Murray Lecture - Navigating Our Way to Solutions in Marine Conservation

Murray Lecture - Navigating Our Way to Solutions in Marine Conservation

In the nearly thirty years since Dr Larry B. Crowder introduced the first Marine Conservation course at Duke University in the United States, the field has undergone a profound transformation. What began as a largely science-driven effort to prevent the loss of marine biodiversity has evolved into an integrative enterprise that bridges the natural sciences and engineering with the social sciences, policy and governance. Elinor Ostrom’s landmark 1990 book, Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action, helped catalyse this shift by demonstrating that communities can sustainably manage shared resources when they establish fair and locally grounded governance systems.

Today, successful marine conservation often depends on genuine partnerships among researchers, practitioners and local communities. Designing durable conservation solutions now demands a deliberately transdisciplinary and culturally inclusive approach. Dr Crowder will explore these ideas in depth at the upcoming Murray Lecture at the University of Sydney – a public event not to be missed for anyone interested in the future of our oceans and marine life.

At the end of the talk, there will be a Q&A followed by refreshments.