This course is structured around complex sustainability challenges related to human use and
interaction with the ocean. These challenges include sea level rise and ocean acidification, marine
pollution, fishing, and resource extraction. In addition to recognizing the scope of the challenges
at local to international levels, we will cover core concepts in marine science to understand the
underlying mechanisms needed to design pathways to solutions. We will explore the role of
emerging technologies and big data play in understanding and monitoring conditions. Solutions to
these challenges lie at the intersection of marine science and policy. To this end, we will examine
existing and historical policy frameworks surrounding these challenges. In the context of the
United Nations Decade of Ocean Science, this course offers an opportunity to discuss emerging
topics and approaches to achieving sustainable marine ecosystems. The course is broken into four
main topic areas within approximately 4-week blocks, with a week at the end of the semester for
synthesis of the material.