Innovations in environmental

synthesis, communication,

reporting and governance

29 August 2011

EMECS 9

Baltimore, Maryland

Bill Dennison

Innovation examples• Synthesis: converting data

information knowledge/outcomes

• Communication: incorporating visuals (conceptual diagrams, maps, photos & figures)

• Reporting: environmental report cards to motivate change

• Governance: evidence based decision-making

Synthesis leading to

environmental outcomes

NCEAS synthesis model: small

self-organized working groups

New synthesis center is being

established in Annapolis

SeSynC will have both theme

projects and stand-alone projects

Innovations in science communication

Successful dissemination of knowledge to a wide

range of audiences (science and non-science)

You can teach anything to anybody

as long as you provide . . .

Visualization ContextSynthesis

Synthesized

dataIllustrate key points So what?

Conceptual diagrams use symbols: an

ancient technique to depict unequivocal

messages

Cave drawing/

storyboard

Darwin’s

conceptual

diagram

Modern photograph

IAN aims to create global symbol

language

• 2,500+ symbols in library

• 62,000+ 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 dissemination

of science communication products

Why do environmental report cards

work?

• Peer pressure is a powerful human motivator

• Educational report cards are a common experience

• Report cards synthesize large amounts of data

Environmental report cards can

lead to scientific insights

Chesapeake Bay

report card

We need to resolve reasons for

positive and negative trajectories

Catalyze improvements in ecosystem healththrough peer pressure of communities seeking to

improve report card grades.

Murrumba Downs Wastewater Treatment Plant - Total Nitrogen

Discharge

0

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45

04/01/200

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01/08/200

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07/11/200

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Date

To

tal

Nit

ro

gen

Co

ncen

trati

on

(m

g/L

)

Reduced sewage plumes

1998 2001Reduced sewage nutrients

Citizen scientists conducting

regional environmental monitoring

Expanding reporting to Pressure

State and Response

Innovations in governance:

BayStat• 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

• Cholera outbreak in

London

• John Snow mapped

cholera cases

• Cholera cases linked to

pump locations

• Pump handle removed;

cholera subsided

Good science reporting can make a

difference

Conclusions

• Environmental challenges require

more innovation

• Innovations in synthesis,

communication, reporting and

governance can be

transformative

• A sustainability revolution can be

the result of innovation by

scientists

www.ian.umces.edu