Liza Lester – Ecologist Goes to Washington

How lessons from the natural world can improve urban planning

Liza Lester — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 13:16:55 +0000

Sydney Blankers is one of four 2015 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. A Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois-Chicago, she studies urban and environmental planning. In the podcast, Sydney discusses using ecological systems as models for urban planning. She also reflected on her meetings with policymakers on Capitol Hill to highlight how federally-funded research benefits the communities they represent.

For more on how organisms within the natural world can inspire technological innovations in urban communities, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone

This is the second in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2015 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

Engaging in policy has multifaceted benefits for scientists

Liza Lester — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 14:08:48 +0000

Cleo Chou is one of four 2015 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. A Ph.D. student at Princeton University, she studies carbon and nutrient cycling in tropical rainforests. In the podcast, Cleo discusses her research as well as her meetings with policymakers on Capitol Hill. She also touches on the benefits of ecologists communicating their research with policymakers.

For more on the importance of policy engagement see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

This is the first in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2015 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

Baron on earth stewardship and promoting a sustainable society

Liza Lester — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 16:03:27 +0000

Jill Baron works as an ecosystem ecologist at the United States Geological Survey Fort Collins Science Center. This past year, she completed her service as President of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) (2013-2014). Here, she reflects on her tenure as ESA President and her work with the Society to promote Earth stewardship.

For more on Baron’s perspective on Earth stewardship, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

Monitoring air quality in national parks

Liza Lester — Fri, 19 Dec 2014 14:49:28 +0000

Andrew Bingham is one of five ESA 2014 Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. At Colorado State University, he studies nitrogen storage in soil and its policy implications. In the podcast, Andrew reflects on his Capitol Hill visits while in Washington, DC and discusses his Geographic Information Systems (GIS) work with the National Park Service’s (NPS) Air Resources Division.

For more on GIS and NPS air quality monitoring activities, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

This is the fifth in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2014 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

The role of ecology in natural resource management decision-making

Liza Lester — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 16:30:42 +0000

Amber Childress is one of five ESA 2014 Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. A Ph.D. student at Colorado State University, she studies biogeochemical cycling and science-policy interactions. In the podcast, Amber discusses her experiences informing natural resource management decisions with science. She also elaborates on the need for ecologists to engage in the policy making process.

For more on the role of science in natural resource management, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

This is the fourth in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2014 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

Pikas act as climate indicators

Liza Lester — Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:42:33 +0000

Johanna Varner is one of five ESA 2014 Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. A Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, she studies pika behavioral responses to disturbances caused by climate change and wildfire. In the podcast, Johanna discusses her meetings with policymakers on Capitol Hill and elaborates on the various ecosystem services pikas provide.

For more on pikas, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

This is the third in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2014 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

The importance of investing in the researchers of the future

Liza Lester — Wed, 09 Jul 2014 16:47:44 +0000

Brittany West Marsden is one of five ESA 2014 Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. A Ph.D. student at the University of Maryland, she studies submerged aquatic vegetation in the Atlantic. In the podcast, Brittany discusses her research as well as her meetings with policymakers on Capitol Hill. She also elaborates on the need for sustained federal investment in programs and initiatives that support careers in science.

For more on the importance of these programs, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

This is the second in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2014 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

NSF IGERT: Transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries to advance career opportunities in science

Liza Lester — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:19:32 +0000

Sarah Anderson is one of five ESA 2014 Graduate Student Policy Award (GSPA) winners. A Ph.D. student at Washington State University, she studies atmospheric nitrogen deposition. In the podcast, Sarah discusses her meetings with policymakers on Capitol Hill and elaborates on her participation in the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Integrated Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program and how the experience has aided her research.

For more on the NSF IGERT, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.

This is the first in a series of episodes featuring graduate students recognized by ESA in 2014 for their work at the interface of science and society. For more information on the GSPA, click here.

Prescribed burns can aid in efforts to reduce severity of wildfires

Liza Lester — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 17:21:30 +0000

Matthew Hurteau is Assistant Professor for Forest Resources at the Pennsylvania State University Dept. of Ecosystem Science and Management. His research focuses on climate change mitigation and adaptation in forest systems. Here, he reflects on meetings he had on Capitol Hill with his Pennsylvania congressional delegation as well as forestry staff with the House Agriculture Committee to discuss his research on prescribed burns and how they can benefit wildfire management activities. Hurteau also provides useful preparatory information to scientists looking to engage in policy.

For more on policy related to wildfire mitigation, see the accompanying post on ESA’s blog, EcoTone.