Session Lead: Breck Sullivan
Co-Lead(s): Denice Wardrop
Session Format: Oral presentations
Session Description:
The Strategic Science and Research Framework (SSRF) was developed by the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) to help focus existing science resources, leverage the research enterprise, and more effectively provide science to advance CBP’s efforts and decision-making. It arose from a need to track and assess the abundance and breadth of science needs across the partnership more consistently. SSRF was specifically designed to consider both short-term operational and long-term fundamental science needs, to integrate Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee’s (STAC) recommendations, and to be repeatable and consistent by connecting to the CBP’s adaptive management process, Strategy Review System (SRS).
In the third year of the framework, the CBP better understands the science needs across the partnership and continues to provide a strategic approach to partner resources to address operational and fundamental science needs and knowledge gaps. Now the science needs are captured and tracked in a new database, which is continually updated throughout the year. Science providers have evolved their efforts to address CBP science priorities, but the advancement of technology, the change in climate conditions, the increase in land use change, etc., has amplified the amount of science needs within the CBP that need to be addressed to assess progress towards the outcomes established in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
The proposed session will discuss the challenges and opportunities for expanding science capacity to address the science priorities of the CBP partnership. Expanded capacity requires the engagement of the broader scientific community to (1) translate and disseminate existing science and (2) inspire and implement additional research to inform management of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Academic institutions will play a strong role in advancing this understanding through their aims to strengthen the scientific leadership pipeline, support of their faculty research direction, and ability to convene a diverse team of managers and provisioners of science to tackle a shared problem. Science is continually reviewed and updated within academic institutions so fostering collaborative research and effectively providing science to advance Chesapeake Bay restoration and conservation efforts between these entities and the CBP is a critical step in maintaining progress towards science needs.
Presenters:
Breck Sullivan – Overview of Strategic Science and Research Framework and Database – One-stop-shop for CBP science needs
Andrew Miller – Providing scientific and technical advice through STAC Workshops
Jeremy Testa – Direct and indirect application of research to address evolving Chesapeake Bay Program science needs
Tamra Mendelson – Broadening Participation in Environmental Problem-Solving
Alexander Gunnerson – Building Capacity in the Strategic Science and Research Framework through the Environmental Management Career Development Program
Julie Reichert-Nguyen – Connecting undergraduate internship programs with climate resilience science needs in Chesapeake Bay to elevate career pathways and advance progress in climate change research