Linking the Fate of the Oceans to the Future of Food Security
Event Information
In celebration of Earth Day 2014—April 22—USAID hosted a special seminar with Dr. Sylvia Earle, accomplished marine biologist, explorer, author, and lecturer. Dr. Earle's presentation addressed the state of oceans in the 21st century and provided insights on how we can balance the need for food security with natural resource conservation. Following Dr. Earle's presentation, Jerry Glover (USAID Bureau for Food Security) moderated a panel discussion that featured Barbara Best and Richard Volk (USAID Bureau for Economic Growth, Education, and Environment), with Robert Winterbottom (World Resources Institute). The panel discussed opportunities and challenges to ensuring future generations are food secure and ecosystems are well conserved.
Watch, read, and download the post event resources from the seminar.
Speakers
Dr. Sylvia
The National Geographic Society
Dr. Sylvia A. Earle is Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society, Founder of Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance, Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research (DOER), Chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute, and former Chief Scientist of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Author of more than 200 publications, and leader of more than 100 expeditions with 7,000 hours underwater, she is a graduate of Florida State University with a MS and PhD from Duke University, and 26 honorary doctorates. Her research concerns the ecology and conservation of marine ecosystems and development of technology for access to the deep sea. Dr. Earle is the recipient of more than 100 national and international honors and awards including being named Time Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet, a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, recipient of the Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, winner of the TED Prize (2009), and medals from the Explorers Club (1996), Royal Geographic Society (2011), and the National Geographic (2013).
Robert Winterbottom
World Resources Institute
Robert Winterbottom is a Senior Fellow with the Food, Forests and Water Program at the World Resources Institute, based in Washington, D.C. His work is focused on the restoration and sustainable management of natural resources to secure supplies of food and water. He has a particular interest in scaling up agroforestry to “re-green” agricultural landscapes and improve the lives of rural communities. Bob has broad experience in environmental sciences and natural resource management, working over the past 30 years in Africa and South Asia on issues of desertification control, tropical deforestation, and community-based natural resource management. Bob earned a MFS from the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University and has a BA in Geography from Dartmouth College.
Barbara Best
USAID/E3/FAB
Barbara Best, Ph.D., is a Senior Coastal Resource Management and Policy Advisor for the Forestry and Biodiversity Office at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID/E3/FAB). Barbara has over 25 years of experience in marine ecological research, and the design and evaluation of international development programs. She provides technical support to USAID in strategic planning, activity design, and program evaluation related to food security, fisheries management, coastal resource governance, climate change adaptation, and marine biodiversity conservation. Dr. Best has spoken and written extensively on the role of marine biodiversity conservation in development, the integration of marine science and policy, international trade, and trade policy reforms. Her first assignment at USAID was as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Diplomacy Fellow. Barbara received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, and her Ph.D. from Duke University. She previously worked at Columbia University, James Cook University in Australia, the University of California - Berkeley, and Colby College.
Jerry Glover
USAID/BFS
Jerry Glover is a National Geographic Society Explorer, and Senior Sustainable Agricultural Systems Advisor for USAID. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Soil Science and Philosophy, and a PhD in Soil Science from Washington State University (2001). Prior to his work at USAID, Glover studied native grasslands and farming systems, including no-till, perennial, organic and integrated systems. He has published the results of his work in Science, Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and Scientific American. His work in soil science and perennial-based farming systems has been highlighted in National Geographic, Nature, and three documentary films. Most recently, Scientific American included Glover’s work in its December 2011 special issue on the “Top Ten World Changing Ideas.”
Richard Volk
USAID/E3/W
Richard Volk is a Senior Coastal and Aquatic Resources Advisor at USAID. He joined the USAID in 1998 and provides technical and managerial support for a variety of river basin, coastal resources, and fisheries management activities. During his 30 years in natural resources management he has worked in over 50 countries on numerous water and coastal resources management programs on fisheries, climate change, biodiversity conservation, and environmental planning. Before joining USAID, Richard was executive director of the Corpus Christi Bay National Estuary Program in South Texas. He currently provides technical assistance to USAID Missions on the design and implementation of integrated natural resources management initiatives worldwide, with particular focus on the water-climate-food nexus related to river basins and their coastal/marine ecosystems. Richard holds a BSc degree in Biology and an MPA in Development Management.
Event Registration Information
Theme Month Event
In-person Event
The QED Group
1250 Eye Street, NW, Suite 1100
Washington, District of Columbia, 20005, United States
