support at U.S. academic institutions, npj Ocean Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44183-026-00185-2 Journal information: npj Ocean Sustainability
— Source: Phys.org (https://phys.org/news/2026-02-science-policy-campus.html)
