A former Chief Scientist of the UK once argued that science is not finished until it is communicated. Communication alone is not enough. I would respectfully take this further and argue that is it not finished until it has had an impact. Completed science changes something: a behaviour, a practice, a policy, a product, a management action, a regulation, a guideline and more. In many cases the successful translation of science into impact is left to non-scientists, with sometimes mixed results. Unfortunately, it is often we scientists who pass on the opportunity to make our science more influential. This is a lost opportunity.
Drawing on over 30 years turning science into action in Universities, Government and private industry, I will consolidate 3 or 4 of the top lessons learned while implementing coastal and marine science inside a regulator, a land manager, a Ministerial advisory group, universities and a private company supporting the uptake of science into decision-making. Some are published (e.g., enablers of Thought Leadership1, enablers of change in coastal Governance2, barriers to implementing nature based solutions3), some are repeated and repeatable insights from a practitioner (with testable hypotheses), and all have been collaborative.