Professor @UCSantaBarbara. Director @UCSBenioffOcean. Understanding how nature works and what tools we can use to keep it around longer.

Santa Barbara, CA
Thank you @VICE @motherboard for elevating the conversation about how #science and #technology can help our oceans piped.video/watch?v=MZgkEBTV…
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Douglas McCauley retweeted
Welcome ITU Commission on AI for Good: We are at a moment of profound responsibility. Having seen the damage unchecked social media caused over the last two decades, we cannot afford to repeat those mistakes with AI. We cannot let AI become Social Media 2.0. We must hold companies and governments accountable to a foundation of ethical trust. ❤️
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AI can contribute to making our ocean economy regenerative, from detecting patterns in massive datasets to helping coastal communities prepare for risk and making ocean industries more efficient. As these technologies advance, it's equally important to minimize the environmental footprint of AI. Swipe to learn 3 ways AI can help make our ocean economy more regenerative and read more via the World Economic Forum: wef.ch/blueeconomy26 #GlobalFutureCouncil @FriendsofOcean @wef
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Grateful to have been part of this important group of thinkers in @WEF #GlobalFutureCouncil visioning the way forward for our 🌊 #RegenerativeBlueEconomy @FriendsOfOceanAction
The #ocean underpins food, income, cultural identity and global trade, but it is under growing pressure from overexploitation, pollution and climate change. This latest @wef report explores the shift toward a regenerative blue #economy, and how ocean-based economic activity can help restore ecosystems and support equitable prosperity: weforum.org/publications/the… #WorldOceanDay
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Love seeing #Oceans on the cover of @TIME 💙
TIME’s new cover: The mysteries of the ocean and the race to save it time.com/article/2026/05/28/…
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Douglas McCauley retweeted
Thousands of fishing traps lost at sea are damaging ocean ecosystems and threatening marine life, including whales, sharks, turtles, and seabirds, according to wildlife experts. nbcbay.com/d5BAhVl
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Douglas McCauley retweeted
AI for the good of the Whales! ❤️🐳@McCauley_Lab & team are deploying a network of AI-powered cameras in the SF Bay to stop ships from colliding with migrating gray whales. With 7 whales already lost this year (after 21 in 2025), this tech is a literal lifesaver. Brilliant work, Doug! ❤️ wsj.com/us-news/san-francisc…
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We are hiring a Postdoctoral Researcher in Applied Fisheries or Environmental Economic Modeling to develop tools for applying fisheries and economic modeling in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ; the “high seas”), particularly with relevance to large-scale Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation in this region. Apply by April 19th for full consideration. Learn more and apply at: recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03092
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🌊We are hiring a Communications Specialist to plan and execute our research center’s external communications with the goal of advancing meaningful improvements in ocean health through raising awareness and influencing policy. Apply by April 6th for full consideration. Learn more and apply at tinyurl.com/BOSLCommunicatio…
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A global study featured in @latimes by @susrust revealed that chemicals from pesticides, medicines, and food packaging have reached the middle of the ocean and are mixing with the microorganisms that sustain marine life. Ready the story here: latimes.com/science/story/20…
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The @iwc_int and the @UCSBenioffOcean co-hosted a workshop @IMOHQ to tackle one of the most complex threats whales face around the world: vessel strikes. Day one focused on a critical challenge: differing regional risk assessment methods make it hard to compare threats and set global priorities. Experts explored metrics and methods that could bring greater consistency and coherence to vessel strike risk assessments, which are now being written up as guidance to be presented to the IWC Scientific Committee in April 2026. Days two and three brought scientists, policymakers, and shipping industry representatives together to explore mitigation measures, regional case studies, incentive programs, and practical pathways for implementation. By bringing together expertise across sectors and regions, we're building shared understanding and identifying practical next steps to protect whales worldwide. 🌍🐋
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Exciting Spotlight! RiverVision was featured on Spectrum News. RiverVision is an AI-powered computer vision system we are developing to collect more data on plastic debris in rivers to learn about this source of marine pollution. Read the full story on Spectrum News and stay tuned for more RiverVision updates: spectrumnews1.com/ca/souther…
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"With every drop of water you drink, every breath you take, you're connected to the sea. No matter where on Earth you live."- @SylviaEarle , Ocean Explorer, Aquanaut, and Hero of the Planet. We applaud @wef for making our oceans the focus of this year’s Blue @Davos meeting. Read more about Sylvia’s inspiring story and hopeful vision for the future of our oceans: weforum.org/stories/2026/01/…
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Today is the day 🌊 The High Seas Treaty is officially in force, marking a major step forward for ocean conservation beyond national borders. The treaty sets global rules to protect high seas biodiversity, require environmental impact assessments, share marine genetic benefits, and build ocean science capacity worldwide. A new era for the ocean begins.
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📢 We’re hiring! The Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at UC Santa Barbara is seeking an Emissions Modeling Specialist to support cutting-edge, applied research on global maritime shipping emissions. We’re looking for someone excited to work at the intersection of marine science, data, and policy, helping translate complex emissions modeling into insights that inform industry best practices and global decision-making. 🌊📊 🗓️ Apply by January 19, 2026 for full consideration 🔗 Learn more and apply: recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF03044 #hiring #emissionsmodeling #ucsb
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🌊Papahānaumokuākea. You may have never heard of it. But it’s one of the largest protected areas on Earth — an ocean sanctuary bigger than all U.S. national parks combined. Imagine hundreds of Yellowstones or Yosemites beneath the waves. 500,000+ square miles of underwater wilderness. Ancient sea turtles glide through coral forests found nowhere else on the planet. Apex predators thrive as they have for millennia. An ocean rainforest — irreplaceable, thriving and alive. Not only does it sustain the ecosystems we all depend on, but it delivers for the economy, helping drive Hawaiʻi’s $17 billion dollar tourism industry. It preserves the sacred history and ancestral homeland of Hawaiians, who continue to steward these special waters. And it safeguards national history, with a legacy connected to the sacrifice of Americans lost at Pearl Harbor during World War II. But these sensitive ecosystems can be damaged to a point beyond recovery. Nothing lasts forever. Protected areas help ensure we have a secure and prosperous future. 🎥 (b-roll) provided by: Environmental Justice Foundation, The Outlaw Ocean Project, Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project #papahānaumokuākea To see the wildlife of Midway in real time, check out this live cam: piped.video/watch?v=L3iKvwoX…
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📣 BREAKING: Deep-Sea Mining Watch is LIVE. Developed by the @UCSBenioffOcean and powered by @GlobalFishWatch technology, this new public data portal maps vessel activity linked to deep-sea mineral exploration around the world. Read the press release: bit.ly/4a1Qvex Explore the new portal → bit.ly/4pg00v3
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The new Deep-Sea Mining Watch is LIVE! Learn how the platform uses AIS data and Global Fishing Watch technology to reveal deep-sea mineral exploration happening thousands of miles offshore. Read → bit.ly/49Tqii6 @GlobalFishWatch
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Douglas McCauley retweeted
We’re giving $100 M to build a new 7-story @UCSFBenioffOAK tower — expanding emergency & trauma care, adding a new NICU, advanced surgery suites, and more than 100 private rooms. 💙 Every Oakland child deserves world-class care.
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Douglas McCauley retweeted
Today we’re giving another $100M to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland & Salesforce is pledging another $39M for AI education in San Francisco & Oakland public schools. We have now given over $1B given to our local children’s hospitals and public schools! ❤️🤖🌉 Read more ➜ sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti…
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