Author: Chris Parsons

Dr. Chris Parsons has been involved in whale and dolphin research for over two decades and has been involved in projects on every continent. Dr. Parsons is an Associate Professor at George Mason University as well as the undergraduate coordinator for their environmental science program. He’s a member of the scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), has been involved in organizing four of the International Marine Conservation Congresses (IMCC) (the world’s largest academic marine conservation conference) and two of the International Congresses for Conservation Biology. He was a Governor of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) for nearly a decade and also served two terms as the president of the SCB Marine Section. and he's currently on the Board of Directors of the American Cetacean Society, the Society for Marine Mammalogy and the SCB Conservation Marketing Working Group. In addition, Dr. Parsons has published over 140 scientific papers and book chapters and has written a textbook on marine mammal biology & conservation and co-edited a book on marine wildlife conflict resolution.

The evolution of the International Whaling Commission – from  whaling quotas to whale conservation

Posted on By Chris Parsons No Comments on The evolution of the International Whaling Commission – from  whaling quotas to whale conservation
Conservation, Featured, Science

For decades, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) was defined by a single, highly polarized debate: the battle between pro-whaling and anti-whaling nations over commercial catch quotas. Today, however, the landscape of the IWC has radically evolved. For the current IWC Commissioners, conservation-related topics (such as sustainable whalewatching, marine pollution, and protected areas) hold an equal, … Read More “The evolution of the International Whaling Commission – from  whaling quotas to whale conservation” »

Why ocean science is still one of the worst-funded scientific fields worldwide

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Climate change, Conservation, Exploration, Science

For a planet that is 71% ocean, humanity spends a surprisingly small amount of time (and money) trying to understand it. Ocean science sits in a strange place in the research ecosystem. It underpins climate science, fisheries management, biodiversity conservation, and coastal economies. It’s essential for understanding everything from hurricanes to heatwaves to global carbon … Read More “Why ocean science is still one of the worst-funded scientific fields worldwide” »

250 years of climate change – it’s as hot as hell in Philadelphia!

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Climate change

“Someone open up a window!” Adams yells.“No!” a Congressman barks back.“It’s stifling!” Adams protests.“It’s hot as hell!”“It’s ninety degrees! Have mercy, John, please! It’s hot as hell in Philadelphia!” If you’ve ever seen the play or watched the movie musical 1776, you probably remember the Founding Fathers sweating through their wool waistcoats. The opening scene … Read More “250 years of climate change – it’s as hot as hell in Philadelphia!” »

Ocean scientists need to learn a lesson from NASA

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Exploration, Oceanography for Everyone, Popular Culture, Science

My social media this week was full of space. When Artemis I splashed down, the world watched in awe. When the James Webb Space Telescope unrolled its golden mirrors, it felt like a win for humanity. NASA has mastered the art of making space science matter to the public. Meanwhile, ocean science (the study of … Read More “Ocean scientists need to learn a lesson from NASA” »

How to fix the UN Decade of Ocean Science

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Exploration, Oceanography for Everyone, Open Science, Policy, Science

In a previous post an uncomfortable reality was highlighted:  that the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) has, so far, delivered more branding than transformation. Despite much initial hyping, it has really failed to deliver on its promises so far. That may sound harsh. But halfway through the decade, its biggest outputs … Read More “How to fix the UN Decade of Ocean Science” »

The UN Decade of Ocean Science: A failure to launch

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Uncategorized

Back in 2017, the United Nations announced something that sounded genuinely exciting: a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). The idea was to have ten years of coordinated global investment in ocean science to help solve the ocean’s biggest problems, such as climate change, marine biodiversity collapse, pollution and fisheries mismanagement. As well … Read More “The UN Decade of Ocean Science: A failure to launch” »

Phantom science – how “AI slop” is making environmental policy

Posted on By Chris Parsons 1 Comment on Phantom science – how “AI slop” is making environmental policy
Academic life, Policy, Science

There’s a new specter haunting environmental governance, and it doesn’t rattle ghostly chains, it’s its generating phantom science. Recently, I was reading a government report trying to find scientific justifications for environmental actions when I ran into some citations that looked interesting. So, I tried to look them up. Despite a full, official looking citation … Read More “Phantom science – how “AI slop” is making environmental policy” »

We Need a “Starfleet” for the Oceans

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Exploration, Uncategorized

There’s a particular kind of optimism baked into the Star Trek franchise that feels almost alien in 2026. It’s not the warp drives, transporters or other advanced technology. But rather it’s the idea that a uniformed service could exist primarily for exploration, science, diplomacy, and the collective good. “Starfleet” (the organization in the Star Trek … Read More “We Need a “Starfleet” for the Oceans” »

Come to the geek side of #scicomm: Marine science education by Dungeons & Dragons

Posted on By Chris Parsons
Uncategorized

A couple of years ago, several of the people organizing the International Marine Conservation Congress let slip in their planning discussions that they played Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). There are many of us of a certain age that remember fondly playing in our youth, some of us have kids who are now getting of an age where we can, in turn, teach them how to play, and some were drawn in by the surge in Youtube and podcast shows like the hugely popular “Critical Role” where literally millions of people turn in to watch a bunch of nerds play Dungeons and Dragons … and have fun.

This led to the idea of playing a game at the conference. After more discussion, perhaps helped by a few drinks, the idea was spawned that perhaps we could make this game marine-themed and educational? Maybe even play this game in front of an audience at the conference? Perhaps even record it and share it online…?!

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