Enhancing the Value and Sustainability of Field Stations and Marine Laboratories in the 21st Century (2014) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Enhancing Science, Education, and Public Engagement
2 Enhancing Science, Education, and Public Engagement
Pages 21-32
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 21... ...
The ability to use field stations effectively to address important environmental and societal issues will require new and enhanced models of collaboration and networking and strategic business plans that are integrated with and as robust as their strategic scientific research plans. This chapter focuses on new models of collaboration that can help to fill knowledge gaps in science and engineering, support innovative policy decisions required in the face of global environmental change, and encourage and empower the public to engage in and support scientific endeavors.
|
From page 22... ...
jointly published a strategic vision report to guide, improve, and demonstrate the scientific and educational value of field stations and marine laboratories (FSMLs) to broader society.
|
From page 23... ...
. taken to promote convergence that may be familiar practices to many in the field station community include the following: organizing research programs around common themes or scientific challenges fostering opportunities for researchers to interact changing existing faculty structures and reward systems working with and across existing departments designing facilities and workspaces for convergent research designing education and training programs that foster convergence.
|
From page 24... ...
As field stations become more networked and as distributed partners coordinate their efforts, the ability for scientific staff at field stations to address societal concerns (such as species invasions, fire behavior, water storage and cycling, and carbon sequestration) at a variety of scales from regional to national to global can be enhanced by a greater emphasis on convergent research.
|
From page 25... ...
Empirically based approaches to education will be important as field stations strive to meet Goal 3 of the NAML-OBFS Strategic Plan, to enhance the synergies between research and education. Educational programs at field stations would be enhanced by embracing and implementing the findings and guidelines on active learning from the education-research community.
|
From page 26... ...
Actively Engaging the Public in Science Field stations carry out a wide range of public engagement activities to improve public access to and understanding of science. Public understanding and participation in science are important to increase human connectedness to the natural world and empower citizen decision making and involvement in public 12 http://www.mbl.edu/sjp
|
From page 27... ...
Use of empirically based approaches will also propel field stations toward achieving Goal 1 of the NAML-OBFS Strategic Plan, to increase public understanding of the value of field station research to society. Science-based approaches to outreach activities can also create opportunities to train students and early-career scientists in public engagement.
|
From page 28... ...
Although some field stations are actively engaged in citizen science initiatives, there are many ways in which field stations could expand and enhance these initiatives. There is a large potential range of approaches to promoting citizen science -- from smaller, place-based programs that investigate relevant questions on site, to large-scale, existing programs for which a field station may facilitate one of many nodes of input and can include inputs from an expanding community of citizen scientists.
|
From page 29... ...
In addition, field stations could collaborate to develop coordinated networks of citizen science monitoring programs at national and international levels. The New Visions in Citizen Science report (Bowser and Shanley 2013)
|
From page 30... ...
Data quality, trained personnel, and liability for the safety of volunteers are common challenges in citizen science programs. The need to restrict access to sensitive ecosystems can be an impediment to both formal education and public outreach activities.
|
From page 31... ...
Public understanding and participation in science is important to increase human connectedness to the natural world and to empower citizen decision making and involvement in public policy. Field stations support a wide range of public outreach and engagement programs -- public lectures and workshops, science cafes, field trips, and nature walks, among other informal education opportunities -- to enhance public understanding of science.
|
From page 32... ...
32 Enhancing the Value and Sustainability of Biological Field Stations networking initiatives throughout the American and global system of stations and thus offer a coordinated infrastructure for interested members of the public to engage in, learn about, and contribute to science.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.