• CERAWEEK 2025 | March 10-14, 2025
  • CERAWEEK
  • March 10 - 14, 2025

James Austin

The University of Texas/Austin, Jackson School of Geosciences, Institute for Geophysics

Research Professor

James Austin has been a researcher and mentor for graduate students at The University of Texas/Austin for more than 45 years.  His research specialty is the structure and stratigraphy of continental margins.  He has spent more than 4 years of his professional career on vessel doing that research all over the world, and has authored/co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in various journals.  His funding has come from a variety of sources – private companies, the National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, various phases of the scientific ocean drilling program, and others.  He also serves as an advisor – as a Trustee of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, chair of the Advisory Council of the University of Rhode Island/Graduate School of Oceanography, and as a member of the American Geophysical Union Development Board.

Sessions With James Austin

Thursday, 21 March

  • 11:00am - 11:30am (CST) / 21/mar/2024 04:00 pm - 21/mar/2024 04:30 pm

    Blue Ocean Economy
    Climate & Sustainability

    “The blue economy”—economic activities associated with the oceans—represents over $1.5 trillion annually and will double in size to $3.0 trillion by 2030. Oceans absorb greenhouse gases and mitigate the impacts of climate change, determine weather patterns and temperatures, serve seaborne trade, provide critical minerals and are targets for offshore wind, nuclear, oil and gas development and more.  And now the blue economy is expanding beyond material goods extraction to knowledge-based activities. What is the future of the blue economy—and why should we care? What is its impact on energy and sustainability? How can we develop the blue economy while ensuring ocean health and sustainability? What is the transition to a knowledge-based blue economy and how can it benefit energy, climate and society as a whole?