COMPASS mCDR Communication Leaders
Building Strategic Science Communication Capacity for mCDR
This is a pivotal time for the field of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR), as policy makers, funders, scientists and the public seek clarity on the potential of these technologies and their role as a solution to climate change. Over the past five years, COMPASS has worked closely with mCDR scientists and researchers to strengthen their individual communication and engagement skills. COMPASS now sees a key role for a cohort of science leaders, equipped with communication skills and a network of support, to come together to help society understand the current state of the science on mCDR techniques, as well as its potential risks and benefits to communities.
With the support of COMPASS, this cohort of science leaders will help to shape the narrative around mCDR, drive public support for critical research, build trust with diverse audiences, and support informed, responsible, and equitable decision-making.
The COMPASS cohort program will help cohort members:
- build their capacity to engage effectively with a range of audiences
- learn how to become trusted messengers on marine-based CDR
- receive insights and hands-on feedback from guest experts representing key public audiences for mCDR
- be a part of a network of mutual support where mCDR scientists and practitioners can learn from each other through facilitated discussion on engagement opportunities, challenges, and strategies
- identify and participate in engagement activities (optional)
About COMPASS
Founded by Dr. Jane Lubchenco in 1999, COMPASS has long supported the science community in contributing to public dialogues on environmental issues. Our approach has evolved to meet the growing need for communication leadership, particularly in emerging fields like mCDR. COMPASS takes a holistic approach supporting science and scientists to have impact – not just thinking about the skills, but also teaching strategic thinking and creating a supportive environment where they are able to step into new roles and take on a more impactful role in society. The breadth and depth of our network puts us at a unique vantage point at the nexus of science, communication, and policy, enabling us to spot trends and opportunities for greater synthesis in the scientific community.
Program
August 2025 | Notification of invitation to program
November 13-14, 2025 | Cohort Kick-Off and Message Development Workshop
Virtual
This two-day virtual gathering (3.5 hours/day) will kick off the program and begin skills development. Day 1 will focus on setting the stage for the program, establishing a community of practice, strategizing cohort members’ communication efforts, and giving and receiving initial feedback on participants’ messages. Guest experts who have deep experience with effective communication will join on Day 2 to provide insights and help participants develop their messages for strategic audiences.
January 23, 2026 | Community of Practice Call
Virtual
This COMPASS-facilitated Community of Practice call will be an opportunity for cohort members to discuss emerging topics. Proposed topics are listed below but will be finalized per cohort interest:
- Engagement strategies for bringing together diverse community groups to consider mCDR trials, deployment, and/or governance;
- Public meeting facilitation strategies;
- Responsible engagement with communities and local groups;
- Cohort feedback on projects, messaging, and/or engagement plans;
- Navigating difficult conversations
February 20-21, 2026 | Engaging with Communities Workshop at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland
In-person
This workshop will build on the work being done throughout the mCDR community to engage effectively and responsibly with communities. Drawing on the science of risk communication as well as the experiences and lessons learned thus far by the mCDR community, this workshop will bring cohort members together to consider strategies and build skills to communicate both effectively and ethically about mCDR technologies, projects, and potential implications with the different groups affected by this work.
Note: We are actively fundraising to be able to offer additional phases to the program in 2026-2027 for a two-year arc.
Nominations
The ultimate goal of the program is to build a cohort of mCDR science leaders who represent the breadth of the mCDR scientific community, are trained in communication and engagement, and are connected to the right conversations, to ensure that sound science and effective communication and engagement are centered in mCDR practice. To achieve this goal, COMPASS, with the advice of our partners, will purposely recruit a cohort of experts who span different disciplines, perspectives, expertises, and experiences to participate in the program. Specifically, we will build a diverse and representative cohort using the following intentional criteria:
- Scientists and researchers from both the biophysical and social sciences. We believe social science expertise and experience in integrating quantitative and qualitative social data and information (e.g., perspectives of people with lived experience, including Indigenous Knowledge) into analyses and research products is a critical component of successful communication and engagement.
- Scientists and researchers across academic, industry, governmental, and non-governmental organizations. Based on our experience working with the mCDR community over the past two years, we’ve seen how bringing together experts from across these sectors ensures that policy-relevant mCDR communication, discussion, collaboration, and research reflects the responsibilities, needs, benefits, and impacts across society.
- Because mCDR is an emerging field, there is a rare opportunity to establish a culture of public-facing mCDR communication and engagement by building a cohort of leadership across career stages, with an emphasis on mid-career scientists, researchers and technical experts.
Additional criteria that will also be considered:
- Committed. Participants should be prepared and excited to invest time and energy in the entire program, from start to finish. Invitations will include a program schedule that allows applicants to assess the expected time commitment.
- Relevant. To be eligible for this program, participants’ work must relate to the mCDR field, with direct or implied relevance or connection to the responsibilities, needs, benefits, and impacts of mCDR technologies and decision-making across society. To this end, we aim to recruit relevant experts across a diversity of disciplines, including the social sciences. While those working in adjacent fields (e.g., blue carbon) are welcome to apply, we will prioritize researchers whose work focuses on mCDR engineered techniques and/or related impacts and issues (i.e., social and biological).
- Goal-oriented. We will look for participants who are thinking about how their work connects to the larger picture of mCDR and who have a strong sense about what they want to work toward.
- Values-aligned. Selected participants value the well-being of people and nature and approach their work with compassion, respect for other perspectives, and an openness to learn, grow, and generously support the growth of others.
This project is supported by:
