TY - JOUR
T1 - Lessons on the generation of usable science from an assessment of decision support practices
AU - Eden, Susanna
N1 - Funding Information:
Support for the work reported here was provided by SAHRA (Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas) under the STC program of the US National Science Foundation , agreement no. EAR-9876800. The author would like to thank Katharine Jacobs, U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy, and James Hogan, New Mexico Environment Department for their invaluable advice on this paper.
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - This paper reports on an assessment of activities undertaken to accelerate the transfer of new science into water management decision making. Current trends in science policy emphasize the need for research to demonstrate tangible benefits for decision makers, at the same time resource management decisions are recognized as involving multiple scientific disciplines embedded in specific decision contexts. SAHRA, a U.S. National Science Foundation funded Science and Technology Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas, has developed an innovative research framework intended to respond to these trends.Examination of the SAHRA experience yielded multiple lessons on research to support decision making, including strategies for reconciling needs for advances in science with providing decision support; fostering adoption of science products; and communicating with research users.These lessons reinforce basic principles of usable science described in the literature and expand evidence-based guidance on implementation, especially in building effective knowledge networks and developing adaptive capacity within the science enterprise. Lessons learned are applicable to closing the gap between science and decision-making, and building a foundation of process knowledge to aid similar efforts by others.
AB - This paper reports on an assessment of activities undertaken to accelerate the transfer of new science into water management decision making. Current trends in science policy emphasize the need for research to demonstrate tangible benefits for decision makers, at the same time resource management decisions are recognized as involving multiple scientific disciplines embedded in specific decision contexts. SAHRA, a U.S. National Science Foundation funded Science and Technology Center for Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas, has developed an innovative research framework intended to respond to these trends.Examination of the SAHRA experience yielded multiple lessons on research to support decision making, including strategies for reconciling needs for advances in science with providing decision support; fostering adoption of science products; and communicating with research users.These lessons reinforce basic principles of usable science described in the literature and expand evidence-based guidance on implementation, especially in building effective knowledge networks and developing adaptive capacity within the science enterprise. Lessons learned are applicable to closing the gap between science and decision-making, and building a foundation of process knowledge to aid similar efforts by others.
KW - Boundary organization
KW - Decision support
KW - Science communication
KW - Science translation
KW - Stakeholder-relevant science
KW - Usable science
KW - Water resource management
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U2 - 10.1016/j.envsci.2010.09.011
DO - 10.1016/j.envsci.2010.09.011
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78650559467
SN - 1462-9011
VL - 14
SP - 11
EP - 19
JO - Environmental Science and Policy
JF - Environmental Science and Policy
IS - 1
ER -