John Virdin

John Virdin serves as Associate Professor of the Practice in Marine Science & Conservation at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment and directs the Ocean Policy Program at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. With over twenty years of experience, his work connects scientific research to ocean sustainability policymaking across tropical regions, emphasizing poverty reduction through marine conservation.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of Delaware (2016)

Research Focus: Virdin's expertise spans ocean policy design, small-scale fisheries governance, blue economy development, and plastic pollution mitigation. His work integrates economic analysis with ecological sustainability, particularly examining how fisheries management affects food security and livelihoods in vulnerable coastal communities across Africa and the Pacific.

Publication Trends: Recent works (2023-2025) reveal three dominant threads: quantification of small-scale fisheries' multidimensional contributions to sustainable development; systematic analysis of global plastics policy frameworks; and blue economy financing mechanisms for Small Island Developing States. His research increasingly addresses climate adaptation synergies and gender-inclusive approaches in ocean governance.

Research Funding:

• Blue Economy Fellowship training curriculum (Asian Development Bank)
• Social cost of plastic pollution (Natural Resources Defense Council)
• GCR: Quantifying plastic additives' impacts (National Science Foundation)
• Plastic demand reduction literature review (ClimateWorks)
• Shared resource allocation approaches (The Ocean Foundation)

Program Leadership: As Ocean Policy Program Director, Virdin collaborates with UN agencies (FAO, UNEP), regional bodies (Abidjan Convention, Nauru Agreement), and governments across West Africa and the Pacific. His team develops evidence-based tools for policymakers, building on 12 years of World Bank experience that secured $165M for fisheries management initiatives.