KEYNOTE | Tuesday 16 September, 10:15–11:30

From Silos to Synergy:
Enabling Transdisciplinary Collaborations for Ocean Sustainability

Dr. Stefanie Ypma
(Community Manager, Sustainable Ocean Community, Utrecht University, Netherlands)

In a time where ocean challenges are increasingly complex and entangled with societal, ecological, and technological transitions, transdisciplinary collaboration is no longer optional—it’s essential. Drawing from the experience of the Dutch Sustainable Ocean Community, this talk explores what it takes to build and sustain a community that transcends disciplinary silos and connects science with society.

What institutional and cultural preconditions are necessary to foster collaboration between natural and social scientists, lawyers, policy makers and artists? How do we empower the next generation of ocean professionals to think beyond academic boundaries? And how can creative, boundary-crossing initiatives like the “Whose Ocean?” project open up new ways of thinking, feeling, and collaborating around ocean sustainability?

By unpacking a few examples and the infrastructure behind them — such as impact pathways, adapted funding models, and the recognition and rewards system — this talk offers concrete insights into building an ocean community that is rigorous, relevant, and resilient. 

Biography

Stefanie Ypma currently leads the Sustainable Ocean Community, an initiative of Utrecht University’s Pathways to Sustainability and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, where she focuses on enabling transdisciplinary collaboration across science, policy, and society. Stefanie is a physical oceanographer and science communicator with a passion for connecting research to societal impact. Trained in climate and ocean circulation dynamics, she has worked on topics ranging from Arctic Ocean climate sensitivity to innovative mitigation strategies for ocean plastic pollution. With a strong background in complex systems analysis and a commitment to open and inclusive science, Stefanie works at the interface of knowledge generation and collective action for ocean sustainability.