Dr Rebecca Shellock
Dr Rebecca Shellock has over a decade of experience at the science-policy interface and is currently researching the integration of the social domain into sustainable ocean development.
Dr Rebecca Shellock is the Social Science Specialist at UNSW Sydney's Centre for Sustainable Development Reform, specializing in the integration of social evidence into environmental governance. With over a decade of experience at the science-policy interface, she has established a strong track record of delivering evidence that influences decision-making across government bodies, NGOs, and international organizations.
Rebecca's research focuses on ocean accounting, Ocean Literacy, gender equity and social inclusion and bridging the persistent gap between scientific knowledge and policy implementation. She leads the development of Social Accounts for the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP), currently coordinating pilots across Costa Rica, Belize, Maldives, and Mozambique. Her work captures the social dimensions often missing from traditional Ocean Accounts (including community wellbeing, unpaid household labour, cultural connections to marine environments, and ocean-dependent livelihoods). This modular, flexible framework enables countries to tailor Social Accounts to their unique contexts and governance needs.
Rebecca holds a PhD from the University of Exeter, where her research explored the importance of coasts for human wellbeing. She also completed a BSc in Biology and Animal Behaviour (University of Exeter) and an MRes in Marine Biology (University of Plymouth). Her publications appear in leading journals including Nature Ocean Sustainability and One Earth and she is a member of the two Editorial Boards (ICES Journal of Marine Science and Ocean and Coastal Management).
Publications
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- Shellock, R.J., Thoms, R.E., James, P.A.S., Loureiro, T.G., Rosado, C., Swaleh, M., Kurniati, E., Lecuyer, O., Contreras, C., Arinda, R., Oleson, K.L.L., Buchary, E.A., Rosdiana, A., Grimsrud, K.M., Chen, W., Finau, G., Chambo, J.J., Alarcon Blazquez, M.G., Wolf, N.D., Quijozaca Quijosaca, J.A., Hidayat, R.H.M., Carter, J., Driscoll, S., McLeod, R., Ahmad, M., Sulaiman, A.M., Murunga, M., Hill, A.L., Agung, F., Teoh, M. and Cappabianca, R. (2025) Social accounts for the ocean: A path to inclusive and equitable ocean decision-making, Environmental Science & Policy, 173, p. 104221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104221
- DelBene, J.A., Clement, S., Shellock, R., van Putten, I.E., Cvitanovic, C. and Martin, C.L. (2025) Conceptualizing and measuring socio-cultural values in marine and coastal environments: progress and research needs from a systematic map, Ecosystems and People, 21(1), p.2550995. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/26395916.2025.2550995
- Kelly, R., Francis, P., Shellock, R., Andrews, S., Arthur, B., Birkmanis, C., Breidahl, H., Buxton, L., Chambers, J., Church, E., Condie, C., Croft, F., Freitas, C., Hurley, S., Jateff, E., Le Busque, B., Marshall, J., O'Brien, A., Pecl, G., Torre-Williams, L., Volzke, S. and Waters, Y. (2025) Ocean literacy for ocean sustainability: reflections from Australia, Ocean and Society, 2, Article 9797.
- Shellock, R.J., Fullbrook, L., McKinley, E., Cvitanovic, C., Kelly, R. and Martin, V., 2024. The nature and use of Ocean Literacy in achieving sustainable ocean futures: A Systematic Map. Ocean & Coastal Management, 257, p.107325.
- Shellock, R.J., Cvitanovic, C., McKinnon, M.C., Mackay, M., van Putten, I.E., Blythe, J., Kelly, R., Tuohy, P., Maltby, K.M., Mynott, S. and Simmonds, N., 2023. Building leaders for the UN Ocean Science Decade: a guide to supporting early career women researchers within academic marine research institutions. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 80(1), pp.56-75.
- Shellock, R.J., Cvitanovic, C., Badullovich, N., Catto, D., DelBene, J.A., Duggan, J., Karcher, D.B., Ostwald, A. and Tuohy, P., 2023. Crossing disciplinary boundaries: motivations, challenges, and enablers for early career marine researchers moving from natural to social sciences. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 80(1), pp.40-55.
- Partelow, S., Schlüter, A., Ban, N.C., Batterbury, S., Bavinck, M., Bennett, N.J., Bleischwitz, R., Blythe, J., Bogusz, T., Breckwoldt, A. and Cinner, J.E., 2023. Five social science intervention areas for ocean sustainability initiatives. npj Ocean Sustainability, 2(1), p.24.
- Shellock, R.J., Cvitanovic, C., Mackay, M., McKinnon, M.C., Blythe, J., Kelly, R., Van Putten, I.E., Tuohy, P., Bailey, M., Begossi, A. and Crona, B., 2022. Breaking down barriers: the identification of actions to promote gender equality in interdisciplinary marine research institutions. One Earth, 5(6), pp.687-708.
- McKinley, E., Kelly, R., Mackay, M., Shellock, R., Cvitanovic, C. and Van Putten, I., 2022. Development and expansion in the marine social sciences: Insights from the global community. Iscience, 25(8).
- Cvitanovic, C., Shellock, R.J., Mackay, M., Van Putten, E.I., Karcher, D.B., Dickey-Collas, M. and Ballesteros, M., 2021. Strategies for building and managing ‘trust’to enable knowledge exchange at the interface of environmental science and policy. Environmental Science & Policy, 123, pp.179-189.
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- Briefing paper. Shellock, R.J., James, P.A.S. (2025). Towards Social Accounts: Rethinking How We Understand and Use Social Information. Briefing Paper by the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership / UNSW Centre for Sustainable Development Reform.
- Briefing paper. Shellock, R.J., James, P.A.S. (2024). Social Accounts briefing paper. Briefing Paper by the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership/UNSW Centre for Sustainable Development Reform.
- Guidance. Holloway, E., Northrop, E., Granada Alarcon Blazquez, M., Bridgland, J., Schramm, A., Shellock, R.J., Gacutan, J., Gonçalves Loureiro, T. (2024). Ocean Accounts for Sustainable Ocean Plans: Enabling Decision-Makers to Measure Progress.
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- Coordinator of the Social Accounts Working Group through the Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat
- Editor for ICES Journal of Marine Science
- Editor for Ocean and Coastal Management Journal
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- Webinar. Integrating social data into ocean accounts (30 October 2025). Watch the recording.
- Regional Dialogue Session 5. Beyond GDP of the Sea: Capturing Social and Cultural Values in Ocean Governance (13 October 2025). Watch the recording.
- Training. Introduction to SEEA and Ocean Accounts (October 2025). Watch the recording.
- The Global Dialogue on Sustainable Ocean Development | 1-5 July 2024 | Bali, Indonesia