A formas funded communication project

One Connected Ocean is a communication project where research from the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University (SRC) is presented at, and together with Universeum, Sweden’s national science center. 

Photo: SRC staff (Louise, Robert & me (Liz) visit Universeum’s Karin & Viktoria in December 2022.

“One Connected Ocean” includes two program initiatives: Sustainable Ocean for teachers and students in grades 4-6 and Marine Field Lab for all visitors to Universeum. We choose our target groups to include both a limited  group with an existing demand, and a broad target group to increase the chance of a large spread. In our collaboration, innovative scientific communication is created, through data visualization, activities and experiences that increase knowledge about marine environments and show how the ocean, human well-being and  environmental issues are connected. Stockholm Resilience Centre’s Ocean research theme focuses on Ocean Equity, Ocean Risk and Ocean Futures. There are many stories to tell about how the ocean unites our communities around the world. The goal of both communication efforts is to contribute to the UN Decade for Marine Research and Sustainable Development, more specifically challenge number 10, “Change humanity’s relationship with the ocean”.  Through collaboration between SRC and Universeum and the investment in “One Connected Ocean”, the parties contribute to disseminating relevant scientific communication in line with the four focus areas that Sweden has chosen: 

Ecosystem-based management; Innovation and digitization; Data modelling; Ocean literacy 

Societal relevance

The sea is central to human well-being: it shapes the earth’s climate, is an important source of food, sustenance and affiliation and enables a growing range of economic activities. An unrivalled expansion of human activity at sea has led to increasingly complex, versatile and dynamic links between marine and human health. Brand new marine industries have emerged in recent decades, “blue food” has received central importance for nutrition, health and the planet’s boundaries, and injustices regarding the sea have become increasingly pronounced.

All while the marine systems are being transformed by a changing climate. At the same time, the focus on the oceans is low, for example, has the global goal for the sea, goal 14, lowest priority of all goals according to a study done on global companies (WBCSD 2018).

The report “A Swedish contribution to the UN’s decade for marine research for sustainable development 2021–2030” highlights that Sweden is at the forefront of both marine management and marine research.

What is required is a holistic view, international collaborations and different types of partnerships mainly in the four chosen focus areas (Ecosystem-based management, Innovation and digitization, Data modelling, Ocean literacy)

Focus & strategy

Through One Connected Ocean, we will weave research about the sea into the learning environments that focus on marine or ocean literacy. The communication efforts are based on four areas of knowledge: Facts about the sea, The sea and the climate, The sea and me, and The sea and the future, all of which will contribute to increased literacy. In close collaboration with SRC, the communication efforts will benefit from Universeum’s unique learning environments, which have Sweden’s two largest aquariums and a unique rainforest as well as technological environments involving world class data visualization.

The communication efforts will both reach the broad group of Universeum’s visitors, which are divided into three primary ones target group segments: The general public (children and adults), The educational landscape (from preschool to higher education) and business. A specific group that the project will be aimed at is students- where Universeum strengthens schools work with sustainable development based on the SDGs for grades 4 and 6. Sustainable seas, the theme, is a direct communication channel to highlight the work of strengthening ocean literacy for both teachers and students.

Through One Connected Ocean, research from SRC will be highlighted through issues related to the four areas of knowledge but also through various activities in the form of guided tours, workshops and lectures. It can also be audio guides, videos and school programs, or digital assignments to perform at Universeum, at home, at work or at school. Universeum will also be able to develop together with SRC communication efforts on the social channels that Universeum uses such as Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Universeum and SRC have a common focus on diversity, gender equality and gender in all activities.

For updates on this project check the blog