Making links

One of the SOPHIE project’s main aims is to bring researchers together and help them collaborate on new and exciting science.

Our focus is on Oceans and Human Health research but in a new and evolving discipline, how do we decide which topics to prioritise? First off we have to identify the research areas which can only be studied by an interdisciplinary team.

Because the interactions between oceans and health are so complex and varied, this means we have to spot the subjects which need input from marine, medical, and public health experts, as well as several other relevant fields.

We started to do this in our first Expert Workshop where we discussed areas such as sourcing food from the ocean, so called ‘blue’ tourism, and the mix of challenges and opportunities faced by coastal living.

Following this workshop, we are now in the process of mapping out all of these varied, complex and even unexpected links.

As we start to make sense of this fascinating landscape, we’re beginning to piece together the building blocks of our Strategic Research Agenda. This document will provide a road map for the direction of Oceans and Human Health research, and highlight the gaps in our knowledge that need to be addressed.

This work will set us up nicely to continue discussions during the second Expert Workshop which will be held in January 2019.