Elisabeth S. Morris-Webb

I am an interdisciplinary marine scientist, with a grounding in marine ecology, specialising in ocean literacy and human-nature connection.

The UN Decade of Ocean Science 2020-2030 aims to create 'the science we need for the ocean we want'. It sets the stage for scientists around the world to focus on 10 challenges related to obtaining the ocean we need for a habitable and sustainable planet. As we move into the second half of our Decade for the ocean, many are saying 'we know a lot now. The science is valuable, but we need people to help to action what we know and make a difference'. And this is the space that I work in.

I work at the interface of people, science and policy. For 16yrs I was a traditionally trained marine ecologist, consultant and scientific diver for government agencies, NGOs and private clients. But I was increasingly asked to work with people, and realised that for my science and conservation to be really useful, I needed to learn how to work better with people. So in 2016 I returned to academia as a PhD student, under supervision of Professor Stuart Jenkins and Dr Freya St. John at Bangor University, with research interests in how the marine environment impacts people, and how people impact the marine environment. My PhD explored tools and approaches taken from human geography, environmental psychology and the social sciences, and I came to specialise in understanding human-ocean connection (specifically working with a well-being lens). Following that I had several post-doctoral positions as a marine social scientist and knowledge broker at the university including working on the Ecostructure, Tidal Cut Off, and Sustainable Fisheries Wales projects.

I am currently a full time Senior Researcher of ocean literacy at the Nordland Research Institute (a social science research institute) in Norway, working on several European projects including EmpowerUs, Prep4Blue and CoastSupport. Here we work with principles of co-creation of knowledge and tools, both for research but with and for communities themselves. With the aim of strategically improving ocean literacy, so people (from individuals to industry and government) can understand better what the ocean does for them, and what they can do for the ocean.

I am also an Honorary Research Fellow at Bangor University.