Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS) kick-off conference 10-11 September 2024

The newly established Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS) at Åbo Akademi University held its kick-off event from September 10 to 11, 2024, at Sibeliusmuseum and Arken. Research assistant Malla Lehtonen coordinated the event. I (Anton Eklund) volunteered to help with it with a few others.

SOS is an Åbo Akademi University Centre of Excellence, launched in 2024 and funded by the Åbo Akademi University Foundation (Stiftelsen för Åbo Akademi) from 2024 to 2028. SOS provides transdisciplinary knowledge on wicked problems linked to marine biodiversity and its role in the societal transition to sustainability, focusing on the Archipelago Sea and Åland Island area. The inter- and transdisciplinary work in SOS includes environmental and marine biology, chemistry, industrial management, political science, law, and the arts. Read more on their website: Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science

The kick-off event addressed inter- and transdisciplinary research and co-creation questions, especially in the context of sustainability transitions. The program included talks, presentations, and panel discussions that brought together viewpoints from various fields. Some of the speakers included Dr. Rachel Kelly (Knowledge Broker, Centre for Marine Socioecology (CMS), Australia), Risto Veivo (City of Turku), Vespa Laine (Fern Orchestra), and Katja Bonnevier (Archipelago Sea Biosphere Reserve).

This summer, I had the privilege of attending the Rhodes Academy for Ocean Law and Policy in Rhodes, Greece. The program ran from June 23rd to July 12th. It was an intensive three-week course on the law of the sea with lectures from some of the most accomplished in the field, including current and past judges of the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), practicing the law of the sea lawyers, and a negotiator from UNCLOS III. One of the most enjoyable parts of the program was the group workshops, which took place on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. There were often elaborate group exercises, which ended in student presentations and, often, lively debate! While UNCLOS and the law of the sea were the primary topics of discussion, there were lectures on ocean geology, hydrography and climate change.

The course was comprised of 50 students from around the world with varying educational and professional backgrounds. The program was not just lectures, studying and tests. There were many organized events, including day trips to Lindos on Rhodes Island and the Island of Simi.

The program culminates in an oral exam on the final Friday (there was a written exam on the second Friday), followed by an evening tour of the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes and the graduation ceremony outside near the palace. It was a wonderful experience, and I recommend it to others looking for an intensive introduction to the law of the sea and a chance to meet and network with many in the field.