Symposium Focuses on Ocean Science, Stewardship, and Sustainability

The Ocean’s Stories Symposium: Science, Stewardship, and Sustainability brought together diverse voices in marine sciences and journalism to discuss the critical impact of storytelling in conservation efforts. From tables lined with fragrant seaweed specimens to students huddled around professional journalists to pitch story ideas, the symposium offered various spaces for conversation and learning.

The event on March 20, 2025, was organized by the Pulitzer Center and the journalism department at the University of California, Berkeley. Held at the David Brower Center in Berkeley, it took a deep dive into the ocean's role in our daily lives and the planet's health. 

More than 80 people—including industry professionals, journalists, researchers, community members, and students—had the opportunity to engage with lightning talks from journalists and scientists, expert panels, and a keynote address from the Northern Chumash Tribal Council Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker and Stanford scientist Stephen Palumbi.

Participants also heard from Pulitzer Center Ocean Reporting Network Fellow Alexandra Talty, who spoke on the challenges and triumphs of seaweed farming, a promising sector of the blue economy.

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The seaweed through line continued with talks from Thiago Correa, of UC Berkeley’s Energy & Bioscience Institute (EBI), and Rod Fujita, who focuses on ocean innovations consulting. 

Correa traveled to South Korea to study the efficacy of seaweed, or “gim” farms. “Here is an example of how a blue economy can function on a larger scale,” he said.

Seaweed grows faster than land-based crops, requires no fresh water, and provides essential nutrients, making it a promising fuel source and a key ingredient in products like packaging and cosmetics. The U.S. seaweed industry, however, comprises a small fraction of the global market and requires sustained investment to be a viable alternative.

The symposium also included two screenings of Seaweed Stories, a documentary that introduces viewers to the wonders of seaweed and to the people involved in researching and protecting the marine plant.

The “Coastal Adaptations” panel offered a well-rounded look at how communities, from California to Jamaica, grapple with climate change. Pulitzer Center grantee Gladstone Taylor traveled from Kingston, Jamaica, to speak about climate resilience and sea urchins. Taylor emphasized that the communities he has seen adapt best to coastal threats “live with hope.” 

Rachel Carlson, an ecologist who leads the Coastal Climate Resilience lab, focused on the key role coral reefs play in protecting coastlines and policy pathways for coral conservation. Carlson emphasized that “we can find new forms of resilience if we look at the interconnectedness of land.”

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As with seaweed, coral reefs were notably present throughout the symposium, including in the preview clips of the upcoming coral conservation documentary by Professor Jason Spingarn-Koff, UC Berkeley’s Knight Chair of Climate Journalism.

Pulitzer Center grantee and Vox journalist Benji Jones and filmmaker Shireen Rahimi shared shocking photos of coral bleaching events in Florida and stories of scientists working to cultivate heat-tolerant coral species.

Despite the mounting challenges for coral reefs and other marine ecosystems, there are success stories of adaptation and resilience. The journalistic work of documenting people on the ground working tirelessly on solutions is now more critical than ever.

A gallery showcase provided an opportunity for attendees to interact with Victorian-era seaweed pressings brought by Kathy Ann Miller, a seaweed curator and expert. 

The kelp collection gave off a notable fragrance. “It smells like the beach,” commented one of the students in attendance. 

The showcase also featured Saildrone’s autonomous ocean exploration ships, sustainable seaweed packaging by Sway (founded by Julia Marsh), and clips from a documentary focused on whales in the Antarctic by UC Berkeley journalism graduate students Zoe Rosenblum and Matthew Busch, who also received support from the Pulitzer Center for their reporting.

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During the keynote session concluding the symposium, Tribal Council Chairwoman Violet Sage Walker discussed the long grassroots process to secure the designation of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary in California, a journey that began with her father, Tribal Chief Fred Collins. She noted that “this milestone is a notable achievement for Indigenous communities in California and the U.S.”

Walker expressed that recent federal funding cuts jeopardize the possibility of co-stewardship between Chumash community members and NOAA. 

Stanford scientist Stephen Palumbi emphasized “the importance of working collaboratively with tribal members to conduct research and formulate plans for continued conservation and management of this region,” such as involving community members in seawater sample collection.

Both Walker and Palumbi said they hoped that the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary can be an example for other marine co-stewardship projects and encourage increased partnership between environmental agencies and tribal groups. 

Watch the event recordings here:

The Blue Economy

Stories for Change: Coral Reefs

Keynote: Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary

Communities on the Edge: Coastal Adaptation and Climate Change