Patrick Christie, Ph.D.

Research

Patrick Christie is an associate professor at the University of Washington’s School of Marine Affairs and editor of the peer-reviewed journal Coastal Management. Christie’s Pew fellowship, developed in collaboration with the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, facilitated the formation and operation of a marine protected area (MPA) network in the Central Visayas of the Philippines. Christie conducted action-oriented, socioecological research on two emerging MPA networks in the Philippines that represent distinct and complementary approaches. Christie published his research findings; translated them into educational materials; and informed the design of multiyear USAID-funded, Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation, Inc -led conservation program. This research and outreach effort expanded to a multinational level when it informed assessments of the Coral Triangle Initiative and MPA networks in Puget Sound. This research, and a rapidly growing corpus of work in many places, demonstrates that successful MPA networks require consideration of both ecological and social connectivity. Christie’s fellowship points out that marine conservation is benefiting from more careful attention to multidisciplinary evidence and practical experience that demonstrate how social dynamics, leadership creation, and social movements shape what is feasible and sustainable in the long term. To learn more about Christie, visit his bio online. https://smea.uw.edu/faculty/patrick-christie