SYMP 3
The Ecology-Policy Interface: Perspectives on Student Engagement

Monday, August 5, 2013: 1:30 PM-5:00 PM
Auditorium, Rm 3, Minneapolis Convention Center
Organizer:
Alexis C. Erwin, California State Senate
Co-organizers:
Dr. Emilie K. Stander, US Agency for International Development; and Joanna R. Bernhardt, University of British Columbia
Moderator:
Joanna R. Bernhardt, University of British Columbia
A key goal of this symposium is to showcase policy-relevant ecological science by graduate students. Enhancing the sustainability of the biosphere requires interaction between ecologists and decision makers. Effective pathways for engagement are beginning to emerge and early-career ecologists will be instrumental in growing this interface in the coming decades. The symposium will describe the challenges and rewards of public engagement and present three case studies of work by graduate students interacting with different levels of government—from local to international. The symposium will conclude with perspectives from established ecologists working at the science-policy interface, who will offer syntheses and insights on the future of science in environmental policy. Providing continuity throughout the symposium and a natural framework for discussion at the end, each speaker will reflect on the incentives and barriers they encountered in their efforts to apply ecological knowledge to policy and management outcomes. In addition, speakers will comment on how engagement has impacted their research trajectories and personal and professional development.
Endorsement:
Policy Section, Student Section, Public Affairs Committee
1:30 PM
 A more social science: Barriers and incentives for scientists to engage in policy
Kai Ming A. Chan, University of British Columbia; Gerald G. Singh, University of British Columbia; Jordan Tam, University of British Columbia; Thomas Sisk, Northern Arizona University; Sarah C. Klain, University of British Columbia; Megan Mach, University of British Columbia; Rebecca G. Martone, Stanford University
2:00 PM
 Local integration of ecological research, community values, and management goals: the case of a New York Finger Lake
Alexis C. Erwin, California State Senate; Jillian S. Cohen, Cornell University; William W. Fetzer, Michigan State University; James M. Watkins, Cornell University
3:00 PM
3:10 PM
 Governance, ecological knowledge, and small-scale marine fisheries sustainability in the Indo-Pacific
Paul W. Simonin, Cornell University; Dan Exton, Operation Wallacea; Joel Rice, Operation Wallacea; Tim Coles, Operation Wallacea; David Smith, University of Essex
3:40 PM
 Challenges and opportunities for early-career ecologists interested in connecting science and policy
Dr. Laura E. Petes, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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