40 Years of Progress in the
Urban Ocean
The Sea Grant Program at USC is one of the oldest in the country, established in 1972 out of the necessity of managing aquatic natural resources in one of the most intensely populated and developed coastlines in the country.
Tracking USC Sea Grant’s work through the decades, you realize how closely our program’s research, outreach and education are tied to the needs of this urban ocean environment and its residents. We are dedicated to our role as a neutral broker of science that serves the people, ecosystems and wildlife of such a diverse region; and to our role building capacity and connections across people, resources and knowledge to solve our most pressing problems.
In this 40th+ anniversary retrospective, we tell a few stories to show how USC Sea Grant’s long-term work supports achievements in several key areas of importance to Southern California. It is extremely rewarding to be able to say that some things are better than they were 20 or 40 years ago. It is not possible to say that about everything, but we can see improvements here along our coastline, and we are proud to have been part of the collaborations of research scientists, educators, government leaders and community stakeholders that worked on these issues.
As always, the work is not done, and the stories told here are not finished. As we look towards the future, we are excited at the array of new ideas, research opportunities, and potential new partners who will help up build sustained, long-term progress for our urban ocean and its residents. Thank you for exploring our first 40 years with us!
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