Working across Disciplines to Understand the Food-Energy (few) Nexus in Remote Arctic Communities
Abstract
Currently, an interdisciplinary team of engineers and social scientists from Alaska and Canada is investigating FEW security and connections in rural Alaska as part of a project funded by the National Science Foundation (http://ine.uaf.edu/microfews/). This project capitalizes on the increased recognition within the research community of the importance of a nexus approach to understand and optimize food, energy and water (FEW) security at regional and global scales. FEW security is a complex topic that inherently spans disciplines and traditional research silos. Thus, an interdisciplinary team of researchers and stakeholders is necessary for a nexus approach to understanding FEW security.
In order to successfully complete project objectives, we have found that expertise and detailed knowledge is needed within a number of disciplines. For example, while one team member can be very skilled at modeling energy systems, s/he may not have the training or background to conduct community interviews on FEW security, or vice versa. But if experts from different fields can step back and view the FEW system from a wider perspective and integrate knowledge gained from other disciplines, then successful convergent research can increase the overall knowledge and benefits to society. In our project, engineers are exploring ways to optimize the use of excess energy produced by renewable energy projects (i.e., dispatchable loads) to benefit FEW security. Meanwhile, social scientists are working with communities to identify needs and ways to incorporate renewable energy. By working together, we can model systems that are more likely to be beneficial and accepted by communities. Challenges encountered during this interdisciplinary project include unfamiliarity with terminology, different data types, varying communication modalities, diverse expectations, and changing time scales. To overcome these challenges, we have found that regular meetings among the research team, mutual respect of disciplinary knowledge, and re-iteration of the objectives and goals help facilitate convergence among the research team. By working together, we are integrating different kinds of data and figuring out how to quantify FEW security and improve the use of renewable energy for improved wellness of isolated Arctic communities.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMPA54A..06S
- Keywords:
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- 0799 General or miscellaneous;
- CRYOSPHERE;
- 9820 Techniques applicable in three or more fields;
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS;
- 6344 System operation and management;
- POLICY SCIENCES;
- 6610 Funding;
- PUBLIC ISSUES