Eve Gruntfest, Julie Demuth & Sheldon Drobot July 2007

Welcome to Summer Camp for Smart

Kids2007 Summer WAS*IS

Tonight’s presentation 1. Eve, Julie & Sheldon’s career journeys from grad

student to WAS*ISWAS*IS crusader 2. Justification for WAS*IS3. Barriers we will overcome4. Groundrules5. WAS*IS measures of success

Eve Gruntfest’s background applied geographer

• Social scientist in world of engineers & physical scientists

• Career based on Big Thompson Flood

• Focus: Flash floods & warning systems

Eve’s background: The Big Thompson Flood in Colorado July 31, 1976

• 140 lives lost - 35 miles northwest of Boulder

• Studied the behaviors that night – Who lived?– Who died?– Led to detection &

response systems

Julie Demuth’s background

• M.S. in atmospheric science from Colorado State U.– Remote sensing of tropical cyclones

• Science policy at National Research Council, Washington, DC, US– Program officer with Board on

Atmospheric Sciences & Climate running congressionally mandated & agency-requested studies

Interest in societal impacts WAS*IS!Interest in societal impacts WAS*IS!

Julie in action -- moving from WAS to IS• Work I’m doing or in the

pipeline– Communication of weather

forecast uncertainty info … more on Wednesday

– Transportation sector sensitivity to weather and use of weather info

– Source, interpretation, and use of warning information in extreme weather events

• Other interests– Risk perception and communication– Factors influencing people’s

decision-making

Sheldon Drobot’s background• Formally trained as a

geographer and an atmospheric scientist

• Science policy at the National Research Council (Board on Atmospheric Sciences & Climate; Polar Research Board)

• Research scientist at the University of Colorado

Sheldon in action -- moving from WAS to IS

• Work I’m doing – Seasonal sea-ice forecasts– Influence of weather and non-

meteorological information on decision-making in hazardous driving situations

• Other interests– Preferences for in-car

weather and roadway information

After 30 years of being

• Frustrated at being a social science ADD ON

with no enduring impacts

• Left out of major scientific initiatives

Being encouraged but kept separate & unequal

To change the weather enterprise by comprehensively and sustainably

integrating social science into meteorological research and practice.

• Human impact on the environment• Risks/hazards for humans• Relationships of env. Issues to political, economic, cultural processes

1) Role of S&T in production of knowledge about nature2) Human/animal relationships

Why WAS *IS

Integrate (not add on) social science into

meteorology

Grow a community of

people passionate

about & dedicated to

this

Recognize that (meteorology + social science) > sum of its

parts!

Avoiding another Hurricane Katrina is NOT just about improving the

forecasts

Address societal impacts in real & sustained ways

What is WAS*IS?

1. Building an interdisciplinary community of practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders -- from the grassroots up --who are dedicated to the integration of meteorology and social science

Capacity building –- creating a Capacity building –- creating a community for lifelong community for lifelong

collaboration and support!collaboration and support!

Emphasis on capacity building

• All the things we’re doing this week– 5-minute introductions– 30-minute breaks– Sessions to meet past

WAS*ISers and friends– Group dinners

• Will brainstorm later this week about what else we can do to keep you connected!

What is WAS*IS?

2. Providing opportunity to learn and examine ideas, methods, and examples related to integrated weather-society work

• Tools – GIS, surveys, qualitative methods

• Concepts – initiating and building relationships, many publics, end-to-end-to-end

• Topics – risk communication, communicating uncertainty, vulnerability

The WAS*IS adventure • Began as one workshop• Grew into 4 workshops (so far) & evolved

– Original 2-part workshop in Boulder (November 2005 & March 2006)

– Condensed 3-day workshop in Norman, Oklahoma (April 2006)

– Summer WAS*IS (July 2006)– Australia WAS*IS (end of January 2007)– NOW -- 146 WAS*ISers!

Tangible accomplishments

• New collaborations• Manuscripts submitted to Bulletin of the

American Meteorological Society, Environmental Hazards

• Development of forecast confidence scale on weather blog (www.capitalweather.com/)

• New jobs, invited presentations• Visibility –

– 18 presentations at American Meteorological Society Meeting 2007; sign up now for 2008!

– sessions at Association of American Geographers meeting, Chicago 2006, San Francisco 2007, Boston 2008

– Rocking the Weather Enterprise

“Intangible” accomplishments• The growing WAS*IS network!

– Empowering, lifelong connections• Idea development & sharing

• Peer mentoring

• Community of WAS*ISers who continue to and interact with each other!

Some additional funding obtained• WAS*IS virtual textbook (Demuth, Drobot,

Gruntfest)– Highlight the methods, results, &

cooperative efforts of successful integrated weather & social science projects

Use as (1) part of undergraduate graduate-level

courses &(2) a reference for scientists & practitioners

to apply in their own work

Possibilities under the WAS*IS Umbrella• Advanced WAS*ISes

• Moving from WAS to IS beyond weather to hydrology, emergency management, climate, and other fields

• Capstone courses in physical science programs

• Annual WAS * IS workshops

• WAS*IS for introducing meteorology to social scientists – for stronger partnerships

What do you have in mind?

Barriers WAS*ISers confront & overcome

1. POWERlessness: I want to do it but I don’t know how

2. Social science methods are a mystery Surveys are not encouraged

3. Disciplinary blinders -“I’m not a meteorologist, I’m an emergency manager”

4. I can’t do it right so I won’t do it at all – Need for “Satisficing”! And learn from our experiences!

5. It’s not in my job description----------------------------------------

Barriers WAS*ISers confront & overcome

Perceive yourself as a charismatic policy entrepreneur

Brief tribute to Eve’s mentor Gilbert White who died in Oct. 2006 - the original WAS * ISer

So many lessons – read his bio!

•The important fact is that work is being used by others•Stakeholders are more than data

WAS*IS groundrules …

• NEW boundaries & vocabularies • ACTIVE & RESPECTFUL listening &

talking• No acronyms• All ideas are welcome• Attend all sessions

AGENDA open to allow WAS*IS identities to emerge & develop for sustainable activities after our week together ends

BE BRAVE

We have idealistic positive outlooks We are not defensive

We pay attention to substance & style

WAS * IS means changing from WAS to IS

WAS physical scientistgoes to WAS * IS workshop

Becomes WAS social scientist!

Moving from WAS to IS……is not an instant transition! Moving from WAS to IS……is not an instant transition! MOVE MOVE REQUIRESREQUIRES CONNECTIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS CONNECTIONS WITH STAKEHOLDERS

Important things to keep in mind

• We’re only scratching the surface this week

• We have many goals and paths• We have great ideas, passion, and

energy … but we don’t necessarily have the answers!

• This work can be very hard and takes time to do well – we are addressing very hard questions!

• WAS*ISers are in it for the long haulWe must understand and appreciate the complexities!

Summer WAS*IS particularities

• More climate scientists & more private sector meteorologists

• We’re re-inventing & improving the move from WAS to IS

• We’re building on earlier workshop lessons- MORE OPEN TIME FOR DISCUSSIONS and USING WAS*ISers

• Wise, creative, and convincing justification for the WAS*IS movement

• Friends of WAS*IS reception

• Others to be determined

• Take advantage of meals, breaks to interact with everyone

Some SUMMER WAS*IS measures of success -- Toward culture change

1. A new community of scholars & practitioners – use each other’s materials! - ideas for presentations, publications, proposals

2. Examples of new alliances/removed barriers

3. Practical new & tried methods

Summer WAS*IS launch – R E C A P

• Nearly one-week workshop

• Commitment to Change!

• The ELITE, BEST & the BRIGHTEST

MODEST GOAL –

CHANGING the culture from WASWAS to IS

Remember Margaret Mead’s words:

Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed people* can

change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

(* of WAS*ISers)

National Weather Service

Private forecasters/Urban Drainage Districts

Local Residents

WAS*IS succeeds when stovepipes are not the model - Bring social science into existing programs & research efforts in sustainable ways – NOW

Atmospheric Scientists

Universities

Research Centers

What did the most influential players look like in meteorology

prior to 2006 WAS*IS?

WAS * ISers are NOT the same old guys with new toys

Now let’s get to work