The power of the SOS Ocean Community
In her latest blog, “What happens when you unite bold people across borders,” Dr. Dorothy Dankel shares a deeply personal and insightful reflection on SOS Ocean. As a core contributor since the very beginning, and a central member of the Program Committee, she has helped shape both the vision and the content of SOS — generously giving of both heart and mind. Her reflections capture what defines SOS: a values-led community where science, leadership, and human connection come together to drive real, transformative ocean action.
What happens when you unite bold people across borders
Text: Dr. Dorothy Dankel — Senior Research Scientist (SINTEF Ocean), and SOS Ocean Program Committee Member
I joined Johan Odvar and Kristin Odfjell on their SOS Program Committee as soon as I saw that they wanted to put together something special. Leading with values. And I wanted to go on this journey with them, knowing that something extraordinary happens when you bring passionate people together across borders, backgrounds, and disciplines — and place them in an environment where hierarchy softens, curiosity expands, and values rise to the surface. This is what makes the SOS community truly unique, and why I have been dedicated to this initiative since its beginning in 2022.
From the first summit onward, the vision of SOS has been clear:
Bring together the people we need — not just the ones we already know.
Innovators, scientists, investors, policymakers, activists, maritime leaders, youth representatives… all navigating toward the same horizon. Every year, I am humbled by the boldness, generosity, and integrity this community brings.
Leading transformative leadership at the SOS Summit
This year, I had the privilege of leading the Transformative Leadership program at the SOS Summit — an immersive session grounded in the Three Spheres of Transformation (personal, political, practical) and Monica Sharma’s Conscious Full Spectrum Response Framework.
We opened with a story — my story — about the CRISPR-edited sterile salmon and the governance barriers that prevented a breakthrough from becoming a solution. It illustrated a universal truth:
Innovation alone does not create change. Systems, institutions, and people must be ready — and leadership must be rooted in values to bridge the gap.
From there, the session unfolded into one of the most powerful collective exercises I’ve experienced:
- Participants paired up and shared the qualities they admired in someone they respect.
- We mapped universal human values and asked each person to stand for them — for themselves and others.
- Groups identified the most significant problem they face in their work and asked, “Why is this happening, and what must change?”
- The room shifted from thoughtfulness to courage — and then to action.
While walking from SHACK15 to the tall ship, participants began conversations with strangers about the people they admired. On deck, we mapped values again — but this time under open sky and quiet waves.
In pairs, they confronted the most challenging question:
“Why is this problem happening — and what must change if we are to lead differently?”
During the walk back, each participant began outlining a Personal Plan for Impact.
What began as a reflection culminated in a spontaneous talk show, where participants stepped forward to discuss leadership, values, obstacles, and the actions they were ready to take. It became clear: this community is not passive. It is deeply, refreshingly alive. And ready.
Taking transformative change to sea
The leadership work continued on the SOS Ocean Voyage aboard Statsraad Lehmkuhl.
The ship itself became our classroom.
Why the SOS community is unlike any other
Across all of this, one truth became unmistakably clear:
When you unite bold, value-driven people across continents and disciplines, something transformative happens.
SOS is not just a summit.
It is not just a voyage.
It is a living ecosystem of people who show up with integrity and action.
I often describe the SOS community as full of “haftige mennesker” — those rare individuals who lean in, listen deeply, collaborate generously, and build bridges where others build silos. These individuals create a community with a common ethic of generosity. This universal value can take on many forms, but one of the most common forms is generosity through donating time to a cause. The SOS community shows up. Is present. Listens. Collaborates.
Being part of this initiative since the beginning, serving on the program committee, shaping the summits, and guiding the leadership sessions have been among the most meaningful experiences of my career. And every year, this community proves that transformation is not only possible — it is already underway.
Keeping the SOS spirit alive — until we meet again in Bergen
Since returning from the summit and the voyage, I’ve had dozens of follow-up conversations with participants:
- founders refining their purpose
- policymakers exploring new partnerships
- researchers reconnecting with their values
- investors identifying impact-driven opportunities
Each conversation confirmed what we all felt at sea:
The work did not end on the ship — it began there.
The SOS spirit stays alive because you keep it alive.
Through your reflections, follow-up actions, and continued conversations, the community’s impact grows long after we disembark.
As we look toward One Ocean Week in Bergen, I encourage every member of this community to stay engaged:
- Join us as a speaker — share your knowledge, your values, your work.
- Join us as a participant — bring your curiosity and your lived experience.
- Bring collaborators — those who share your commitment to Ocean solutions.
- Bring your values — the same ones you stood for on deck beneath the sails.
Together, we will continue shaping the future we glimpsed during the voyage.
The Ocean needs all of us.
And this SOS Ocean community — united by purpose — is one of the most powerful forces we have for the radical transformative change this Planet needs. We are the ones the Ocean has been waiting for!
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