Wednesday, August 4, 2010: 8:00 PM-10:00 PM
305, David L Lawrence Convention Center
WK 32 - Defining Norms and Best Practices for Science-Based Environmental Advocacy
Environmental scientists often overestimate the policy impact of their research. Even dramatic, uncontroversial, and highly relevant research results can have limited influence on policy decisions. Environmental scientists can often have much greater influence on policy by engaging directly in science-based advocacy, yet career paths and practices by which scientists can both engage in advocacy and maintain their credibility and standing within the scientific community are little discussed and poorly defined. This workshop will build on the energy and ideas generated at the related symposium "Environmental Scientists As Effective Advocates: Above the Din But In the Fray” and a recent Cary Conference on “Effective Communication of Science in Environmental Controversies”. Working in groups, participants will begin the process of defining norms (cultural expectations about behavior) and best practices (codified methods for achieving defined outcomes) for engaging in science-based advocacy, as well as institutional best practices for supporting strong science-based advocacy. The ultimate goal is to have these adopted by ESA. Participants will leave with better insight into what it means to be a successful, credible scientist-advocate, which will allow them to incorporate advocacy into their work and discuss this important issue with their colleagues and institutions.
Organizer:	Lisa A. Moore, Environmental Defense Fund
Co-organizers:	Peter M. Groffman, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Peter Frumhoff, Union of Concerned Scientists Steven P. Hamburg, Environmental Defense Fund

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See more of The 95th ESA Annual Meeting (August 1 -- 6, 2010)