Environment@MSU: Networking for environmental researchers
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In the 2008-2009 academic year, ESPP has hosted monthly events focused on bringing together faculty interested in environmental research. Located in the Kellogg Center, the fall networking events offered presentations on sustainability science, water, environmental policy and coupled human and natural systems. The first spring event addressed climate change research at MSU.
Below are recaps from each event:
Sustainability Science
September 4, 2008
Tom Dietz and Sandra Batie kicked off the first networking event on sustainability science.
Batie's presentation characterized sustainability as a "wicked problem" - that is, one defined by the values of those concerned, and for which there is no definitive solution.
"Science doesn't get to decide what sustainability is," she said. "Civil society does."
Batie also introduced the MSU Sustainable Michigan Endowed Project, which is funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and is dedicated to catalyzing sustainable scholarship related to a sustainable future for Michigan.
Dietz discussed in more detail the key themes of sustainability science, which include the integrative nature of the field, its focus on coupled human and natural systems, and the need to explicitly account for people's values.
Read the rest of ESPP news writer Andy McGlashen's article.
Presentations: Tom Dietz | Sandra Batie | Biosketches of attendees
Water
October 3, 2008
ESPP's second "Environment at MSU" research networking event on October 3rd focused on water - a historic strength at MSU. Faculty and students heard presentations from:
Presentations: Jan Stevenson | Jon Bartholic | Julie Winkler | Jeff Andresen | Biosketches of attendees
Environmental Policy
November 3, 2008
“What I think we really need to do is have a conversation,” Ric Hula (Political Science) said as he introduced ESPP’s December 3rd event on Policy. Hula identified several key foci for environmental policy research: policy evaluation, agenda setting and policy definition, and the role of natural science (and experts generally) in the policy process. “How might we organize an inquiry into environmental science and policy?” he asked. A vigorous conversation followed.
The group focused on the challenges of integrating expert knowledge into policy. Academics often provide information in ways policy-makers have difficulty using. Academics may provide probabilities without clear implications for action, and information published in journals is often inaccessible to policy-makers – and to the general public. Another challenge is that policy-makers are often focused on the short–term. This orientation means that they need information quickly; one attendee suggested that MSU should consider “Rapid Response Teams” which can address such needs. At the same time, because policy makers often “don’t have the luxury to think long enough ahead,” academic work that does consider the long view is critical.
Focusing on collaboration within academia, attendees discussed how researchers in the natural and policy sciences can work together, and suggested case studies as a way of bridging disciplines.
Biosketches of attendeesCoupled Human and Natural Systems
December 4, 2008
At ESPP’s December 4th event on Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS), Tom Dietz (ESPP) emphasized MSU’s contribution to the field; MSU researchers have helped build its theoretical basis and are carrying out diverse empirical work. Bill McConnell (Fisheries and Wildlife) detailed that work, describing four MSU projects funded by NSF’s program in the area and synthesizing their commonalities. Jack Liu (Fisheries and Wildlife) discussed his new effort to build collaborations between CHANS investigators.
Presentations: Tom Dietz | Bill McConnell | Jack Liu | Biosketches of attendees
Climate Change
February 19, 2009
ESPP's spring networking event highlighted climate change research being done at MSU and offered presentations by Tom Dietz (ESPP), Jinhua Zhao (Economics, Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics), Julie Winkler (Geography) and Steve Pueppke (Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station). After their presentations, an informal yet engaging question-and-answer ensued with the presenters and audience. Everyone seemed happy engaging in one large group, which was finally dispersed into smaller discussions by the persuasion of chocolate brownies.
For more information on climate change research being done at MSU, check out climatechange.msu.edu.
Presentations: Tom Dietz | Jinhua Zhao | Julie Winkler | Steve Pueppke | Biosketches of attendees
