#WIMG is a PERMAGOV campaign designed to celebrate the role of women in marine governance. Case studies take the form of short interviews where participants share their background, interests, ideas and recommendations for improving the way in which ocean affairs are managed. Each story is unique. By spotlighting our WIMG stars, we hope that readers from all walks of life will be inspired to make their contribution in support of a sustainable ocean. Featured in this case study is Shannon McLaughlin, PhD Candidate at Wageningen University.
Current job
I am a PhD candidate within the Environmental Policy Group (ENP) at Wageningen University. I work mainly with and alongside my supervision team within ENP and broadly within the PERMAGOV consortium. My two main tasks are developing my doctoral thesis and supporting as case lead for Case Study 9, both of which will investigate the governance of microplastics in the Mediterranean Sea.
On the day to day, I spend a lot of time deepening my understanding of the issue of microplastics and developing my research proposal. For PERMAGOV, I am currently exploring the governance setting of microplastics in the EU and in the Med.
Study and career path
Initially, I studied Law at Queen Mary University London, and planned on practising at the intersection of International Human Rights and Environmental Law. However, I switched to more research-based work in my Masters at the United Nations University where I studied Public Policy and Human Development and began my career in marine social science! My master’s thesis focused on the way the EU governed small-scale fishers in the Spanish Mediterranean and provided new avenues for developing co-management strategies which would enhance the perceived legitimacy of the EU’s governance regime. After my masters, I went on to work for the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) as a Campaigns Assistant, where I conducted desk-based research into illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and its links to forced, bonded, and slave labour across the High Seas, with a focus on West Africa.
When the opportunity came to work again on the Mediterranean, my home, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to do so as a PhD candidate at Wageningen University and within such a great and diverse consortium for the PERMAGOV project!
Participation in PERMAGOV
I am Case Study Lead for Case 9, Marine Plastics in the Mediterranean. This case study is being co-developed alongside Plan Bleu, a regional activity centre for the UNEP’s Mediterranean Action Plan. For the case study, my job is to co-develop this case according to the needs of the various work packages within this project, which currently include analysing relevant policies and mapping the governance arrangements for microplastics in the EU and the Med. Additionally, I am providing research support for the different work packages where needed, such as the systematic literature review for institutional barriers within EU marine governance.
Marine governance
I understand marine governance in the broader sense in that it comprises all decision-making and rules, whether formal or informal, which seek to guide how humans interact with(in) the marine environment.
If I could improve one thing about marine governance, it would be to have more governance structures which can provide a platform to foster a better relationship with the marine environment, in all sectors. To promote more reciprocal ways of engaging with the marine environment that can recognise the Sea not just as an untapped space or resource but as home to a complex web of living beings, including ourselves, that merits respect and care.
Recommendations
Go for it! There is no one way to get in, I myself came from a very non-marine background until my master’s thesis. What helped me was finding my ‘niche’ in the Mediterranean and then developing some hard skills such as geospatial analysis, which was highly sought after in fisheries monitoring, and helped me get my first position at the Environmental Justice Foundation.
The marine space is becoming an ever growing field with exciting developments such as the BBNJ Treaty or the key issue of deep-sea mining, so there are a range of topics that need to be worked on. My recommendation would be to find what you’re most passionate about, figure out what skills and knowledge are needed for it, and to seek mentorship or support if you can to help navigate this complex field. I wish you all the luck!
Comments