The Monmouth University Institute for Global Understanding (IGU) and Urban Coast Institute (UCI) will host the virtual panel discussion “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Ocean Justice” on March 9. The event is this year’s first installment of the Global Ocean Governance Lecture Series, which assembles international experts to discuss scientific and policy issues that hold important implications for coastal and marine ecosystems. The discussion will be moderated by Professor Randall Abate, director of the IGU, and include the following presentations and speakers:

• “From Accounting for, to Accountability to: Reciprocity and Restitution in Collaborative Climate Change Research” by Monica Barra, assistant professor at the University of South Carolina School of the Earth, Ocean & Environment and Department of Anthropology
• “Environmental Justice Impacts of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution” by Juliano Calil, senior fellow at the Center for the Blue Economy and adjunct professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies
• “Preparing the Prospective NOAA-Mission Workforce for a More Just Future” by Sharmini Pitter, assistant director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems

Following the presentations, attendees will be invited to take part in a Q&A with the panel. Scroll below to read the speakers’ biographies and presentation abstracts.

The event is free and open to the public. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration.