Transdisciplinary Marine Science: Research and Education to Expand Methodologies and Address Complex Problems Part 1

Marine resource management is inherently cross-disciplinary, necessitating understanding of ecology, fisheries oceanography, economics, and social sciences, among other disciplines. Ecosystem-based management, integrated ecosystem assessments, and participatory approaches to management demonstrate the importance of integrating diverse aspects into management plans for socio-ecological systems. However, most graduate education and research is more narrowly focused and confined to individual disciplines. We will explore current approaches in transdisciplinary education and research. The objectives are 1) to identify examples of successful knowledge integration across disciplines by highlighting recent transdisciplinary research in marine science and 2) to describe pedagogical approaches to transdisciplinary education, focused on the graduate level. Emerging research will highlight the challenge of expanding ecosystem models into social and economic disciplines, but will also demonstrate how transdisciplinary approaches can better inform sustainable management in marine systems.