Society expects that discoveries by environmental scientists will lead to improvements that can sustain natural systems and mitigate the negative impacts of human activities. For this to happen, scientific discoveries must translate to changes in human behavior, policies, and institutions. Yet, ecologists often are unable to convey knowledge effectively to the public or to policymakers. Recognizing this, some scientists now call for development of a "translational ecology" that can engage citizens, stakeholders, and policymakers in actionable ways. Drawing on the expertise of a team that includes ecologists, social scientists, education researchers, science policy specialists, and end users of environmental science, this project seeks to identify the learning processes necessary for graduate students in ecology to become translational scientists, as well as pedagogies suited for training students in this activity.
Resources:
| Resource Title | Brief Summary |
|---|---|
| Translational training for tomorrow’s environmental scientists |
Sep 15, 2015 Article published in Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences. |
| What is Translational Ecology? - Definition |
Aug 01, 2014 Definition of translational ecology, as developed by the SESYNC Translational Ecology pursuit team in August 2014. |
| Ideal Knowledge, Skills, and Dispositional Attributes of Translational Ecology Practitioners |
Jul 02, 2015 Matrix prepared by the SESYNC Translational Ecology pursuit group (July 2015). |
| What Is Translational Ecology? |
Jun 14, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
| What Makes a Translational Ecologist?: Part 1: Knowledge |
Jun 21, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
| What Makes a Translational Ecologist?: Part 2: Skills |
Jun 28, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
| What Makes a Translational Ecologist?: Part 3: Dispositional Attributes |
Jul 04, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
| From Fountain to Firehose |
Jul 12, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
| Ten Communication Tips for Translational Scientists |
Jul 19, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
| Training Translational Ecologists: Moving from Accidental to Intentional |
Jul 26, 2016 Article published in Integration and Implementation Insights. |
