Return to Science to Action at Fall Meeting
Science to Action in the Scientific Program
Click the session title below for more information about session conveners and featured presenters.
[ezcol_1third]Science to action beyond partnerships: Creating, scaling, and sustaining regional and sector-based networks to foster knowledge co-production in support of climate change adaptation[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Increasingly, scientists and practitioners work in partnership to understand and respond to climate variability and change. These experiences demonstrate the importance of factors such as iterative interaction and personal relationships that build trust for increasing the use of science and its societal benefit. While instructive, these experiences are often project-based, include the involvement of only high capacity practitioners, and rarely expand beyond single case settings. This makes it difficult to know how to create, scale, and sustain efforts that would be able to meet accelerating decision-support needs. This session invites anyone working across the spectrum of research to implementation to report on network-based or collaborative initiatives that employ principles of co-production to support decision-making at region-wide or sector-wide scales. Contributors will present innovative models for climate service delivery, experiences with virtual participation, assessment networks and network-of-networks, and other advancements that demonstrate creative, scalable, and sustainable solutions.
PA34C – Science to action beyond partnerships: Creating, scaling, and sustaining regional and sector-based networks to foster knowledge co-production in support of climate change adaptation (eLightning)
Wednesday, 12 December: 16:00 – 18:00
Convention Center – eLightning Theater II
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[ezcol_1third]Native Science to Action: How Indigenous Perspectives Inform Environmental Science and Policy[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Perspectives of indigenous peoples can bring deep insight to the study and management of complex environmental systems through their holistic approaches to problem solving and ways of knowing. These perspectives can inform and enrich western scientific research and discussions of policy in areas related to sustainability, human-environment interactions, ecosystems, climate adaptation, geohealth, and more. Although western science started to acknowledge the importance of indigenous knowledge, voices of indigenous peoples are largely absent from scholarly discourse. With this in mind, we welcome submissions focusing on indigenous voices and perspectives in environmental sciences and policy emphasizing meaningful collaborations between western scientists and indigenous communities, or on indigenous scholars’ experiences walking in both worlds. Submissions may be case studies, syntheses, or other scholarship focusing on one or more indigenous tribe, group, or organization. We also welcome perspectives discussing relevant issues surrounding community based participation, ethics, mutual understanding, and respect for sacred knowledge.
PA51C – Native Science to Action: How Indigenous Perspectives Inform Environmental Science and Policy (Posters)
Friday, 14 December: 08:00 – 12:20
Poster Hall
PA53A – Native Science to Action: How Indigenous Perspectives Inform Environmental Science and Policy I
Friday, 14 December: 13:40 – 15:40
Marriott Marquis – Marquis 3-4
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Accelerating Innovation of Applied Climate Science for Risk Reduction and Resilience — A New Role for the Sustained National Climate Assessment[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Pressure is increasing to implement mitigation and adaptation measures to manage climate risk. “Practitioners” at state and local levels are moving forward and looking for authoritative data, tools, and methods; they are also forming networks to share experiences and identify good practices. This session will explore how practitioners and researchers from across the country are co-producing knowledge, tools, and strategies to support incorporation of climate risk in areas such as bond rating and financial analysis; designing climate-ready infrastructure (transportation, housing, communications, etc.); assessing inland flooding; reducing wildfire risk; and many other areas. It will also consider how the sustained national climate assessment could incorporate assessments of these applications of climate science (broadly defined). Papers will explore re-occurring “use cases” for applied climate science, assessment of rigor and effectiveness, an increased role for civil society organizations and state/local/tribal governments, and the role of a new civil society Climate Assessment Consortium.
PA52B – Science to Action: Accelerating Innovation of Applied Climate Science for Risk Reduction and Resilience — A New Role for the Sustained National Climate Assessment
Friday, 14 December: 10:20 – 12:20
Marriott Marquis – Marquis 3-4
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Addressing Gaps in Access to Climate Science for Decision-Making
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Are our climate science-based decision tools reaching people, and are they having an impact? Scientists are working with stakeholders to develop resources that support and inform decision-makers preparing for the impacts of climate change, and are increasingly doing a better job of ensuring their products are useful and usable. However, end users still routinely report that the decision support landscape is overcrowded and confusing. Communities also face capacity, funding and communication barriers that further inhibit their use of science-based resources. This session will explore attempts to bridge the divide between decision-makers and scientific information, and invite discussion of both successes and challenges in facilitating connections between them. We will explore critical questions like: who has access to our science-based decision tools, how useful are they, and how do we better evaluate them going forward? Experiences from any scientific field across the AGU community that have addressed similar questions are welcome.
PA33E – Science to Action: Addressing Gaps in Access to Climate Science for Decision-Making (Posters)
Wednesday, 12 December: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Interdisciplinary Research[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Interdisciplinary research (or integration across fields) is necessary to both understand human and natural systems feedback and translate basic science into decision-making. Emergence of community science, translational research, and socio-hydrology all indicate the growing interest of geophysical scientists in this arena. These interdisciplinary approaches are motivated by numerous goals including sustainability, resilience, and adaptive mitigation. The resulting applications are broad, ranging from atmospheric science and water resources management to the prediction and mitigation of natural hazards, and incorporate both quantitative and qualitative approaches. While best practice conversations within these communities are growing, there is a great benefit to sharing insights across research communities. This session seeks presenters that can share lessons learned from both successes and failures in designing and implementing interdisciplinary research projects to bridge these gaps.
PA11K – Science to Action: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Interdisciplinary Research II (Posters)
Monday, 10 December: 08:00 – 12:20
Poster Hall
PA23D – Science to Action: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Interdisciplinary Research I (eLightning)
Tuesday, 11 December: 13:40 – 15:40
Convention Center – eLightning Theater II
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Building Novel and Transformative Partnerships Toward Decision-Relevant Science[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]These are trying times for both scientists and local communities: dwindling financial resources, institutional barriers, and spatio-temporal constraints. Despite these roadblocks, scientists persevere to engage and collaborate with decision makers and communities to ensure science that is actionable, applicable, and usable. In this session, we explore (1) how scientists build and strengthen partnerships within and outside the research community, and (2) how these novel and truly collaborative partnerships lead to decision-relevant tools, resources, or knowledge. We invite on-the-ground stories and experiences, successes and challenges, and best practices that illustrate both increased collaborative capacity and the successful co-production of actionable science. Through this collective sharing, we can harness characteristics of effective and transformative partnerships to better understand community needs and deliver robust, science-based, and decision-relevant products and applications to our stakeholders.
PA41C – Science to Action: Building Novel and Transformative Partnerships Toward Decision-Relevant Science (Posters)
Thursday, 13 December: 08:00 – 12:20
Poster Hall
PA43A – Science to Action: Building Novel and Transformative Partnerships Toward Decision-Relevant Science I
Thursday, 13 December: 13:40 – 15:40
Marriott Marquis – Marquis 3-4
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Closing gaps to enable science-based, data-driven decision making[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Scientific data have the power to inform, improve and transform decision making in a variety of fields. Many decision makers recognize the value of data-driven decision support, but find it challenging to infuse those data operationally. Frequently, those making decisions lack the scientific and technical resources to access, process or analyze data that can provide actionable information.
This session will discuss how to enable data-driven decision making. How do we ensure decision makers have access to the relevant data? How can silos between data producers, scientists and decision makers be broken down? What are the best ways to uncover decision makers’ needs and priorities, then translate them into needs-driven applications that underpin science-based, data-driven decision and policy making? And how should scientists define and convey scientific uncertainty to decision and policy makers? Speakers will share their success stories, the challenges faced and lessons learned.
PA23G – Science to Action: Closing gaps to enable science-based, data-driven decision making (Posters)
Tuesday, 11 December: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Education for Community/Scientist Problem Solving[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]From land use planning to hazard mitigation, community science refers to collaborations among scientists, science educators, decision makers and community members to solve problems. Community science often includes education, to enhance community understanding, build scientific capacity within the community and to develop a scientific workforce that can serve communities. Community science also provides opportunities to bridge gaps between historically underserved and underrepresented communities and science that may result in broader participation in and use of geoscience. This session will showcase examples of AGU members engaged in successful educational collaborations for community problem solving, including service learning, undergraduate research projects, informal education for communities, youth-citizen science, cross-cultural education, preparation for scientists to engage in community science and more.
PA21F – Science to Action: Education for Community/Scientist Problem Solving (Posters)
Tuesday, 11 December: 08:00 – 12:20
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science To Action: Empowering Ecologists to Engage in the Process of Translation for Informed Environmental Decision-making[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Responding to challenges posed by rapid environmental change is at the forefront of natural resource management. Managers, decision-makers, and stakeholders are grappling with integrating science into decision-making in the context of wicked social and environmental issues. Although ecologists have a history of generating research relevant to environmental decision-making, ecologists have been slower to embrace intentional partnerships with decision-makers, as equals in co-producing science and policy. Ecologists are now making strides toward the intentional production of actionable science, specifically designed for decision-makers, through the process of translational ecology (TE). The approach extends beyond theory or opportunistic applications of research findings, seeking outcomes that serve managers and decision-makers—thereby distinguishing TE from applied ecology. It differs from strict models of knowledge co-production, acknowledging that scientist-stakeholder interactions occur along a spectrum of engagement intensities and applications. We invite presenters to share results on TE practice, evaluation techniques, and insight for overcoming challenges.
PA22D – Science To Action: Empowering Ecologists to Engage in the Process of Translation for Informed Environmental Decision-making I (eLightning)
Tuesday, 11 December: 10:20 – 12:20
Convention Center – eLightning Theater II
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[ezcol_1third]Science to action: Frontiers in effective decision maker-scientist partnerships[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Much earth and environmental science focused on socially relevant issues like climate change, environmental health, and natural hazards is intended to both advance knowledge and benefit society. Collaborative research with non-academic partners is critical for connecting science to action, yet traditional models of research funding, academic incentives, and graduate training have often created barriers to these collaborations. Despite these barriers, non-academic partners working with researchers routinely innovate at the interface between decision making and science. This session explores frontiers in co-production, which we define as partnerships to design, conduct, and apply research to real-world problems. The goals of this session are to: 1) provide examples of novel approaches for connecting science to action, 2) cultivate connections across communities in AGU working to connect science with societal needs, and 3) highlight the state of the art for processes being used to fund, carry out, and evaluate actionable science.
PA41D – Science to Action: Frontiers in effective decision maker-scientist partnerships (Posters)
Thursday, 13 December: 08:00 – 12:20
Poster Hall
PA44A – Science to Action: Frontiers in effective decision maker-scientist partnerships I
Thursday, 13 December 16:00 – 18:00
Marriott Marquis – Marquis 3-4
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: How hydrologists and residents can work together to reduce the impact of flooding[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Researchers estimate 41 million US citizens are at risk from flooding, and by 2050 more than 60 million may be vulnerable to devastating 1% annual floods. Flood disasters generated by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017 generated approximately $265 million in damages, 198 deaths, and over 70,000 people displaced. In the wake of these recent disasters, this session encourages critical reflection on how scientists and engineers engage with residents to communicate the science of flooding, including hydrologic, socio-economic, and ecological dimensions. Central to this engagement is developing a level of scientific literacy that allows residents to interact with local government and federal agencies to shape and act on flood mitigation polices and practices. Submissions that present strategies, tools, or case studies of collaborative projects in which scientists have worked with residents to advance local priorities, conduct risk evaluations, or identify sustainable solutions to historical and future flooding are encouraged.
PA51A – Science to Action: How hydrologists and residents can work together to reduce the impact of flooding I
Friday, 14 December: 08:00 – 10:00
Marriott Marquis – Marquis 3-4
PA53C – Science to Action: How hydrologists and residents can work together to reduce the impact of flooding (Posters)
Friday, 14 December: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Metrics for Societal Impact of Research. What do we value, and how do we capture it?[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]The scientific community is increasingly interested in and under growing pressure to use research for the benefit of society. We are employing novel approaches that involve stakeholders in research. The linear model of specialist scientists operating separate from society is being augmented by collaborative approaches that connect research to actions. However, the metrics we use to measure the value and impact of research do not account for societal benefit. We are left with some fundamental questions: What aspects of the research process and its results are of value for science and for society? How do we incentivize, measure, and reward societal impact?
This session will explore metrics for measuring the societal value and impact of transdisciplinary research efforts. We invite papers that discuss examples of broader metrics, and processes through which we can value the impact of transdisciplinary research and collaborative engagement on society as well as science.
PA43D – Science to Action: Metrics for Societal Impact of Research. What do we value, and how do we capture it? (Posters)
Thursday, 13 December: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Using Science for Justice by Building Knowledge, Linking Communities, and Advocating for Change[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Science and social justice are inextricably linked. Science can advance social justice; community science knowledge supports participation in civic processes and is critical for improving and maintaining quality of life. Evidence-based public safeguards are vital to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all communities and individuals. Science needs to be guided by social justice – when it is hasn’t been, scientific evidence has been used to justify oppressive actions and disempower people. Finally, science is enriched by social justice and the ethical frame and diverse viewpoints it brings. This session will explore examples of scientists working with and within the most impacted communities, learning with those communities, and contributing their scientific expertise to social justice issues. The symposium will also share effective context-dependent practices for respectful, mutually beneficial partnerships and approaches for scientists looking to learn from and partner with social justice efforts.
PA43E – Science to Action: Using Science for Justice by Building Knowledge, Linking Communities, and Advocating for Change (Posters)
Thursday, 13 Deecmber: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Action: Meeting the Information Needs for Climate Change Adaptation Decisions
[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Cities and local municipalities around the world are leading the way in developing and implementing strategies to adapt to a ‘2-degree world’. The geoscience community has made tremendous strides in data collection and modeling to better understand our climate system, and we are beginning to offer usable information that can help guide the local adaptation decisions by citizens, local governments, or companies. We invite research or case studies aiming to systematically integrate geoscience data into adaptation or sustainability decision-making; either through creating pathways and partnerships, through providing data at decision-relevant scales, or through innovative methods of calculating and communicating climate change risks. We especially invite projects using a design-thinking approach; that have taken a plunge into user-needs and developed tools to support real-world decisions through an iterative and collaborative process, or projects in which stake-holder collaboration has guided the development of new geoscience data products.
PA33F – Science to Action: Meeting the Information Needs for Climate Change Adaptation Decisions (Posters)
Wednesday, 12 December: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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[ezcol_1third]Science to Inform Climate Resilience and Adaptation Decision-Making and Policy[/ezcol_1third] [ezcol_2third_end]Scientists across the United States and around the world are partnering with local and national government to inform decision-making and policy on how to adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. Multi-disciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, designers, and government officials are taking on the challenges of rising seas, heat waves, droughts and flooding. This session examines those unique partnerships with a focus on how science shaped planning, design and policy decisions. Lessons learned from model programs, including the NOAA Coastal Resilience Grants Program, the HUD National Disaster Resilience Competition, 100 Resilient Cities and Rebuild by Design as well as state initiatives around climate planning will be shared. The session also looks ahead to how earth science programs and research can and should adapt to fit the need for actionable information at a local scale.
PA42B: Science to Inform Climate Resilience and Adaptation Decision-Making and Policy I
Thursday, 13 December: 10:20 – 12:20
Marriott Marquis – Marquis 1-2
PA43F: Science to Inform Climate Resilience and Adaptation Decision-Making and Policy (Posters)
Thursday, 13 December: 13:40 – 18:00
Poster Hall
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