Dawn J. Wright | Lightnews

Dr. Dawn Wright

@deepseadawn.bsky.social

37K followers 280 following 27K posts

Seafloor mapper, Chief Scientist of smart mapping company Esri, Oregon State U. GIS/oceans professor, EC50, cyclist, 1st Black submersible diver to Challenger Deep, builds w/LEGO, raised in Hawaii. NAS, NAE, ORCID 0000-0002-2997-7611; She/her; views mine .. more

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Dawn Jeannine Wright is an American geographer and oceanographer. She is a leading authority in the application of geographic information system (GIS) technology to the field of ocean and coastal science and played a key role in creating the first GIS data model for the oceans. Wright is Chief Scientist of the Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri). She has also been a professor of geography and oceanography at Oregon State University since 1995 and is a former Oregon Professor of the Year as named by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Wright was the first Black female to dive to the ocean floor in the deep submersible ALVIN. On July 12, 2022, she became the first and only Black person to dive to Challenger Deep, the deepest point on Earth, and to successfully operate a side scan sonar at full-ocean depth. .. more

Environmental science 42%

Geology 17%

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Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · Nov 8

What did we see upon 1st touching bottom, at 10,900+m depth w/in #ChallengerDeep? A BEER BOTTLE! 😫 Further evidence that we MUST as humanity do BETTER by the ocean and for the health of habitats that we ourselves share & ultimately depend on!!! #ThereIsNoPlanetB #DeeperSeaDawn

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 4h

😂

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 6h

💥I need a hero!

Did you know...character-driven stories trigger the production of oxytocin, a neurochemical that makes people feel more cooperative.

Learn how to engage—and persuade—your readers with a memorable hero.

ow.ly/E80M50Y8xRc

🧪 #scipol #gischat #geogsky #blacksky

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 6h

A smoke jumper, an ocean scientist, a mountain lion.

💥Every unforgettable story has a hero—and in place-based storytelling, that hero can be anyone or anything. Turn your main character into a memorable hero with this month’s #StoryScape. ow.ly/GVIr50Y87x6 🧪 🌊

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 8h

"Climate change, plastic pollution, & overfishing concerns have made it difficult to train scientists in technical skills. UCSB's Alexandra Phillips has put together a guide to help universities support student engagement in ocean policy."
#scipol 🌊 🦑 🧪
news.ucsb.edu/2026/022376/...

Science policy education should start on campus

UC Santa Barbara professor Alexandra Phillips published a guide to help universities support student engagement in ocean policy.

news.ucsb.edu

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 1d

#scipol

Students for Science @studentsforsci.bsky.social · 1d

Are you a student interested in science policy, or want to make a difference? Are you fed up with how this administration has treated federal science funding and pushed pseudoscience policies?

JOIN US this president’s day (Monday!) for an info session to learn about how YOU can make an impact! 🧬🧪

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 1d

Donald Trump has produced the lowest GDP growth of any President in the last 80 years.

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright

Students for Science @studentsforsci.bsky.social · 1d

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 1d

#deepseamining 🌊 🦑 ⚒️

Andrew D Thaler @drandrewthaler.bsky.social · 1d

America is not ready for deep-sea mining.

My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...

OPINION: America is not ready for deep-sea mining

Deep-sea mining is an industry that has drifted between science fiction and reality for almost a century. A recent Executive Order from the Trump Administration is accelerating the development of

www.stardem.com

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 1d

@taotaotasi.bsky.social ✊🏾

Andrew D Thaler @drandrewthaler.bsky.social · 1d

America is not ready for deep-sea mining.

My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...

OPINION: America is not ready for deep-sea mining

Deep-sea mining is an industry that has drifted between science fiction and reality for almost a century. A recent Executive Order from the Trump Administration is accelerating the development of

www.stardem.com

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 1d

AGAIN, before you tag me, I already know! 🥰
Thanks LEGO! FINALLY!!! 😆
June 1st!!

Photo of the LEGO Ideas series kit #21468, Snoopy, Woodstock and doghouse, set for release on June 1st at an estimated price of $89.99

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright, David W. Kerstetter

Andrew D Thaler @drandrewthaler.bsky.social · 1d

America is not ready for deep-sea mining.

My latest OpEd, in my local paper, The Star Democrat, this time: www.stardem.com/opinion/colu...

OPINION: America is not ready for deep-sea mining

Deep-sea mining is an industry that has drifted between science fiction and reality for almost a century. A recent Executive Order from the Trump Administration is accelerating the development of

www.stardem.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Richard Waite, Dawn J. Wright , and 10 more Anna O. Law, Richard Waite, Dawn J. Wright, Robert C. Richards, Charles W. Smith, Silvia Secchi, W. Andy Knight, Ann Bartow, Magda Teter, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Laura McAtackney, Colin Woodard, Kristina McElheran

Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · 1d

Yes it’s Valentine’s Day. But it’s also the chosen birthday of Frederick Douglass who was born in 1818 on a plantation in Talbot County, Maryland. He escaped from slavery & rose to become the most eloquent and forceful voice for the abolition of slavery & for Black voting rights in the U.S.

Reposted by Mónica Medina

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 1d

Won't you be mine? 😆😍

(h/t @sarahmackattack.bsky.social ) 🌊 🦑 @deepstewardship.bsky.social @deepoceanobs.bsky.social

Reposted by Dorothy Bishop, Joe R. Feagin, Dawn J. Wright , and 6 more Dorothy Bishop, Joe R. Feagin, Dawn J. Wright, Robert C. Richards, Charles W. Smith, Silvia Secchi, Stuart White, Klaus Oschema, Lorna Hughes

Anna O. Law @unlawfulentries.bsky.social · 1d

Happy Birthday to Frederick Douglass who didn’t know his birthday because he was born into slavery so he chose February 14 as his birthday.

Asian American woman in a down jacket standing next to a statue of Fredrick Douglass

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright, Smith

Liz Neeley @lizneeley.bsky.social · 1d

Each Friday night, I cover what happened in US science & higher ed. 🧪

Year 2, Week 7: Feb 13
- EPA revokes authority to regulate emissions
- FDA refuses to review new flu vaccine
- NASA funding frozen
- NCAR stripped of supercomputing
- so much more (a rough week)
buttondown.com/liminalcreat...

Year 2, Week 7

Feb 7-13, 2026 - with a paddle

buttondown.com

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright

David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · 2d

60 years of buried lessons on conservation projects from USAID have been saved

A year ago, U.S. President Donald Trump shut down public access to the Development Experience Clearinghouse, a $30 billion database holding 60 years’ worth of institutional knowledge from more than...

news.mongabay.com

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright

Resistbot @resist.bot · 2d

🖋️ “Defend the Clean Air Act—Stop the EPA Rollback” hit 2,000 signers!

💬 Text SIGN PAMYXO to 50409

Defend the Clean Air Act—Stop the EPA Rollback

Text SIGN PAMYXO to 50409 — I am writing to urge you to exercise your oversight authority and halt the Environmental Protection Agency’s repeal of the 2009 Endangerment Finding—the scientific determination that greenhouse gases “endanger public health and welfare” under the Clean Air Act. This finding has been the legal foundation for regulating emissions from vehicles and power plants for more than fifteen years. Its repeal represents a profound shift away from science-based policymaking and from Congress’s clear statutory mandate to protect public health. President Donald Trump described the rollback as “the single largest deregulatory action in American history.” But experts warn it dismantles “the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.” The administration claims the move will save $1.3 trillion, largely through lower vehicle costs—yet those projections do not account for the mounting economic costs of extreme weather, wildfire destruction, crop loss, infrastructure damage, and pollution-related health care expenses. Scientific consensus has only strengthened since 2009. Researchers continue to document rising heat-related deaths, worsening air quality, and the spread of climate-driven health risks. As one science advocate put it, “Sacrificing people’s health, safety and futures for polluters’ profits is unconscionable.” Legal analysts have noted that repealing the finding contradicts decades of scientific evidence and legal precedent under the Clean Air Act. If left unchallenged, this action could effectively end federal authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and weaken future standards for power plants and industrial sources. At the same time, the administration has directed the Defense Department to enter into long-term coal power purchase agreements and is allocating federal funds to extend the life of aging coal plants. These decisions move public policy away from cleaner, increasingly cost-competitive technologies and toward the most carbon-intensive fuels—distorting markets while increasing long-term health and environmental costs. Congress has a constitutional duty to ensure that executive agencies follow the law and uphold the statutes you enacted. The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to regulate pollutants that endanger public health and welfare. Revoking the Endangerment Finding without credible scientific justification undermines that obligation. I urge you to: • Conduct immediate oversight hearings into the repeal of the Endangerment Finding. • Use all available legislative tools, including the Congressional Review Act where applicable, to overturn unlawful rollbacks. • Reaffirm the scientific and legal basis for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. • Ensure that federal procurement and energy policy do not subsidize the most polluting fuels at the expense of public health and fiscal responsibility. Clean air, a stable climate, and science-based governance are not partisan issues. They are foundational to economic security, national security, and the well-being of the American people. Congress must step in now.

resist.bot

Reposted by Katharine Hayhoe, Scott C. Doney, A. E. Dessler , and 7 more Katharine Hayhoe, Scott C. Doney, A. E. Dessler, John W. Williams, Gavin L. Foster, Wim Thiery, Gavin A. Schmidt, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Dawn J. Wright, Melinda Baldwin

Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social · 2d

Great piece out today in Physics Today on historical origins, contemporary relevance, & fundamental irreplaceability of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which remains at imminent risk of dismantling for partisan political reasons.

What the National Center for Atmospheric Research means to the atmospheric sciences

Born out of a time of great need for the federal government, NCAR plays a role with few analogues.

physicstoday.aip.org

Reposted by Julie L. Lockwood, Dawn J. Wright

Dr. Jonathan Foley @globalecoguy.bsky.social · 2d

We are stepping up to support climate science, solutions, and public service.

Announcing the Climate Science Serving America Fellowship program!

Project Drawdown @projectdrawdown.bsky.social · 3d

American climate science is losing federal support right when we need it most.

Project Drawdown is stepping up: launching the Climate Science Serving America Fellowship for early/mid-career PhD scientists to do good science that does good.

🗓️ Apply by April 17
👉 https://bit.ly/4kx2J1Q

Reposted by Scott C. Doney, Gavin A. Schmidt, Julie L. Lockwood , and 9 more Scott C. Doney, Gavin A. Schmidt, Julie L. Lockwood, Joshua S. Weitz, David Johnson, Michael J. Allen, Dawn J. Wright, David W. Kerstetter, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Lynne Lewis, James Goodwin, Halley E. Froehlich

Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · 3d

As I say here, there is no scientific justification to revoke the engagement finding. In fact, over the last 15+ yrs, the evidence of how climate change affects our health has only grown. Higher risk of allergies, dementia, fertility, heart disease, and death: that’s what’s on the line. @nature.org

There is No Scientific Justification to Revoke the Endangerment Finding

The U.S. EPA's decision to repeal the Endangerment Finding will limit the government's ability to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

www.nature.org

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright, Glenn Branch

Climate.us @climate.us · 3d

Help us build a new online platform to protect federal climate science information for the public. givebutter.com/valentines-d...

Send Earth a valentine—help build Climate.us.

Your donation in February will bring us double the love, up to $10,000!

givebutter.com

Reposted by Dawn J. Wright

jnthnschstr.bsky.social @jnthnschstr.bsky.social · 4d

Absolutely a highlight of the event, getting to listen to some of these fascinating stories, @deepseadawn.bsky.social, and this whole panel was beyond motivating for a GIS professional. Best possible capstone to #FedGIS2026

Reposted by Scott C. Doney

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 5d

"Women have been mapping the world for centuries – and now they’re speaking up for the people left OUT of those maps"

theconversation.com/women-have-b... AND
coffeewithclaude.com/post.php?slu...
#GISchat ⚒️ 🧪 🌊

Women have been mapping the world for centuries – and now they’re speaking up for the people left out of those maps

Women have moved from mapmakers using their bodies to depict maps to being leaders shaping the field of cartography.

theconversation.com

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 5d

That feeling when you FINALLY get a selfie with the amazing @theevareid.bsky.social!!

#GISchat #geogsky #blacksky @geospatialwomen.bsky.social @womeningis.bsky.social

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 5d

⚒️

Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 5d

"A systematic map of methods for assessing societal benefits of Earth science information (ESI)" explaining why ESI matters & can help guide future investments, promote public support, + align Earth science w/societal goals.
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
by @nceas-ucsb.bsky.social et al.
🧪 #gischat