SEMINAR: MR. CHRIS OSTRANDER – CAREER PATHWAYS IN OCEAN SCIENCE AND MARINE TECHNOLOGY

Mr. Ostrander will outline diverse career pathways within ocean science and marine technology, emphasizing the growing demand for skilled professionals in this field and highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary expertise and innovative thinking to address global challenges such as climate change, sustainable resource management, and ocean conservation. He will share thoughts, curated from personal experience and the inputs of the global MTS community, on the professional skills and competencies needed to thrive in the modern blue economy workforce.

Mr. Chris Ostrander is an oceanographer and business development executive with more than 15 years of experience building and leading complex organizations, advancing mission-driven partnerships, and guiding durable growth for a range of academic, government, and private organizations.  

Prior to joining the Marine Technology Society, Mr. Ostrander served in a range of leadership roles at the University of Utah spanning technology licensing and commercialization, industry partnerships, foundation and corporate philanthropy, and research administration. Before Utah, Mr. Ostrander served as Assistant Dean and Director of Strategic Initiatives for the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. While in Hawai‘i, he was Cofounder and Director of the Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS). He has launched three companies and helped entrepreneurs and institutions raise more than $450 million in research and philanthropic capital.

Mr. Ostrander received his BA in political science from Johns Hopkins University and an MS in oceanography from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

Location: Post 121

Time: 10:00am