[ECOLOG-L] Fostering and capitalizing on long-term research
The recent announcement that giant pandas have been downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” has opened a new conversation about showing how long-term studies of coupled human and natural systems can yield powerful insights. Researchers at Michigan State University and colleagues this year released the book “Pandas and People — Coupling Human and Natural Systems for Sustainability” (Oxford University Press, PandasandPeople.org), synthesizing two decades of research on coupled human and natural systems in nature reserves for the giant pandas and then applying those findings to national and global levels. The book sheds light on how panda habitat has been transformed from degradation to recovery and offers lessons for enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem services while improving human well-being. Are there more opportunities for synergies in sharing long-term insights, or wisdom to foster new collaborations and get the most out of long-term efforts? Thanks for your attention! Sue Nichols Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability Michigan State University
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Armed Thugs & Protected Areas
You make a good point, John A. Informed people who have devoted considerable thought, research and funding by the American people can be an important voice in situations such as this. The protesters in the current events in Oregon are making statements as if they were fact. To wit: “This refuge – it has been destructive to the people of the county and the people of the area,” Ammon Bundy told CNN. “They are continuing to expand the refuge at the expense of the ranchers and miners.” It makes me wonder if — and suspect that — research may indeed have been conducted, published and discussed by scientists and those results deserve to be heard by the public. Speaking to issues of public importance requires response at a pace infinitely faster — and bolder — than daily science requires. But scientists DO and should engage, and universities usually have communications professionals on hand to assist. I argue that if you have expertise in this area, consider seeking assistance in bringing facts to light. ~ Sue Nichols Assistant Director/Strategic communications Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability Michigan State University On Jan 5, 2016, at 12:25 PM, John A. <omnipithe...@yahoo.com> wrote: >This morning my local paper ran a strong editorial about current events in > Oregon, condemning the armed criminals who have taken over a wildlife refuge > with threats of deadly force. These people may pretend to be > family-friendly, but the fact is they've threatened the lives of federal > employees and they're preventing the lawful use of public lands. > >While I can appreciate there may be local considerations, allowing an > armed takeover of a protected area sets a terrible precedent. When thugs are > given carte blanche to threaten other citizens away from public property, it > sends the message that weapons and extremist rhetoric can somehow justify > gross violations of the law. It's hard to imagine these takeovers won't > become more common as a result, with an increased threat to the lives of > natural resource professionals as well as the lands they work on. > >This is what conservationists have to deal with in developing countries, > where corruption is rampant at every level and legal protections are > wafer-thin; but what does it say when we allow it to happen in the United > States? Don't we have some responsibility to speak out against it? > > > - J. A.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Mass science communication through YouTube
Good for you, Mike! I’m looking forward to diving in (pun intended) and I applaud your willingness to share the wonders of science to broad audiences. It is so important to the science community, and… I would expect nothing less of a marine biologist named “Gil.” :-) I’ll also share this announcement on our center’s Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/MichStateCSIS Best, ~ Sue Nichols Assistant Director/Strategic communications Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability Michigan State University (517) 432-0206 CSIS homepage CSIS on Facebook @suegnic On Dec 7, 2015, at 12:49 PM, Mike Gil <mikegil2...@gmail.com> wrote: > Dear colleagues, > > I just launched a mass science communication campaign, centered on my new > YouTube series "Confessions of a Marine Biologist". In my videos, I use humor > and storytelling (of real, sometimes ridiculous, events from the field) to > humanize science and show a diverse audience that science is vital, > enthralling and accessible to all. If you think my efforts are worth while, > please share my videos with students, colleagues, and friends and subscribe > to my channel -- maybe, together, we can inspire some people. > > My story: > I hated science as a kid--I found the scientific facts that I was forced to > regurgitate in school both boring and unrelatable. Growing up in a suburb > outside of Houston, Texas, I was removed from the real world of science. But > then, by chance, I found myself living on Lizard Island, Australia, spending > my summer studying the ecology of coral reefs. I thought "this is science?!". > > I've been doing science for 10 years now, and I just completed my PhD at the > University of Florida, studying the impacts of human activities on coral > reefs. I want my work, and environmental science in general, to influence the > actions of the public, to lead to a sustainable future. But I've come to the > realization that science is not enough -- many people, like those in my > conservative hometown (and like myself, previously), feel indifferent or even > negative toward science. These are the same people that love wild animals but > have not been exposed to the connection that science facilitates conservation > of these animals. > > Perhaps it is due to the countless dollars devoted by lobbyists to undermine > environmental science, or it is due to the countless number of distractions > every person now faces in the golden age of social media, but in my > estimation the process of science, in all of its utility and objective glory, > is kept secret from the public. It's time to get the secret out... > > Thus, we need mass science communication through art and entertainment to > show the 'non-choir' that science is not only non-political and immensely > useful (i.e., vital to our future), but it is awesome and accessible to > anyone, from any background. > > Help me build appreciation for science by sharing my videos and subscribing > to my YouTube channel. Read more about my efforts at my campaign website: > http://SciAll.org. > > All the best, > > Mike Gil, PhD > Department of Biology > University of Florida > Tel: (832) 377-MGIL (6445) > Email: mike...@sciall.org > Website (professional): http://mikegil.com/ > Website (outreach): http://sciall.org > Instagram: @sciallorg > Twitter: @sciallorg > YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/sciallorg > > "...And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and > know the place for the first time." > -T.S. Eliot
Re: [ECOLOG-L] plant science vs. botany
Ah!! Alexandra, that’s just what I wondered about The Martian! This is such an interesting discussion, because how people describe what they do is so informative (if you’re brave enough to pick and poke). Because there’s a reason for it, right? I do wonder… have we lost anything by overshadowing “botany?” And how does this change how scientists explain their work, and how important are titles and labels? ~ Sue Nichols Assistant Director/Strategic communications Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability Michigan State University (517) 432-0206 CSIS homepage CSIS on Facebook @suegnic On Nov 18, 2015, at 7:30 PM, Alexandra Thorn <m...@alexandrathorn.com> wrote: > It's an interesting question. > > I think of "botany" as being specifically about phylogeny and > characterizing how different plant species are different from one > another and why. Other plant sciences have other domains in my mind, > e.g. "plant physiology" is about the functional attributes of plants > that might translate among species (just as in animal physiology humans > and mice have basically the same organs), and "plant ecology" is about > the relationships among plant species and between plant species and > other organisms. > > My biology doctorate drew heavily on plant physiology and I feel fine > saying that my degree was in plant biology, plant ecology, or plant > physiology, but if somebody calls me a botanist I tend to think they're > attributing credentials to me that I really don't have. > > Alexandra > > P.S. I am bothered by how the term "botany" is used in the novel "The > Martian." I'm pretty sure that "horticulture" would be a better job > description, but I haven't looked up whether words are just used > differently by NASA and friends... > > On Wed, 18 Nov 2015 16:26:04 -0500 > Thomas Wentworth <twen...@ncsu.edu> wrote: > >> Hi Chris, >> >> Our Department at NC State University changed its name from Botany to >> Plant Biology (not Plant Science) a number of years ago. We did so >> primarily because of a perception that the public sees "botany" as an >> antiquated term, not inclusive of the vibrant programs in our >> department, which cover the plant realm from molecules to ecosystems. >> We also believed that prospective student searching for "botany" >> programs were more likely to use keywords like "plant" and "biology." >> We avoided "Plant Science" because we thought that too inclusive of >> ALL plant studies, given that at NC State (a Land Grant university) >> we still have departments of Crop Science, Horticulture, Plant >> Pathology, Forestry, etc. >> >> Tom Wentworth >> >> On 11/18/2015 1:00 PM, Christopher Graham wrote: >>> Hi Malcolm, >>> >>> Interesting question. I studied in the plant biology department at >>> the University of Georgia, which until recently had been the botany >>> department. My understanding (and I think this was corroborated by >>> certain faculty members) was that the change reflected the gradual >>> shift from "traditional" botanists, who studied plants at a >>> macroscopic or organismal level and thus were facile with (at least >>> some members of) the regional flora; to academics who focused at >>> the cellular or molecular level to such a degree that many of them >>> do not particularly know or care about the real, wild plants >>> growing around them. I don't doubt that these plant scientists do >>> important things, but it's a shame to me that the former type, the >>> traditional botanist, has been largely displaced by them. >>> >>> chris >>> >>> >>> - Original Message - >>> From: "Malcolm McCallum" <malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com> >>> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 12:52:32 PM >>> Subject: plant science vs. botany >>> >>> >>> Over the past several years I have noticed a trend that >>> plant-focused vacancies will refer to the vacancy as plant science >>> and less frequently what used to be typically referred to as >>> zoology will be instead referred to as animal science. When I was >>> an undergraduate, agronomy, pomology, forestry, and course related >>> to agriculture were designated plant science. Agricutlure courses >>> like dairy science, feedlot management, swine management, animal >>> nutrition and the like were designated animal science. >>> >>> >&
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Help improve peer review
Terrific idea — looking forward to the results and will share with our colleagues. Which then brought to mind this article in BioScience, which may prove useful to those interested in introducing the peer review process to students and budding scientists: Peer Review in the Classroom http://archive.csis.msu.edu/Publications/peer_review.pdf Best wishes, ~ Sue Nichols Assistant Director/Strategic communications Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability Michigan State University (517) 432-0206 CSIS homepage CSIS on Facebook @suegnic
[ECOLOG-L] Feedback on feedbacks?
Recently, the journal Ecology and Society published the open access special issue “Exploring Feedbacks in Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS)” to look at ways to fill the gaps in interdisciplinary research on CHANS feedbacks. To date such data is scant and often site-specific, a shortcoming that prevents complex coupled systems from being fully understood. The issue, kicked off with an editorial “Synthesis of human-nature feedbacks” by guest editors Jianguo “Jack” Liu, Vanessa Hull (Michigan State University) and Mao-Ning Tuanmu (Yale), presents several research scenarios across the world. The question: What's next? We’re interested in knowing what others think about the importance of feedbacks in coupled human and natural systems across the globe, the challenges and the rewards. Most importantly, who’s already doing this? Special edition: (http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/issues/view.php?sf=85) Editorial: http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol20/iss3/art17/ Many thanks, Sue Nichols Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability Michigan State University
