SCRIPPS-RADY OCEAN PLASTIC POLLUTION CHALLENGE
Congratulations to the winner of the Challenge: Team SD Zero!
The Scripps-Rady Ocean Plastic Pollution Challenge brings together 29 solutions-oriented participants from a broad array of different fields of work and study.
Meet the participants below, and through stories and interviews on the blog!
Click to view a slideshow of quotes from participants, mentors, judges, and more! (coming soon)
Total Participants: 50
Professionals: 31
Students: 19
Universities
represented: 13
Locations
United States: 42
States represented: 10
International: 8
Countries represented: 5
Fields of work & study
Marine and natural sciences, traditional ecological knowledge, behavioral sciences, data science, business, law, policy, resource management, community engagement, and more!
MEET the teams competing in the finale hackathon Challenge June 7-8, 2021!
Pilar Garcia |
PhD Structural Geology |
Steven Wright | Co-Director 4Walls International |
Kristen Jabanoski | A.I.S., Inc. in support of NOAA Fisheries (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) |
Alex Ferron | Chair, Surfrider San Diego County |
Katrina Oprisko | Owner, Earthwell Refill |
Ngozi Margaret Oguguah | Researcher, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research |
Cleo Stratmann | M.Sc, Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory |
Aubrie Fowler | South Coast Specialist, MPA Collaborative Network |
Lisa Gilfillan | Ocean Conservation and Education Coordinator for WILDCOAST |
Elizabeth Plascencia | Master of Environmental Management candidate, Yale School of the Environment |
Colin Duncan | Product Development Lead at Forever Wild Seafood |
Sarah Fischbach | Assistant Professor of Integrated Marketing Communication, Pepperdine University |
Julie Hopper | Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Southern California |
Jake Reynolds | The Behavioural Insights Team - Energy and Sustainability Policy team |
Lauren Hackney | Founder of The Sol Work; MBA Candidate at Rady School of Management, UC San Diego |
Kristina Phipps | Independent Legal and Policy Consultant |
Tanya Torres | California Marine Debris Sea Grant Extension Fellow |
Kara Wiggin | PhD Student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography |
Ozlem Tetik | Ph.D. Student in Marketing, London Business School |
Jules Jackson | Founder, Coastal Defenders; Docent, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego |
Jonathan Goodmacher | Principal Geologist, GDS, Inc. |
Hilary Haskell | Project Manager II-Supply Chain Sustainability, San Diego Gas & Electric |
Fadwa Bouhedda | Associate Scientist/Biologist for the California Department of Transportation |
Chiara Dorigo | Senior Associate at Schaffer&Combs |
Matthew Noto | Greener Horizons L.L.C., Lead Project Coordinator |
Nicholas Carver | Physical Oceanographer, Vice President of the Pedro Point Surf Club |
Anna Robuck | Researcher, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography/NOAA Nancy Foster Scholar |
This team's research focuses on which strategies of behavioral science can be integrated into solutions in order to increase their effectiveness in minimizing plastic from entering the ocean. Read the white paper with findings HERE.
- Steven Wright, Co-Director 4Walls International
- Hilary Haskell, Project Manager II-Supply Chain Sustainability, San Diego Gas & Electric
- Aubrie Fowler, South Coast Specialist, MPA Collaborative Network
- Chiara Dorigo, Senior Associate at Schaffer&Combs
- Kristen Jabanoski, A.I.S., Inc. in support of NOAA Fisheries (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
- Ozlem Tetik, Ph.D. Student in Marketing, London Business School
- Jake Reynolds, The Behavioural Insights Team - Energy and Sustainability Policy team
|
This team's research focused on how to evaluate strategies and increase confidence that solutions at minimizing plastic from entering the ocean are working. Read the white paper with findings HERE.
- Anna Robuck, Researcher, University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography/NOAA Nancy Foster Scholar
- Sarah Fischbach, Assistant Professor of Integrated Marketing Communication, Pepperdine University
- Kristina Phipps, Independent Legal and Policy Consultant
- Tanya Torres, California Marine Debris Sea Grant Extension Fellow
- Colin Duncan, Product Development Lead at Forever Wild Seafood
- Ngozi Margaret Oguguah, Researcher, Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research
- Kara Wiggin, PhD Student at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
This team's research focused on developing a map using trash surveys and oceanographic, economic, and other data to inform solutions that minimize plastic from entering the ocean. Read the white paper with findings HERE.
- see the team's StoryMap presentation of findings
- Julie Hopper, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Southern California
- Fadwa Bouhedda, Associate Scientist/Biologist for the California Department of Transportation
- Adam Mihalik, Quantitative Strategist
- Pilar E. Garcia, PhD Structural Geology
- Cleo Ninja Stratmann, M.Sc, Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory (Leesu)
- Jonathan Goodmacher, Principal Geologist, GDS, Inc.
- William Quinn, M.S. Business Analytics Candidate at Rady School of Management, UC San Diego
This team's research focused on assessing the capacity and attitude in San Diego towards plastic pollution prevention initiatives. Read the white paper with findings HERE.
- Jules Jackson, Founder, Coastal Defenders; Docent, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
- Elizabeth Plascencia, Master of Environmental Management candidate, Yale School of the Environment
- Alex Ferron, Chair, Surfrider San Diego County
- Katrina Oprisko, Owner, Earthwell Refill
- Lisa Gilfillan, Ocean Conservation and Education Coordinator for WILDCOAST
- Matthew Noto, Greener Horizons L.L.C., Lead Project Coordinator
- Lauren Marie Hackney, Founder of The Sol Work; MBA Candidate at Rady School of Management, UC San Diego
- Nicholas Carver, Physical Oceanographer, Vice President of the Pedro Point Surf Club
|
We are grateful for the time, support and guidance these mentors provided to each team!
- Dr. Dale Stokes
Research Oceanographer, Marine Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
- Dr. Emelia DeForce
Senior Scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer
Visiting Scholar, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego; Research Scientist, Center for Marine Debris Research, Hawaii Pacific University; Oceanic Institute of Hawaii Pacific University, O‘ahu
- Dr. Elizabeth Keenan
Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School - Shaaref A. Shah
Research Associate, Harvard Business School
|
The series of six short-courses was held January - February, 2021. They were designed to provide a systems perspective of the ocean plastic problem and provide skills to design and create solutions. Participants got up to speed on the latest data, modeling, science, policy, behavioral science, and solutions, both successful and not as successful. The Challenge welcomed an additional 21 outstanding individuals to participate in the short-course component of the program only. The participants below did not continue to the research component of the program, but they were a valuable addition to the short courses as they brought wide-ranging perspectives and experiences to discussions.
- Francois Galgani, PhD, Project manager at IFREMER, chair of the EU technical group on Marine Litter, co chair of the IOC GESAMP group on plastic pollution and EU Mission STARFISH board member
- Bernie Villanueva-Grzecka, Natural Resources Protection Officer, City of Dana Point
- Natalie Lessa, Owner & Consultant, ReCREATE Waste Collaborative
- Karla Reinhardt, Sr. Technical Writer, SpaceX; Waterway Cleanup Leader, Ocean Defenders Alliance
- Grace Lee, ReThink Disposable Program Director, Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund
- Wataru Kumagai, Environmental Specialist Associate, City of Long Beach
- Emily Parker, Coastal and Marine Scientist at Heal the Bay
- Ashlee Stratakis, Management Analyst with the City of Encinitas
- Soboyejo Lukman Adeboye, Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree, Water and Coastal Management - Graduate Student / University of Bologna, Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Science
- Elizabeth Linske, Master's Student at Georgetown University
- Fawn D. Liebengood, MBA, MAS, Founder and Executive Director, Blue Ocean Warriors
- Noelle Amlicke, Sophomore at Stanford University
- Mary Liesegang, Master's Student, Scripps Institution of Oceanography UC San Diego
- Gilbert Nyabochwa Atuga, Research Scientist at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, team lead in Macroplastics Research Team
- Nick Reynoso, Undergraduate Student at California State University, Long Beach
- Giovanna Santini Ruta Lopes, Oceanography undergraduate at University of São Paulo (IO-USP)
- Katherine S. Lasdin, Master's Student at Oregon State University
- Monisha Sugla, Graduate Research Assistant at the Harte Institute, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
- Jack Weil, MAS Student, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- Sierra Byrne, Undergraduate Researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- Maria G. Rocha Castillo, Ronald E. McNair, UROC Scholar, and CSU LSAMP Participant