UCSB Professor Calls for More Science Policy Education on Campus

Recommendations aim to help universities better support students interested in ocean policy and build broader policy literacy.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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UC Santa Barbara Assistant Professor Alexandra Phillips has published a guide with recommendations for professors and administrators to support students' interests in ocean policy and build broader policy literacy across campuses. The guide, based on research in education, sociology, policy, and marine biology, suggests actions like embedding ocean policy into existing courses, creating new policy-focused offerings, and providing funding for students to engage in policy work.

Why it matters

As concerns like climate change, plastic pollution, and overfishing become increasingly dire, there is a growing need to train scientists not just in technical skills, but also in translating research insights into practical policy actions. However, this type of policy education is often lacking in university curricula, happening more outside of academia than within it.

The details

Phillips and her co-author Elizabeth D. Hetherington devised ten strategies for supporting ocean policy prowess at the graduate and undergraduate levels. For faculty, they recommend actions like embedding ocean policy into existing courses and creating new policy-focused offerings, as well as considering science policy-focused sabbaticals. For departments and institutions, they suggest funding opportunities for students to engage in policy work and leveraging the expertise of alumni and government affairs staff.

  • The recommendations were published in February 2026 in the journal npj Ocean Sustainability.

The players

Alexandra Phillips

An assistant professor at UC Santa Barbara's Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, and the lead author of the recommendations.

Elizabeth D. Hetherington

A co-author of the recommendations, based at UC San Diego.

Senator Alex Padilla

Phillips previously served as an environmental policy fellow for this U.S. Senator.

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What they’re saying

“One of the issues is that all this training in policy doesn't happen at the university right now. It happens outside of it. But we have the resources and ability to do this in-house, as well, and we should.”

— Alexandra Phillips, Assistant Professor, UC Santa Barbara (npj Ocean Sustainability)

“I'm inspired by the next generation of students who want to solve complex ocean policy problems. My role as an educator is to help make that possible.”

— Alexandra Phillips, Assistant Professor, UC Santa Barbara (npj Ocean Sustainability)

What’s next

The recommendations outlined in the paper are intended to be a roadmap for any department, institution, or principal investigator to support students interested in applied and policy-related work, not just in the field of ocean policy.

The takeaway

This guide highlights the growing need to integrate policy education into STEM curricula, empowering the next generation of scientists to translate their technical expertise into practical, real-world solutions for pressing environmental challenges.