We are a group of researchers from Rutgers University, Duke University, and Eckerd College that are studying the emergence and ongoing processes of regional ocean planning (ROP) in the US, focusing on efforts in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. We are broadly interested in better understanding two questions:
(1) How are communities and the environment being represented and engaged in ocean planning processes?
(2) And conversely, how are communities and the environment shaping the future of ocean planning itself?
We are exploring how different stakeholders, planning, and government groups interact with one another, how they work together toward a regional ocean plan, how new (and existing) data projects, products, and portals influence or guide ROP, and what beneficial outcomes for both the ocean environment and human communities could emerge.
The research project is currently supported by the National Science Foundation’s Geography and Spatial Sciences Program, award nos. 1359943 and 1359805.
Click here to learn more about our project, explore our website, and feel free to get in touch with any comments, questions, or requests.
