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The University of Wisconsin-Superior’s Dr. Lydia Thering and Ms. Joan Hedrick Lecture Series will welcome Alexandra Cousteau for “Our Lucky Moment: Restoring Abundance in the Lake Superior Region” at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6, in Swenson Hall’s Erlenbach Lecture Hall. This event is free and open to the community. Registration is required.
Drawing connections between history and the present, between global challenges and the Lake Superior region, Cousteau will explore what meaningful change can look like when people come together around a shared vision. What is our “lucky moment” here in the Twin Ports, and how can we use it to strengthen the resilience and abundance of our waters, communities, and shared future?
“In 2017, Alexandra Cousteau visited Superior to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of UW-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute and the many contributions the institute has made to understanding and addressing water quality challenges in the Great Lakes,” said Alan Brew, outreach program manager for the Lake Superior Research Institute. “We are delighted that Alexandra is returning this fall to recognize the university’s commitment to being the Anchor of the North, celebrate the completion of our new education and research vessel, Sadie Ann, and help us imagine how actionable science, emerging technologies and community action can create a legacy of freshwater abundance.”
Cousteau is co-founder and president of Oceans 2050 and founder of the Blue Cities Alliance – working to help leaders whose decisions shape coasts and ocean health move from protection to restoration at scale. She grew up surrounded by the ocean, learning to dive from her grandfather, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, at age seven.
Over her lifetime, she’s watched marine ecosystems change at alarming speed. But she’s also learned that recovery is possible when we build the systems to make it inevitable: clear goals, credible measurement, aligned incentives and partnerships that last.
As President of Oceans 2050, Cousteau works with Chief Scientist Carlos Duarte to translate his landmark Nature research into implementable restoration strategies.
Through the Blue Cities Alliance, founded in 2024, she helps coastal cities establish measurable targets and transparent progress tracking for ocean health – currently piloting the model in Athens.
Cousteau has served as Senior Adviser to Oceana since 2012, supporting strategies that rebuild fish populations and strengthen marine protection.
Her work sits at the intersection of policy, capital, implementation and narrative – helping leaders translate ocean urgency into decision-grade strategy and durable action.
Cousteau is a National Geographic Emerging Explorer and Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum. She holds a BA in Political Science and International Relations from Georgetown University, which awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2016.
The granddaughter of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, she carries forward a legacy of ocean exploration – now focused on building the organizations and systems that make restoration inevitable.
Additional information and registration, which is required, is available at uwsuper.edu/AlexandraCousteau.
Swenson Hall is at 1610 Weeks Ave. in Superior.
The views and opinions expressed by the speaker/event do not represent the policies or position of the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
The Dr. Lydia C. Thering and Ms. Joan L. Hedrick lecture series is sponsored by: The UW-Superior Alumni & Friends Foundation and the Center for Continuing Education.
The endowed Dr. Lydia C. Thering and Ms. Joan L. Hedrick Fund for Academic Enrichment and Excellence at the UW-Superior Alumni & Friends Foundation provides funding for this distinguished lecture series which emphasizes health, well-being and community relevant topics for the university community and greater Twin Ports region. Dr. Thering and Ms. Hedrick both gained Faculty Emeritus status upon retirement from UW-Superior for their dedication to education and commitment to health and well-being.