Nathan Bennett is a leading figure in marine social sciences. Nathan has published more than 100 academic papers and book chapters on the human and social dimensions of marine and terrestrial conservation, small-scale fisheries, climate change, the blue economy, and ocean governance, and is one of the most cited authors on ocean justice. Nathan has used a wide-range of research methodologies, including photovoice (that he used to explore social and environmental change among coastal communities on the Andaman coast). He is the Chair of the People and the Ocean Specialist Group for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and works as a Global Oceans Lead Scientist at WWF.
Emma McKinley is a Senior Research Fellow based at Cardiff University, and is the Founder and Chair of the Marine Social Science Network. Emma has published extensively on the subject (including on marine citizenship and ocean literacy, communities engagement, and marine and coastal ecosystem services). Emma has an extensive collaboration and consulting experience with public environmental actors at local, UK, European, and international levels. She sits on the International Science Advisory Group for Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response Network (MEOPAR) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO)’s Ocean Literacy Research Community. She has conducted fieldwork within coastal communities across the UK, investigating values in relation to marine management.
Angelique Pouponneau is a former Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Fellowship Director and Policy and Strategy Advisor. She was previously, Chief of Staff at the UN Secretary General’s Climate Action Team, and a member of the UN Ocean Decade advisory board. She received the Queen’s Young Leaders Award in 2016 in recognition of her environmental work in Seychelles. She featured in the list of the “100 Most Influential People in Africa in 2021” established by New Africa Magazine. Angelique has worked in different countries in the Caribbean, Pacific and the Indian Ocean on projects relating to the sustainable management of marine biodiversity.