In the nearly thirty years since Dr Larry B. Crowder introduced the first Marine Conservation course at Duke University in the United States, the field has undergone a profound transformation. What began as a largely science-driven effort to prevent the loss of marine biodiversity has evolved into an integrative enterprise that bridges the natural sciences and engineering with the social sciences, policy and governance. Elinor Ostrom’s landmark 1990 book, Governing the Commons: The Evolution of Institutions for Collective Action, helped catalyse this shift by demonstrating that communities can sustainably manage shared resources when they establish fair and locally grounded governance systems.
Today, successful marine conservation often depends on genuine partnerships among researchers, practitioners and local communities. Designing durable conservation solutions now demands a deliberately transdisciplinary and culturally inclusive approach. Dr Crowder will explore these ideas in depth at the upcoming Murray Lecture at the University of Sydney – a public event not to be missed for anyone interested in the future of our oceans and marine life.
| Date: | Tuesday 18 November 2025 |
| Time: | 6 pm-8:15 pm. Doors open 5:45 pm. (Lecture concludes at 7:15 pm, followed by refreshments) |
| Venue: | |
| Registration: | Free, registration essential by Thursday 13 November for catering purposes. |
Larry B. Crowder is the Edward F. Ricketts Provostial Professor of Marine Ecology and Conservation at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station and a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. A former Stephen Toth Professor of Marine Biology at Duke University, Dr Crowder’s research focuses on population and food web modelling under climate change, dynamic ocean management, social-ecological systems and small-scale fisheries. His interdisciplinary work combines observation, experimentation and modelling to inform effective conservation and policy.
He has led major international projects such as the Global Bycatch Assessment of Long-Lived Species (Project GLOBAL), the Spatial Ecological Analysis of Megavertebrate Animal Populations (OBIS SEAMAP) and the South Atlantic Bight Recruitment Experiment (SABRE). A National Geographic Explorer, AAAS Fellow and recipient of the International Sea Turtle Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Dr Crowder continues to advance research on sustainable seafood, marine spatial planning and governance.
The Murray Lecture is named in honour of Professor Patrick Murray, who was Head of the School of Biological Sciences from 1949 until 1960. The lectureship was established in 2006 following a bequest from Professor Patrick Murray in late 2005.
The lectureship aims to bring an internationally noted academic to the School of Life and Environmental Sciences to present public lectures, participate in workshops and provide mentoring for postgraduate students.
