In response to early career researcher (ECR) requests for leadership training and advice to be made available at an earlier point in their career development than usually offered, CMS developed a unique research leadership training course in 2023 for our emerging ECR cohort. The aim of the CMS Future Ocean Leaders training was to equip our emerging interdisciplinary researchers with the skills, relational awareness, and personal/interpersonal insights needed to become and to be effective leaders across different levels of research, collaboration, and career stage.
The training brought together over 20 CMS ECRs from diverse backgrounds – including ecology, social science, economics, and psychology - to connect and learn about theirs’ and others’ leaderships styles in an open collaborative environment. Participants developed leadership skills and confidence and connected with a growing cohort of ECRs who will continue to meet and host training events regularly over 2024.
The three-module course was delivered over October-December 2023, allowing ECRs time to absorb and apply their training, and to reflect and learn together over a longer period:
1 – Leadership Fundamentals
2 – Working in teams
3 – A) Leadership and character
B) Leadership panel session
The final module included an interactive research leader panel session, with several senior research leaders and lots of opportunity for Q & A. The opportunity to ask questions of senior leaders was requested by ECRs to deepen connections made through their training, facilitate networking opportunities, and cement shared learning amongst the CMS ECR cohort and with more senior CMS researchers.
CMS ECRs expressed very positive feedback on the Future Ocean Leaders course content and training overall. Their reflections highlighted the value of these kinds of interdisciplinary interactions, particularly peer-to-peer learning and increased self-awareness.
Together, the cohort has established key aims and a schedule for furthering their leadership understanding and practice in 2024, including:
Image: Leadership panellists, Dr Alistair Hobday (CSIRO and CMS Steering Committee member), Prof Melissa McHenry (UTAS) and Prof Gretta Pecl (CMS Director), with Dr Rachel Kelly (CMS Knowledge Broker) and some of the CMS ECR cohort in December 2023.
CMS Director Prof Gretta Pecl co-authored on a recent article in Alternator. The English title is “Artificial underwater reefs during the wave of change” (and you can translate the page to English).
Introduction:
"Divers place a concrete structure measuring 5.5 × 3.5 × 3.0 m on the seabed of the Sečovlje breeding area in the Bay of Piran. It is a modular unit in the form of a pedestal, on which growth plates are loaded one above the other, separated by spacers of different heights. At the moment, a distinctly artificial structure will become a scene of rich marine life in a few years. It is a pilot action for the development of innovative multitrophic aquaculture and, at the same time, an attempt to restore the marine environment. The unit is supposed to attract the establishment and growth of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and many other marine organisms. The sea oasis Piran wishes to offer refuge and home to disappearing inhabitants of the sea, who have been unable to suit them every year with the silty bottom of the Bay of Piran for a long time now."
View full article here: https://www.alternator.science/sl/daljse/umetni-podvodni-grebeni-med-valom-sprememb-in-nadaljevanjem-okoljske-degradacije/
CMS member Dr Andrew Constable co-author on the recent article for The Conversation, These extraordinary Australian islands are teeming with life – and we must protect them before it’s too late
Brief extract:
In the Southern Ocean about 4,000 kilometres from Perth lies a truly extraordinary place. Known as the Heard Island and McDonald islands, they are among the most remote places on Earth: a haven for marine life amid the vast ocean, virtually undisturbed by human pressures.
But as our report released today reveals, this special place in Australia’s territory is at risk. In particular, climate change is warming the waters around the islands, threatening a host of marine life.
More than 20 years ago, a marine reserve was declared over the islands and parts of the surrounding waters. At the time, it was a significant step forward in environmental protection. But since then, science has progressed and the threats have worsened.
Our report reviewed these protections and found they are no longer adequate. The marine reserve surrounding the Heard and McDonald islands must urgently be expanded.
View article here: https://theconversation.com/these-extraordinary-australian-islands-are-teeming-with-life-and-we-must-protect-them-before-its-too-late-226513
CMS members Dr Chloe Lucas, Prof Gretta Pecl, Dr Kim Beasy, and Dr Rachel Kelly co-author on the recent article for The Conversation, ‘How long before climate change will destroy the Earth?’: research reveals what Australian kids want to know about our warming world.
Brief extract:
"Every day, more children discover they are living in a climate crisis. This makes many children feel sad, anxious, angry, powerless, confused and frightened about what the future holds. The climate change burden facing young people is inherently unfair. But they have the potential to be the most powerful generation when it comes to creating change.
Research and public debate so far has largely failed to engage with the voices and opinions of children – instead, focusing on the views of adults. Our research set out to change this. We asked 1,500 children to tell us what they wanted to know about climate change. The results show climate action, rather than the scientific cause of the problem, is their greatest concern. It suggests climate change education in schools must become more holistic and empowering, and children should be given more opportunities to shape the future they will inherit."
Bringing climate science and Indigenous knowledge systems together promises to produce better results for heritage protection as the climate changes. CMS member Dr Jess Melbourne-Thomas co-developed a climate change “toolkit” for World Heritage properties with site managers and Traditional Owners, to address these threats to Australia’s unique and special places of global significance, so their World Heritage values can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Read 'The Conversation' article co-authored by Dr Melbourne-Thomas: https://theconversation.com/climate-change-will-strike-australias-precious-world-heritage-sites-and-indigenous-knowledge-is-a-key-defence-222393
Read the related research paper:
Melbourne-Thomas J, Lin BB, Hopkins M, Hill R, Dunlop M, MacGregor N, Merson SD, Vertigan C, Donegan L, Sheppard M, Meyers J, Thomas L, Visschers L, McNeair B, Syme L, Grant C, Pedrocchi N, Oakley P, Stevens A, Rose D, Rose E, Gould J, Locke J, Maybanks L & Ireland T (2024). Building capacity for climate adaptation planning in protected area management: Options and challenges for World Heritage. Biological Conservation, 290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110459
CMS member Dr Cayne Layton (IMAS) features in the recent Cosmos Magazine article around the restoration and monitoring efforts of the Tasmanian giant kelp forests.
Read the full article here: Tasmanian giant kelp were dying - what happened next? (cosmosmagazine.com)
Every morning from 11-15th December 2023, CMS & IMAS hosted a special online webinar series titled 'The Long Hot Summer: Getting Ahead of the Heatwave'.
Please see original event page for the webinar series here: The Long Hot Summer: Getting Ahead of the Heatwave (CMS Events)
Background: Australia's southeast is currently up to 4 degrees warmer than expected, with a projected marine heatwave that is expected to be off the scale, raising the prospect of significant impacts to conservation, fishing and aquaculture. This necessitates extensive climate-related communications and sharing of knowledge from (and among) industry, government, researchers, NGO’s and others. Whilst communication is necessary, it unfortunately also raises legitimate concerns regarding increasing anxiety of individuals. Current research suggests that communication regarding climate extreme events needs to include examples of tangible actions that people can do that are constructive and helpful – this can help people feel like they have a degree of agency and are empowered.
Presentation slides and recordings can be accessed below:
Monday 11th December: Hot seas ahead: current and projected ocean and coastal conditions for Tasmania
Ocean and coastal changes and future projections – Chaired by Prof Mary-Anne Lea
Further resources:
Playback 'Day 1' video recording of the webinar series here: Webinar Series: The Long Hot Summer (Day 1) - Video Recording
Tuesday 12th December: Turning up the temperature - impacts on the ecosystem
Biological & ecological changes associated with warming & heatwaves – Chaired by Assoc Prof Kerrie Swadling
Playback 'Day 2' video recording of the webinar series here: Webinar Series: The Long Hot Summer (Day 2) - Video Recording
Wednesday 13th December: From the ocean to the plate - impacts & hot tips for seafood
Implications for fisheries & aquaculture – Chaired by Dr Katie Creswell
Playback 'Day 3' video recording of the webinar series here: Webinar Series: The Long Hot Summer (Day 3) - Video Recording
Thursday 14th December: Heatwave help - what action is happening & what else can we do?
Risks and hazards, preparedness – Chaired by Dr Emily Ogier
Playback 'Day 4' video recording of the webinar series here: Webinar Series: The Long Hot Summer (Day 4) - Video Recording
Friday 15th December: Communicating climate with authenticity to drive action (& minimise anxiety!)
What to communicate and how – Chaired by Prof Gretta Pecl
Further resources:
Playback 'Day 5' video recording of the webinar series here: Webinar Series: The Long Hot Summer (Day 5) - Video Recording
The 16th Australia–China Symposium on Marine Sciences for Sustainable Development took place 20–21 November 2023 in Sydney. The symposium showcased both countries’ world leading marine science capabilities, and took place with the support of Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, The Australian Academy of Science, and Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering (ATSE).
These meetings provide an opportunity to build strong bilateral networks and increase research collaborations between Australia and China. For the first time in this symposia series, Traditional Owners and Indigenous Scientists were able to share their knowledge through a yarning circle (a practice used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to sit together to talk and listen from the heart and share ideas and stories).
There was very strong Tasmanian representation, with CMS Director Prof Gretta Pecl presenting, along with Dr Michelle Heupel (IMOS), Prof Nathan Bindoff (IMAS), Prof Chris Carter (IMAS), as well as several other CSIRO people. Dr Valeriya Komyakova (IMAS) attended as an invited ECR/mid career participant, and CMS Deputy Director Dr Beth Fulton (CSIRO) co-organised the event.
See the symposium program here:
CMS would like to extend a huge congratulations to Dr Chloe Lucas on receiving the Tasmanian 2023 Young Tall Poppy of the Year!
Dr Chloe Lucas, is a geographer (Lecturer and Research Fellow in the School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences, the School of Natural Sciences and the Centre for Marine Socioecology, at the University of Tasmania) whose research focuses on forms of communication that can bridge these divides and improve climate citizenship.
Chloe leads Curious Climate Schools - a project that asks students what they want to know about climate change and matches them with experts to answer their questions. Over the last two years they’ve answered almost 500 questions from 50 classes around Tasmania.
Chloe’s research on bushfire communication has had a tangible impact on communities in Greater Hobart, leading to a partnership of four local governments to trial a new model of bushfire preparedness communication through the ‘Sparking Conversations, Igniting Action’ project.
CMS commitment to listening, learning and acting.
As we are all aware, Australians have now voted in the October 2023 referendum, rejecting a change to the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia and to establish a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
Whilst CMS celebrates democracy and acknowledges the decision of the nation, it is clear that misinformation is an enormous challenge in our democracy, and that many Australians are lacking an understanding of the truth of our colonial past and its continuing impact on First Nations people today. We are very disappointed by the outcome. This is particularly since the electoral data very clearly shows that First Nations communities living in remote and regional areas overwhelmingly voted Yes. We recognise the stress and hurt felt my many – in particular, Indigenous colleagues and their families and communities – as a result of public debate surrounding the referendum, and its outcome.
We are heartened that 70% of people in our home municipality of Nipaluna/Hobart voted “Yes”. We are also buoyed by the statement released by the Science and Technology of Australia (https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/we-will-continue-to-listen-and-act/), which reads in part “…in the wake of the referendum result, STA re-dedicates ourselves and our community to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations in STEM to advance the cause of repair, respect and recognition. We renew STA’s longstanding commitment to support, amplify, and elevate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations in STEM – and highlight the inspiring Indigenous STEM knowledges of this country. You can show your support for STA’s Indigenous member organisations and other Indigenous causes in so many ways.” We are pleased to see such support from the broader scientific community.
Regardless of the referendum outcome, Australia will continue to face challenges to better understand the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for just and empowered lives. We recognise that a powerful opportunity remains for us to realise the generosity and wisdom of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and to renew our journey toward a shared vision of a better nation for all Australians.
At all levels, it is obvious that we have much more work to do to better connect with each other, and to the people and cultures who have managed the many Countries that make up the land now referred to as Australia for at least 65 000 years. CMS re-commits, strongly, to listening, learning, and working to ensure we can do this in a way that maximises the success and wellbeing of Indigenous people now and into the future.
