NANO Interview - Dr Jesse Ausubel ....................................................................................... NANO Regional Projects reports

Dr Ausubel is a Rockefeller University environmental researcher, former vice president and and current science advisor of the Alfred P. Sloan FoundaƟ on of New York, one of the founding ing fathers of POGO and of the Census of Marine Life. In this interview Dr Jesse Ausubel shares res his thoughts on the future of the NANO, advice on ocean science communicaƟ on and tells us us about the most important and rewarding experience in his career.

You are one of the founders of POGO and now, a NANO Friend. Have you u Dr Ausubel NN been following the progress of the NANO Network? If so, what is your opinion about the progress we have made so far? Do you have any comments/ sugr ments/ suggesƟ ons for its future development? JA The NANO Network is growing in regions where more experts on ocean observaƟ on are urgently needed. I hope in another 20-25 years we will look back to fi nd that NANO alumni prove to be the heroes of building the next level of the global ocean observaƟ on system.

NN NANO has started developing outreach acƟ viƟ es in addiƟ on to -and in combinaƟ on with- its research projects. Drawing on your experience, parƟ cularly with the Census of Marine Life, which had a very successful public outreach component, what would your advice be to NANO? How can the results of NANO projects be communicated eff ecƟ vely to the general public? JA Ocean exploraƟ on and discovery fascinate the public, especially when we have good images and maps to help explain what we learn. My advice is always make exciƟ ng visualizaƟ ons an integral part of your work.

NN The ocean is sƟ ll vastly unexplored, and yet humankind is oŌ en more aƩ racted by space exploraƟ on than ocean exploraƟ on. In your opinion, how can scienƟ sts help the public to feel inspired by the ocean? JA Most experts present only sad environmental news. It is as if we report only the admissions to a hospital and the deaths, but not the births and cures. We need to present a true spectrum of discovery, including marvels. Space exploraƟ on has the advantage of an absence of bad or depressing news.

NN Without a doubt, your career is admired by many young researchers. Looking back, can you name major milestones/turning points in your career? Also, do you remember any crisis or criƟ cal moments and how you overcame these diffi culƟ es? JA An early involvement with a truly internaƟ onal program (the Global Atmospheric Research Program) and in mulƟ disciplinary, internaƟ onal teams at the InternaƟ onal InsƟ tute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) aff ected me greatly. They proved to me that complex cooperaƟ on could fl ourish and reward everyone involved. These eff orts also impressed me at the outset of my career about the importance and diffi culty of accurate observaƟ ons. AŌ er about 10 years, I faced a big choice, whether to become a full-Ɵ me program manager. I wanted also to conƟ nue to do my own research and analysis. I was fortunate to be able to move from Washington DC (the capital of program management) to The Rockefeller University in New York City where I could have a career balanced between research and management of research.

NN Can you name three examples of the most rewarding experiences in your career? JA On the one hand, it is rewarding to build programs, fi elds, and insƟ tuƟ ons, such as the Census of Marine Life, World Climate Program and Global Change Program, Encyclopedia of Life, DNA barcoding, industrial ecology, Deep Carbon Observatory, InternaƟ onal Quiet Ocean Experiment, and of course POGO. On the other hand, it is rewarding to contribute to discoveries such as decarbonisaƟ on, dematerialisaƟ on, land sparing, and now global greening.

NN You iniƟ ated four major internaƟ onal programs to survey the planet and catalogue its biological diversity, which have been hugely successful. This requires a strong commitment and collaboraƟ on of many parƟ es contribuƟ ng to the projects. In your opinion, what is the key for the successful establishment of such collaboraƟ ons and sustaining them for a long period of Ɵ me? JA Alignment is the most important word. One must search for and create alignment. Programs succeed best when the interests of key individuals (young and old), organisaƟ ons for which they work, funders, and other stakeholders are aligned. When interests are not aligned, even huge power and money may not overcome the problems.

NN You envision our environment to be protected, but not harmed by technology. Could you explain how this might be? JA My 1996 essay The LiberaƟ on of the Environment (hƩ p://phe.rockefeller.edu/Daedalus/LiberaƟ on/) explains many of the key ideas. Advances in effi ciency and producƟ vity across many sectors can spare nature, and in fact the sparing is happening on a large scale as reported in a 2015 essay, Nature Rebounds (hƩ p://phe.rockefeller.edu/docs/Nature_Rebounds.pdf).

NN Finally, do you have any words of wisdom for researchers in the early stages of their careers? JA With regard to research, always keep in mind that the essence of science is structured quesƟ oning of authority. Much of what we are “certain” today will be replaced in 25-30 years, that is, during your career. With regard to management, read a liƩ le essay that I co-authored in 1993 with marine ecologist John Steele, Flat organizaƟ ons for earth science ( hƩ p://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/1520-0477%281993%29074%3C0809%3AFOFES%3E2.0.CO%3B2).

Read more about educaƟ ng the public at the Blue Mile event in Plymouth at page 12. (Photo by Sport Environment)