Struggle for Marine Preservation Near the Wharf

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert, and conservation strategist, recently returned to her alma mater, UC San Diego, as the keynote speaker at the Scripps Student Symposium (S3). Johnson, who studied marine biology through the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC) at UC San Diego, is the founder and CEO of Ocean Collectiv, a strategy consulting firm for ocean sustainability grounded in social justice.

Johnson's talk at the S3 symposium was titled "The Future of Ocean Conservation: Zoning, Triage, Cities, Inclusion, Culture." During her speech, she encouraged students to use their voices to speak up about issues that affect them and to register to vote. Johnson also candidly discussed her career path, her successes and failures, and her experience as a woman of color working in science policy.

Kelli Mullane, a Scripps graduate student and S3 committee member, praised Johnson's work and skills. Mullane said that Johnson's talk was inspiring and provided valuable insights into the world of ocean conservation.

After graduating from UC San Diego, Johnson held a policy position at NOAA before landing a job as executive director of the Waitt Institute. Johnson's writing has been published in HuffPost, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Scientific American, and more. Johnson's work has also been recognised by Ocean Collectiv's team, which consists of experts in science, policy, community engagement, design, film, politics, education, technology, and communications.

Johnson discovered that conservation efforts should focus on people, particularly the poor and minorities along the coast who are disproportionately affected by climate change, overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. Johnson's ocean sustainability venture, Ocean Collectiv, has recently worked with Students Rebuild, a program of the Bezos Family Foundation.

Johnson hopes to inspire younger folks by sharing her experience as a woman and person of color in her field. Johnson became interested in ocean science during a visit to the Florida Keys as a child. Johnson's passion for the ocean has only grown stronger over the years, and she has more than a decade of experience working in ocean conservation.

In addition to her work with Ocean Collectiv, Johnson is an adjunct professor at New York University and mentors next-generation ocean leaders. Johnson has also become more involved with political activism, including co-leading the March for Science. Johnson's commitment to ocean conservation, social justice, and inspiring the next generation of ocean advocates is evident in all that she does.