Goleta Magazine 2017 - 35

This is an incredibly important problem to address. These collisions are
impacting some of the most endangered and spectacular whales on the planet."

Blue whales here in the Santa Barbara Channel put themselves at risk given their tendency to seasonally aggregate in
feeding grounds near the Channel Islands. But ship strikes
are cited as a top source of mortality for a variety of at-risk
whale species and are believed to be a major obstacle in preventing their population recovery.
It's an ideal inaugural project for the Benioff Ocean Initiative,
an experimental enterprise that aims to team university
researchers, students and global ocean communities to identify problems and solve them with emerging technologies.
Headquartered at UCSB's Marine Science Institute, an internationally recognized center of excellence for interdisciplinary oceans research, the endeavor brings senior ocean
scientists together with students to develop science-based
solutions. By crowdsourcing project ideas from around the
world, they hope to have a unique impact on the ocean issues
that people care most about.

DOUGLAS MCCAULEY
Director of the Benioff Ocean Initiative and an Assistant Professor
in UCSB's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology

The problem of vessel strikes of whales was raised multiple times in the crowdsourcing campaign, according to
McCauley.
"This initiative is a bold statement by UC Santa Barbara to
our neighbors and to the world that we must redefine possibilities for creating change in academia," McCauley said.
"The Benioff Ocean Initiative is an experiment that will
make universities themselves epicenters for change. In the
case of the oceans, this is better late than never. This revisioning of the responsibility of the university emulates
the Benioffs' progressive stance around corporations and
business leaders taking on social and environmental issues."

Pictured above, opposite
left to right: Douglas
McCauley during a 2016
talk at the World Economic
Forum. Fish pictured
captured by Nick Hobgood,
garibaldi and sea urchins
captured by Ron McPeak
and coral photographed
by Jim Maragos.

Technology and research development at UC Santa Barbara are driving forces
behind the success of many businesses on the Central Coast. With over 90
local companies founded by alumni and faculty, UCSB is fostering immense
intellectual vitality that stokes entrepreneurship and innovative spirit.

UC SANTA BARBARA
A POWERFUL ENGINE OF INNOVATION

ucsb.edu

2017 * 2018 EDITION

http://www.ucsb.edu

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Goleta Magazine 2017