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Innovations in Innovations in environmental environmental
synthesis, reporting and synthesis, reporting and governance governance
29 March 2011TERN conference
Melbourne
Bill Dennison
University of Maryland University of Maryland Center for Environmental Center for Environmental
ScienceScience
UMCES lab
AnnapolisSynthesisCenter
Universityof Maryland,College Park
Integration and Application Network Integration and Application Network (IAN)(IAN)
Scholarship defined as discovery, integration, application and teaching (after Boyer, 1990; Scholarship Reconsidered)
Examples of innovationExamples of innovation
• Synthesis: converting data information knowledge/outcomes
• Reporting: science communication and environmental report cards to motivate change
• Governance: evidence based decision-making
Synthesis leading to Synthesis leading to environmental outcomesenvironmental outcomes
National Center for National Center for Ecological Analysis and Ecological Analysis and
SynthesisSynthesis
Productive High profile scientific papers
Location: Santa Barbara, California, airport & shuttle, walk-able hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, pubs
Support: travel funding including per diem, conference rooms, IT support (wireless, LAN, data projectors, database advice), streamlined administration
Working groups: self selected and self organized,12 max, diversity required, multiple immersive multi-day sessions
Seagrass Trajectories Seagrass Trajectories working group at NCEASworking group at NCEAS
• Formed working group of seagrass experts• Recruited several people to help us populate a global data base of seagrass trajectories• Focused on documented seagrass changes in area, density, biomass and cover• Created and interrogated data base; 127 years of records (1879-2006), 215 trajectories; 1130 observations
Global 25% increaseincrease58% decreasedecrease17% no changeno change Seagrass Trajectories Database
215 sites; 1128 observations
1879-2006Waycott et al. 2009 PNASWaycott et al. 2009 PNAS
Global seagrass database analysis revealed Global seagrass database analysis revealed net losses net losses
Rate of seagrass change acceleratingRate of seagrass change accelerating
Waycott et al. 2009 PNASWaycott et al. 2009 PNAS
Waycott et al. PNAS 2009
Seagrass loss rate: one Seagrass loss rate: one soccer field every 30 min soccer field every 30 min
since 1980since 1980
Charisma ‘gap’ determinedCharisma ‘gap’ determined
How do we create more How do we create more charismatic ecosystems?charismatic ecosystems?
Annapolis Synthesis CenterAnnapolis Synthesis Center
Location: Annapolis, Maryland, airport & shuttle, walk-able hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, pubs
Support: Project funded, IT support (wireless, LAN, data projectors), Science communication support
Products: 1) Science communication products (e.g., National Park Service, Conservational International, National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment) 2) environmental report cards (e.g., Chesapeake Bay, tributary report cards), 3) scientific publications (e.g., Integrated Assessment Handbook, synthesis papers
Innovations in reportingInnovations in reporting
Successful dissemination of knowledge to a wide range of audiences (science and non-science)
You can teach anything to You can teach anything to anybody as long as you provide anybody as long as you provide
. . .. . .
Synthesis
Synthesizeddata
Illustrate key points
Visualization
So what?
Context
Using conceptual diagrams in Using conceptual diagrams in science communicationscience communication
‘Concept’ meaning thought; something conceived in the mind (Webster’s 3rd Dictionary, 1986)
‘Diagram’ meaning a graphic design that explains rather than represents, a drawing that shows arrangement and relations (Webster’s 3rd Dictionary, 1986)
Conceptual diagram = A diagram using symbols that depicts the essential attributes of a system
Why use conceptual diagrams?Why use conceptual diagrams?
• Helps to clarify thinking(words can be ambiguous; an image commits to the message being portrayed)
• Communication(one-way and two-way – idea presentation and idea development)
• Identify gaps / priorities / essential elements
• Develop syntheses (or present synthesis)
Conceptual diagrams use symbols: an Conceptual diagrams use symbols: an ancient technique to depict ancient technique to depict
unequivocal messagesunequivocal messages
Cave drawing/storyboard
Darwin’s conceptual
diagram
Modern photograph
IAN aims to create global IAN aims to create global symbol languagesymbol language
• 2,500+ symbols in library
• 63,000+ people have registered and downloaded symbols
• People from 232 countries have registered and downloaded symbols
• Individual symbols now available on searchable image library
• New online conceptual diagram creator developed
IAN Press created for wide IAN Press created for wide dissemination of science dissemination of science communication products communication products
Science communication Science communication using video using video
Short video seminars SchoolTube Channel
Innovations in environmental Innovations in environmental reporting reporting
• Peer pressure is a powerful human motivator
• Educational report cards are a common experience
• Report cards synthesize large amounts of data
Environmental report cards are Environmental report cards are increasingly popular increasingly popular
• ‘Stat-ing’ is being used by governments
• Diffuse pollution is more complex than point source pollution
• Data gathering capacity increasing
Environmental report generate Environmental report generate media attentionmedia attention
Multiple indicators useful for Multiple indicators useful for environmental reportingenvironmental reporting
Environmental report cards can Environmental report cards can lead to scientific insightslead to scientific insights
Chesapeake Bay report card
We need to resolve reasons for We need to resolve reasons for positive and negative positive and negative
trajectories trajectories
Report cards can be used to help Report cards can be used to help resolve transboundary differences resolve transboundary differences
Expanding reporting to Expanding reporting to Pressure State and ResponsePressure State and Response
Citizen scientists conducting regional Citizen scientists conducting regional environmental monitoringenvironmental monitoring
Innovations in governance: Innovations in governance: CompStatCompStat
• CompStat developed in New York City in 1995• Jack Maple, William Bratton• Crime reductions• Spread to other cities
Innovations in governance: Innovations in governance: CitiStatCitiStat
• CitiStat developed in Baltimore in 2000• Mayor Martin O’Malley• Crime reductions, absentee reductions, improved city services
1) Accurate & timely intelligence shared by all2) Rapid deployment of resources3) Effective tactics and strategies4) Relentless follow up and assessment
Spread to other cities: e.g., Washington, D.C. (CapStat), Philadelphia (PhillyStat)
Innovations in governance: Innovations in governance: StateStatStateStat
• StateStat developed in Maryland in 2006• Governor Martin O’Malley• All government services
1) Specific measureable objectives2) Regular meetings3) Managers held responsible, but
given more autonomy4) Use data to assess progress
StateStat webpage
StateStat logo
Chesapeake Bay Scientific Chesapeake Bay Scientific HistoryHistory
Innovations in governance: Innovations in governance: BayStatBayStat
• BayStat developed in Maryland in 2006• Chesapeake Bay nutrient reductions• Departments of Natural Resources, Environment, Planning, Agriculture, Corrections, Universities, Budget, Legal, Key staff• Socratic method
Example collaborative synthesis: Example collaborative synthesis: Moreton & Chesapeake BaysMoreton & Chesapeake Bays
• Joint project– ACEAS & EnSynC
• Timing: Recent large events in both locations with long term monitoring data sets
• Rationale: Well established management programs (Chesapeake Bay Program, Healthy Waterways Partnership), research histories (journal articles, books, theses)
• Outcomes: Recommendations for improving
– Monitoring for effective management feedback– Research leading to improved management
effectiveness– Governance tools and techniques
• Goals: Catalyse ongoing scientific, management and governance collaborations, better management of expanding human population pressure of iconic coastal ecosystems
Example comparison Example comparison synthesis Chesapeake: synthesis Chesapeake:
Moreton Moreton Bay Bay ~ 10:1~ 10:1
Determining which aspects are Determining which aspects are scalablescalable
Oceania
Coastallagoon
Intermediate estuary
Large estuary
Mega-city
• Cholera outbreak in London• John Snow mapped cholera
cases • Cholera cases linked to pump
locations• Pump handle removed;
cholera subsided
Good science reporting can Good science reporting can make a difference make a difference
Communicating science can Communicating science can lead to social changelead to social change
1700-17501650-17001600-16501550-16001500-1550
AstronomyAstronomy Physics Physics Biology
Chemistry
1750-1800
Geology
1800-1850
Evolution
1850-1900
Physics
1950-2000 1900-1950
Biology
2000-2050
Sustainabilit
y
KeplerKeplerCopernicusCopernicus GalileoGalileo NewtonNewton LinnaeusLinnaeus
Lavoisier Lavoisier LyellLyell DarwinDarwin EinsteinEinstein Watson & CrickWatson & Crick
Greeks
ConclusionsConclusions
• Environmental challenges require more innovation
• Innovations in synthesis, reporting and governance can be transformative
• A sustainability revolution can be the result of innovation by scientists
www.ian.umces.edwww.ian.umces.eduu