Interdisciplinary research
Chile is at the forefront of the blue economy, but to achieve equity and sustainability under multiple drivers of social and ecological change, developing and mainstreaming Social-Ecological Systems transitions over the next decade will be a major challenge. Current models in SES, tend to devalue the natural function and environmental values of coastal seascapes.
SECOS addresses an urgent question: ¿how can oceans and coastal regions improve long-term sustainability and human well-being? To answer this, we propose to study seven experimental units or learning platforms; such as marine pollution, climate change, overfishing and biological resource management, adaptation and mitigation to climate change, among other key subjects..
SECOS addresses drivers of change, leverage points and amplification mechanisms such as changes in social norms that influence behaviors and policy instruments. This can only be achieved if a center is designed for multi-interdisciplinarity. All associate researchers form part of a “task force” that supports the science backbone of each learning platform.
This approach, together with researchers’ past experience, provides a concrete structure to promote interaction and multidisciplinarity. In fact, the co-construction of sustainability pathways using different knowledge systems begins to address transdisciplinary challenges.
Therefore, SECOS contributes to global and Chilean coastal sustainability through performing cutting-edge SES research in three key marine SES of Chile. Also, co-producing and implementing sustainable solutions through multi-stakeholder engagement, by increasing human capacity in SES sciences through advanced education and hands-on training, and promoting novel public engagement processes by inter-transdisciplinary art-science approaches.
Regarding art & science, at SECOS, we conceive it both as an area of academic development (knowledge co-production) and as part of the science-society interface (co-creation).