UH Mānoa launches new Center for Ocean Policy, bridging science and law

As climate change, biodiversity loss, and competing ocean uses place increasing pressure on marine ecosystems, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is launching a new Center for Ocean Policy to bring together ocean science and legal expertise to develop solutions for some of the most pressing ocean and climate challenges facing Hawaiʻi and the world.

The novel collaboration between UH Mānoa’s Department of Oceanography, in the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), and the William S. Richardson School of Law will open new opportunities for interdisciplinary education, applied research, and policy engagement. Students will gain firsthand experience working at the intersection of science, law, and public policy through clinics, capstone projects, and advocacy initiatives focused on real-world environmental issues.

Since 2020, The Healy Foundation has partnered with UH Mānoa’s Institute for Sustainability and Resilience(ISR) to support an annual research assistant position known as The Healy Foundation Climate Change Fellow. In 2024, the partnership expanded to three Fellows, who conduct research and provide other support activities for the City and County of Honolulu Climate Change Commission.

Additionally, The Healy Foundation has systematically supported the University of Hawaiʻi through a number of initiatives including The Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC), The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Hulihia Center for Sustainable Systems and GoFarm Hawaiʻi.

Suzanne Geary, executive director of The Healy Foundation, said, “The Center for Ocean Policy offers a powerful new bridge between science and law. It creates a platform for scientific insights to directly inform the policies and decisions that protect our oceans and coastal communities.” she added, “We are excited to support this forward-thinking approach and continue building on our long-standing partnership with the University of Hawai’i Foundation and UH Mānoa’s Institute for Sustainability and Resilience.”

UH Mānoa Chancellor Vassilis L. Syrmos called the Center a major milestone for the institution.

“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 for Hawaiʻi and communities around the world.”

One of the Center’s first initiatives will be a Law-Ocean Clinic, which will pair law and oceanography students with local nonprofit organizations to conduct policy research and advocacy during the Hawaiʻi legislative session.

“This partnership will equip our law students to tackle complex environmental challenges and advance policies that support coastal resilience in Hawai‘i,” said Camille Nelson, dean of the William S. Richardson School of Law. “By understanding the science behind the policy, they will be better prepared to advocate for our island communities.”

The Center will also offer interdisciplinary seminars and launch an annual symposium beginning in its second year, bringing together researchers, policymakers, legal practitioners and community members to address emerging ocean policy issues.

“The Center for Ocean Policy perfectly aligns with UH Mānoa’s academic mission to foster innovative, cross-disciplinary education,” said Margaret McManus, chief academic advancement officer in the Office of the Chancellor and director of the Uehiro Center for the Advancement of Oceanography. “These unique opportunities will prepare a new generation of leaders to work across the intersections of science, law and policy, and help address the challenges facing our oceans.”

SOEST Dean Chip Fletcher emphasized that the Center builds on the longstanding strengths of both schools while deepening UH Mānoa’s 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 with Native Hawaiian and other Indigenous Pacific communities 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.”