A Rise in the Need for Convergence Research at the Coastal Land-margin
Abstract
This presentation discusses the evolution of convergence research beyond transdisciplinary approaches to address coastal environmental science problems, with special consideration of communication processes in sustained scientist-stakeholder team interactions. Our experiences stem from over a decade of collaborating with colleagues at various career levels in social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and engineering. These interdisciplinary efforts address complex challenges of sea level rise through large, multi-year, federally-funded projects focused on coastal land-margin regions of the northern Gulf of Mexico. We will demonstrate that scientific advancements from interconnected studies across an array of disciplines that effectively evaluate reciprocal feedbacks between coupled natural and human systems are greatly needed for more resilient coasts. Focus will be placed on a convergence research approach that is characterized by: (1) a specific, compelling, or pressing scientific and/or societal challenge, opportunity, or need and (2) deep and intentional multi-disciplinary integration (www.nsf.gov/od/oia/convergence/index.jsp). More conceptual examination of these two tenets of convergence from various points of view is clearly warranted and will be offered.
Given the growing emphasis on convergence by the NSF, NAS, and others, this presentation explores crucial questions such as: What is (or should be) the role of communication in convergence approaches, in particular research at the coastal land-margin? How can environmental communication foster convergence within sea level rise projects? In what ways can research teams communicate more effectively within and across their disciplines and with various stakeholder groups? How will science communication help facilitate innovative research questions, frameworks, and scientific language to achieve transformative solutions to these complex problems? Our observations and insights, including those from project experiences, will be shared and discussed.- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMSY001..01D
- Keywords:
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- 1641 Sea level change;
- GLOBAL CHANGE;
- 4313 Extreme events;
- NATURAL HAZARDS;
- 4321 Climate impact;
- NATURAL HAZARDS;
- 4323 Human impact;
- NATURAL HAZARDS