What happens when science, creativity, and a passion for communicating about the ocean come together? It’s CommOCEAN, a face-to-face communication meeting about the ocean, which AI still cannot achieve alone.
This conference, held from November 25 to 27 and organised by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC) and the European Marine Board, promoted the exchange of visions, ideas, experiences, prizes, skills and more, in which marine science communicators showcased how we can better connect people to the wonders—and the urgent challenges—of our oceans.
Representing OCEAN CITIZEN, Juanita Zorrilla from SUBMON had the opportunity to share our experience within the project. While five minutes only give a quick glimpse into two years of work, they were enough to spark interest and highlight the innovative approaches we have explored. It certainly was a challenge, but it also gave us the opportunity to rethink how we tell the story of the project.
OCEAN CITIZEN’s storytelling strategy is both innovative and essential to its mission, turning a seemingly abstract concept like ecological succession into content that is both engaging and scientifically rigorous. A key example? A stunning series of comics that bring the project’s vision to life for audiences ranging from schoolchildren to government officials.
In summary, three keywords stand out in this transformative world of ocean science communication:
Storytelling: The main focus of Juanita’s session, moderated by Angel Muñiz and sharing a great panel with Elsa Vercellino & Emma Verron and Juliana Corrales, was about Storytelling—the key element that connects everything. While we may get tired of hearing about it, documentaries by Sir David Attenborough demonstrate this brilliantly, inspiring generations to appreciate our blue planet. It is not just Discovery or National Geographic that are great at Storytelling; many marketing brands also achieve recognition through compelling narratives, and we can learn from them. At CommOCEAN, storytelling was a central theme, used to connect ideas in an engaging way.
Transdisciplinary: Scientists are beginning to step out of the ivory tower, and some have realised that when they move beyond the “matrix” and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, they can achieve more outstanding outcomes. No single person can be a scientist, artist, designer, poet, dramaturg, informatician, journalist, and data manager all at once. Effective communication requires collaboration with professionals from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise. This collaboration provides a more comprehensive perspective on what we communicate and how we do so.
Networking: This was one of the key aspects of CommOCEAN 2024. We need more spaces with genuine human interaction and fewer screens to improve communication—more opportunities for wine and laughter to share our experiences, new projects, and opinions. These gatherings foster collaboration and inspire us through connections with those who can reach and engage audiences. Such environments are vital catalysts for exchanging fresh ideas and partnering with others. They are just as essential as the scientific work we do, because collaboration and networking are in essence one of the key pieces in tackling global challenges like marine conservation and climate change. For OCEAN CITIZEN, the event was more than an opportunity to showcase our work. It was a reminder of the transformative power of stories. After all, when we communicate the ocean’s story with clarity and heart, we don’t just share knowledge—we inspire action.
