To my students
Something happened this week that I think is worth talking about. Of the people that voted, a little less than 50% voted for a candidate who is anti-intellectual, anti-science, and anti-environment. Because of the way our election system is set up, this candidate will be our next president. There are many, many reasons to react to this news, and I want to bring up a few points, as they pertain to what you are learning in this class and in your chosen careers in science.
First off, not that many people voted. Only 43% of registered voters voted.
Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, so the majority of voters supported science and acknowledged the importance of climate change. We need to remember this.
California is an AWESOME place to be – for science and the environment:
Now, more than ever, WE NEED YOU. I NEED YOU. A lot of people in our country do not have access to information and fundamentally do not understand the value of science and the environment. They cannot comprehend the concept of climate change because they do not understand the physical basis or the impacts and do not have access to reliable and UNDERSTANDABLE information. A lot of people also do not see the immediate consequences. People are hurting and they want change, and we need to empathize with those feelings.
I could definitely do a better job at this, but hopefully in my class you have seen how things are connected in the ocean – we’re kind of just getting to this topic now. One thing affects the other. Increased temperature increases stratification, which decreases mixing and prevents nutrients from coming to the surface. Nutrients that phytoplankton need to grow. Phytoplankton that krill need to eat. Krill that fuel our ecosystem – the ecosystem that fishermen rely on for their livelihood. It’s all connected. I’m pretty sure most of you realize this now, and now you need to help other people understand this concept as well. The same could be said for most other systems – beyond the ocean ecosystem. Things are connected. We are connected. Our actions have consequences.
Global problems, even national problems, can feel completely overwhelming. Please also remember that local actions might even be the most important. Every day you make choices when you buy something. You can get involved in local agencies and local actions and policies – look at what California accomplished!
You will all be graduating during what might be a very tumultuous time in our nation’s history. Moving forward, science will be under attack. The environment will be under attack. The problems you have expressed passion about – conservation issues, habitat loss, climate change – these are likely to get worse moving forward. This only emphasizes the importance of your role as marine science majors now and in the future.
I can’t stress enough how much you all are needed. I hope that we can all rise to the challenge together and I hope that going forward you feel free to reach out to me whenever you need to, during this class and beyond. We must support each other and build new and more diverse relationships. Social justice issues are environmental issues both in this country and worldwide.
I want to close with something my friend and colleague, Dr. Kevin Ringleman, wrote in a letter to his own students at Louisiana State University, which inspired me to talk to you. “The future of our country and planet depends on you. Your ability to think critically, to sift facts from fiction, to apply your academic training to real-world conservation problems makes you invaluable, more so now than ever. Let this election galvanize you to seek the changes you want to see in the world. Use it as motivation to work harder and smarter as a scientist. Let it serve as a reminder that empathy for others is foundational to the success of our conservation mission, at local and global scales. Stay focused. Work hard. Care for each other. We need you to show us all a better tomorrow.”
Thank you for being here.
Dr. Kerry J. Nickols
Something happened this week that I think is worth talking about. Of the people that voted, a little less than 50% voted for a candidate who is anti-intellectual, anti-science, and anti-environment. Because of the way our election system is set up, this candidate will be our next president. There are many, many reasons to react to this news, and I want to bring up a few points, as they pertain to what you are learning in this class and in your chosen careers in science.
First off, not that many people voted. Only 43% of registered voters voted.
Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, so the majority of voters supported science and acknowledged the importance of climate change. We need to remember this.
California is an AWESOME place to be – for science and the environment:
- We legalized recreational marijuana – this may help stop some of the negative impacts of illegal operations on the environment such as pollution, runoff, and habitat degradation.
- We banned single-use plastic bags.
- Our local leaders know the importance of ocean issues and are doing really great work at the state-level. At the recent Ocean Candidates Forum held on campus we got to hear about the views of local state and national candidates on ocean issues and I can tell you that they are aware and they care. They are acting against climate change. Science, and in particular ocean science, is also heavily involved in decision-making in our state. We have the Ocean Protection Council, a state agency that handles ocean issues, and the Ocean Science Trust, a boundary organization that translates science to policy-makers. California is an ocean leader; please remember this.
- Some of our legislators wrote a very powerful statement. Here’s a quote, “California has long set an example for other states to follow. And California will defend its people and our progress. We are not going to allow one election to reverse generations of progress at the height of our historic diversity, scientific advancement, economic output, and sense of global responsibility.”
Now, more than ever, WE NEED YOU. I NEED YOU. A lot of people in our country do not have access to information and fundamentally do not understand the value of science and the environment. They cannot comprehend the concept of climate change because they do not understand the physical basis or the impacts and do not have access to reliable and UNDERSTANDABLE information. A lot of people also do not see the immediate consequences. People are hurting and they want change, and we need to empathize with those feelings.
I could definitely do a better job at this, but hopefully in my class you have seen how things are connected in the ocean – we’re kind of just getting to this topic now. One thing affects the other. Increased temperature increases stratification, which decreases mixing and prevents nutrients from coming to the surface. Nutrients that phytoplankton need to grow. Phytoplankton that krill need to eat. Krill that fuel our ecosystem – the ecosystem that fishermen rely on for their livelihood. It’s all connected. I’m pretty sure most of you realize this now, and now you need to help other people understand this concept as well. The same could be said for most other systems – beyond the ocean ecosystem. Things are connected. We are connected. Our actions have consequences.
Global problems, even national problems, can feel completely overwhelming. Please also remember that local actions might even be the most important. Every day you make choices when you buy something. You can get involved in local agencies and local actions and policies – look at what California accomplished!
You will all be graduating during what might be a very tumultuous time in our nation’s history. Moving forward, science will be under attack. The environment will be under attack. The problems you have expressed passion about – conservation issues, habitat loss, climate change – these are likely to get worse moving forward. This only emphasizes the importance of your role as marine science majors now and in the future.
I can’t stress enough how much you all are needed. I hope that we can all rise to the challenge together and I hope that going forward you feel free to reach out to me whenever you need to, during this class and beyond. We must support each other and build new and more diverse relationships. Social justice issues are environmental issues both in this country and worldwide.
I want to close with something my friend and colleague, Dr. Kevin Ringleman, wrote in a letter to his own students at Louisiana State University, which inspired me to talk to you. “The future of our country and planet depends on you. Your ability to think critically, to sift facts from fiction, to apply your academic training to real-world conservation problems makes you invaluable, more so now than ever. Let this election galvanize you to seek the changes you want to see in the world. Use it as motivation to work harder and smarter as a scientist. Let it serve as a reminder that empathy for others is foundational to the success of our conservation mission, at local and global scales. Stay focused. Work hard. Care for each other. We need you to show us all a better tomorrow.”
Thank you for being here.
Dr. Kerry J. Nickols