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