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INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CONTRIBUTES TO IMPROVED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC
Citation:
Bradley, M P. AND T H. Pheiffer. INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CONTRIBUTES TO IMPROVED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MID-ATLANTIC. Presented at ReVA/MAIA Conference, King of Prussia, PA, May 13-15, 2003.
Description:
EPA and other federal agencies have conducted considerable research in the Mid-Atlantic region. EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program funds academic scientists and engineers to conduct complementary research. Some of the research results are being used, but there is a lag between completion of research and actual use in an applied manner. The Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA) has found that providing lists and abstracts of research results to a decision maker does not facilitate use of the results by managers. It was also found that seminar series help inform managers about the state-of-the-science, but do not result in use of research results.
MAIA has also identified unique approaches that have been developed and implemented by organizations throughout the mid-Atlantic region to respond to environmental problems and concerns, but these innovative new methods are not being tech-transferred to other environmental managers.
MAIA is developing and testing methods to translate highly technical material for managerial use and to ensure broader use of research results and best management practices. A process has been developed to evaluate research products to determine if they address problems or ecosystems in the Mid-Atlantic area and can lead directly to an applied product or use by a broad array of customers. Working with individual stakeholders, MAIA is successfully tech-transferring these research products.
The MAIA Case Studies Course is a graduate seminar where each student prepares a publication-quality report of an environmental "best practice." Each student selects an environmental best practice, from those provided by MAIA, relevant to his or her field of study. The student gathers relevant research and literature, and interacts with points-of-contact to develop a final case study for presentation. Case studies that meet appropriate professional standards are produced as full color MAIA publications with graphics.
The Case Studies Course is currently given at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and will be taught at universities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region in the near future, providing students an opportunity to experience the application of science to management issues.
MAIA is working with the STAR program, individual researchers, other federal agencies, universities, local and state governments, and NGOs to accomplish this task. The success of this project will enhance the use of good science for environmental decision-making and shorten the time it takes to transfer scientific results to environmental managers.