Douglas George

Effecting Change Through Powerful Communication

We live in a world of intricate connections: where every human action prompts not one reaction, but a complex tangle of related reactions. Through my work as an oceanographer, science journalist and marine policy analyst, I have come to see that effecting change—for the good of our planet, and for all who share it—falls down when the public (and the politicians who represent them) can’t see the full connection between the choices we make and their ultimate impact on the world around us.

My goal is to bridge that gap at every possible step: through innovative research that relates to topics of broad societal concern; by communicating my findings to the public, policy makers and peers; and by distilling the information in such a way that its relevance is readily apparent to all. This site shows a sampling of my work to date.

Since before I can remember, I have been fascinated by the natural elements of our dynamic planet—and what we have done to change it. Unfortunately, the science is not always as clear or complete as we’d like it to raise awareness. In order to drive change, we first need to drive understanding, and that’s where I like to step into the mix.

Indulging my left and right brain, big picture and small, I have explored earth, ocean and environmental science from every possible perspective: hands-on in the field, modeling on computers, through policy work and academic research, as a journalist and interviewee.

Born in a small desert town in Southern California, I’ve followed my curiosity north to Humboldt County, east to Nova Scotia, Down Under to Australia, through the concrete jungle of New York City and even up Mt. Kilimanjaro, collecting degrees and inspiration along the way. With a Doctorate in Oceanography backed by twin Masters in Journalism and Oceanography, it is my passion to build and share knowledge to support good decision making by all.

I am based in the San Francisco Bay Area and work throughout California and the nation for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.