PAST SEMINARS/EVENTS available on DVD
To request a copy of one of the seminars below, contact Kim Raymond or call 207/581-3244.
SSI SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS
Tuesday, November 13 at 12pm
Room 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine
Can Urban Watersheds Be Sustainable?
Tom Schueler, Chesapeake Stormwater Network
2012 Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture on Sustainability
September 25, 2012
A Call to Arms for a Transition to Sustainability
Pamela Matson, Stanford University
Hauck Auditorium, UMaine, Orono, ME
Click here for videocast.
2011 Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture on Sustainability
October 13, 2011
Helping Science Speak for Itself: Improving Communication Between Scientists and Citizens
Baruch Fischhoff, Carnegie Mellon University
Wells Conference Center, UMaine, Orono, ME
Click here for videocast.
David Owen, University of Maine School of Law, SSI team member
Legal Protection of Biodiversity in Stormwater-Impacted Urban Streams
October 19, 2009
Click here for an article on the seminar (pdf).
Angus King, Keynote Speaker
Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative Kick-off
Data-driven policy: the role
of universities in creating a
sustainable Maine.
September 24, 2009
Elena Irwin, Associate Prof., Dept. of Agricultural,
Environmental, & Development Economics, The Ohio State
University
Social-ecological systems research: some perspectives on
the good, the bad and the ugly
September 10, 2009
FALL 2012
SSI Seminar Series
October 25, 2012
Room 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine
Operational Polycentricity: Sustainable Governance and Governance for Sustainability
Mike Fotos, Dept. of Political Science, Yale University
SPRING 2012
SSI Seminar Series
February 23, 2012
Dr. Robert Jacobson, USGS
12:00 noon - Conceptualizing and Communicating River Restoration
3:00 pm - Re-engineering the Lower Missouri River for Ecosystem Recovery: A Long Strange Trip
Wells Conference Center Room 2
Sponsored by Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative and the Dept. of Earth Sciences
March 12, 2012
Todd Norton, The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
Integrating graduate and undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines
through place-based research problems
2:00 pm, Wells Conference Center Room 3
Todd will also give a keynote talk at the 2012 Maine Water Conference on Wed., March 14 at the Augusta Civic Center. Registration information is available at http://www.umaine.edu/WaterResearch/mwc/index.htm
Hosted by Laura Lindenfeld
March 29, 2012
David Sloan Wilson, SUNY
Using Evolution to Improve the Quality of Life
12:00 noon -Wells Conference Center Room 3
Sponsored by Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative
and University of Maine's Distinguished Lecturer Series
Other Seminars
February 16, 2012
John Jemison, Maine Cooperative Extension
Assessing Maine's Agricultural
Future: A Qualitative Research Project
12:00 Noon, Bangor Room, Memorial Union
Sponsored by the Sustainable Food Sustems Seminars
February 20, 2012
John Lichter, Bowdoin College
Ecological recovery in coastal Maine
12:00pm, 204 Nutting Hall
Sponsored by the Wildlife Ecology Seminar Series
February 20, 2012
Micah Pawling, PhD
Candidate for Faculty Position in Native American Studies
Roots Deeper than any Tree: Wabanaki Homeland, Mobility, and Petitions in the Early Nineteenth Century
1:00pm, Wells Conference Center Room 3
University of Maine
February 23, 2012
Facilitators: Mary Madden and Susan Gardner
Interdisciplinary Research and Peer Committees
2:00pm, Bangor Room, Memorial Union
Sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Research Initiative
March 19, 2012
Tony Sutton, Dept of Communication, SSI
Local Food and the Aroostook Band of Micmac
12:10om, 424 Dunn Hall
Sponsored by the CMJ Colloquium Series
2012 Conferences
2012 Maine Water Conference
March 14, 2012
Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine
SER 7th Annual Conference
Mid-Atlantic and New England Chapter
Restoration on the Edge
March 23-24, 2012
Brooklyn College, City University of New York
FALL 2011
October 17, 2011
Stanley Temple, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Talk: Aldo Leopold, Phenology and Climate Change
12:00 – 1:00pm, 204 Nutting Hall, UMaine
Film screening: Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time
3:10pm, 100 Nutting Hall, UMaine
Sponsored by the WLE, EES, SBE, FOR, Forestry and SSI
SPRING 2010
January 15, 2010
Professor Jon Foley, Director of the Institute of the Environment at the University of Minnesota
The Other Inconvenient Truth: A Global Crisis of Land, Food and Environment
12:00 noon, 105 Norman Smith Hall
* Following the talk there will be the opportunity for group discussion from 1-2pm.
FALL 2009
December 7, 2009
Jessica Jansujwicz, Ecology and Environmental Science
Property Rights, Public Goods, and Collective Action:
Collaborative Management and Vernal Pool Conservation Planning in Maine
12:00 pm, 204 Nutting Hall
Research Proposal Seminar
December 10, 2009
Dawn Morgan, Ecology and Environmental Science
Conserving Maine Vernal Pools Through Collaborative Local Initiatives
10:00 am, 204 Nutting Hall
Masters Project Presentation
December 11, 2009
Linda Silka, Interim Director, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, SSI team member.
Smart Growth: Bringing Disciplines Together to Develop Innovative Solutions
11:00 am, 201 Winslow Hall
Sponsored by the School of Economics Seminar Series
December 11, 2009
Jack Kartez, Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, USM, SSI team member.
Meeting the challenge of turning research-based information into societal action: accumulating evidence - old and new.
3:10pm, 102 Murray Hall
Co-sponsored by the Dept of Wildlife Ecology & School of Biology and Ecology
For information: Jessica Jansujwicz
September 28, 2009
Rutherford H. Platt, Prof. of Geography Emeritus, UMass & Senior Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Cities (CUNY)
The Humane Metropolis: People and Nature in the 21st Century
12:00 noon, 204 Nutting Hall, UMaine
Sponsored by the Dept of Wildlife Ecology and SSI.
For information: Jessica Jansujwicz
SPRING 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at 3:30pm
Soderberg Auditorium, Jenness Hall, UMaine, Orono
Speaker: Buster Simpson
Works that Work - Art & Sustainability
2009 Geddes W. Simpson Distinguished Lecture
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 at 3pm
McIntire Room, Buchanan Alumni House, UMaine, Orono
Speaker: David R. Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest
Reading and Conserving New England. Using History to Interpret and Manage Nature
To order a DVD of this lecture, contact Judy Round at 207/581-5104
Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 1pm
Room 100, D.P. Corbett Building, University of Maine, Orono
Speaker: Harold Pachios, Preti Flaherty Beliveau and Pachios
Politics and the evolution of environmental regulations in Maine
To order a DVD of this lecture, please contact Ruth Hallsworth at 207/581-3196.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Speaker: Linda Silka, UMass Lowell
Creating effective university-community research partnerships
Linda's PowerPoint presentation is avaiable for download (pdf)
Watch video of Linda's lecture at MobileMaineNews.com.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Speaker: Robert Kates
Sustainability Solutions Initiative discussion with Bob Kates
Watch video of Robert's discussion at MobileMaineNews.com.
FALL 2008
Thursday, September 18
Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture on the Environment
2008 Mitchell Lecturer: Mary Evelyn Tucker
The Environmental Crisis as a Moral and Spiritual Challenge
With remarks by Senator Mitchell.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Thursday, November 6
The Naturalist's Narrative: Scientific Exploration and the Origins of Ecological Thinking
Dr. Richard Judd, University of Maine History Department
Richard Judd is the Adelaide & Alan Bird Professor of History at the University of Maine in Orono and co-author of the book Natural States: The Environmental Imagination in Maine, Oregon, and the Nation. Dr. Judd's primary field of interest is US environmental history.
Thursday, November 20
Art, Ecoventions, and Change: A Look at Contemporary Art Practice
Andy Mauery, UMaine Dept. of Art
The term ecovention describes an artist-initiated project that employs an inventive strategy to intervene in or transform a local ecology. Ecoventions usually involve collaborations between artists, community members and local specialists such as ecologists, botanists, landscape architects or urban planners.
Thursday, December 4
Our "Indian Distinction": Penobscot Indian Diplomacy and Critiques of Participation in Environmental Decision Making
Dr. Darren Ranco, University of Maine
SPRING 2008
Thursday, April 17
The Most Complex and Extensive Ecosystem Restoration Project Ever Proposed: Lessons from the CALFED Program
Dave Owen, University of Maine School of Law
Dave Owen specializes in environmental law. His research interests range from ecosystem restoration to climate change, and he is particularly interested in legal responses to environmental uncertainty and change. He teaches courses in environmental law, natural resources law, water law, and administrative law.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Friday, May 2
Penobscot River, Penobscot Bay: State of the Watershed
Gayle Zydlewski, University of Maine
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Piloting the Nation's First Watershed Center of Excellence
Laurie Fowler, Director of Policy, UGA River Basin Center.
In 2006, with funding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, the UGA River Basin Center became the nation's first "Watershed Center of Excellence", charged with increasing the capacity of stakeholders within the Upper Altahama Watershed in Georgia to restore water quality. Fowler will explain EPA's goals for the Center, criteria for project selection, project delivery which involves students in every aspect, and similar efforts now underway at universities throughout the nation.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Monday, January 28, 1:00pm
Talking about the earth: Environmental communication in the 21st century
Stephen Depoe, Assoc. Prof. of Communication, Univ. of Cincinnati
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Tuesday, February 26, 1-2pm
Environmental Forum with Attorney General Steve Rowe
Presentation and discussion on environmental protection actions undertaken by the Office of the Maine Attorney General. This will include discussion of several actions where the state has sued the Environmental Protection Agency for failure to enforce the Clean Air Act.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Tuesday, February 26, 4:00pm
The Environmental Solutions Initiative: Linking Knowledge to Action for a Sustainable Maine
Kathleen Bell, School of Economics;
Aram Calhoun, Dept. of Wildlife Ecology;
David Hart, Mitchell Center for Env.& Watershed Research; Rob Lilieholm, School of Forest Resources
Part of the Research Cafe series co-sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research and the University Club.
For information: Lynne Whittlesey 581-3465
FALL 2007
Learning by Doing: Lessons learned from current ESI projects
Facilitator: Terry Porter
Project presenters: Aram Calhoun, Chris Cronan & Rob Lilieholm, Jessica Leahy, John Peckenham, Gayle Zydlewski
Earlier this year, five ESI research projects were initiated. These projects proposed to examine various aspects of the causes and consequences of land use change and development in the Lower Penobscot region working in close collaboration with local stakeholders. This open workshop/ discussion will bring together faculty and stakeholders to discuss their progress in "learning by doing". Our goals are two-fold: one is to obtain an update on each project to date; the second is to provide an open forum to discuss how well these projects are working and what can/should be done differently.
Friday, September 21
Journalists are from Venus, Scientists are from Mars - Bridging the Two Worlds
Nancy Baron and Ken Weiss
Media coverage of environmental debates often shapes public awareness and opinions about science. While scientists play a critical role both as a resource for journalists and as a valuable information source for the public, they are often frustrated with how their work is portrayed in the press. This session provides suggestions for engaging with journalists to achieve positive, effective results. Communications trainer Nancy Baron and Pulitzer prize winning journalist Ken Weiss of the Los Angeles Times will give a behind-the-scenes look at how scientific research is covered in the press, the realities of reporting on science and environment, what it takes to get your message across, and practical advice for interacting with reporters.
Thursday, September 27
Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture on the Environment
Speakers: James Gustave "Gus" Speth & Senator George J. Mitchell
A DVD of this lecture is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
SPRING 2007
Thursday, May 3, 1-3pm.
David Hart, Director, Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research
Environmental Solutions Initiative, Phase II: The implementation plan
The purpose of this final ESI presentation of the spring semester was to review several key principles that have been discussed for linking knowledge to action, and to delineate plans for putting these ideas into practice via on-the-ground interdisciplinary research projects and stakeholder partnerships.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
On April 19, Kathleen Bell, Resource Economics and Policy, and Rob Lilieholm, School of Forest Resources, discussed some alternative futures modeling approaches for the lower Penobscot River watershed. The discussion covered work Kathleen and Rob have completed in other regions using this apporach. Also discussed were emerging issues of concern related to changes in land use, examination of how alternative futures models may be used to assess such changes, and the role of such models in promoting interdisciplinary research.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
On March 29, Ron Beard, Extension Educator from UMaine Cooperative Extension, led a discussion that focused on the creation of partnerships between Cooperative Extension and ESI to facilitate environmental problem-solving.
As you may recall, one of the central principles of ESI is for researchers to engage with stakeholders as part of the problem-solving process (e.g., Cash et al. 2003. PNAS 100 (no. 14): 8086-8091). Improved engagement is needed both for understanding how research can be focused on issues of concern to stakeholders, and for increasing the chances that after research products are developed, they get used by stakeholders to improve environmental policies and practices.
Given that most researchers already have a “full plate” of commitments, however, it is not clear that they also have sufficient time and adequate training to develop and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders. Fortunately, working with stakeholders is one of the great strengths of Cooperative Extension, and they have a remarkable breadth of experience helping local communities address a variety of needs.
On February 8, an open discussion took place to review and synthesize what we have learned so far this semester from interactions with stakeholders. Ideas were discussed for ways to grow the capacity of the Environmental Solutions Initiative.
On February 1, our panelists included Gayle Zydlewski (Cove Brook Watershed Council), Sally Jacobs (Orono Land Trust), John Burrows (Atlantic Salmon Federation), and Tom Brann (Hampden Council member). All are involved with initatives affecting the lower Penobscot River watershed and bay, including open space protection, watershed restoration, and riverfront revitalization. Catherine Schmitt, science writer for the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research and Maine Sea Grant) facilitated. Session DVD available.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
The January 25 session featured a panel discussion focused on the future of the lower Penobscot region. The panelists included Evan Richert (former Director of the State Planning Office), Tom Doak (Executive Director, Small Woodlot Owners Association of Maine), and Philip Conkling (President, Island Institute). Chris Cronan, co-leader of the Environmental Solutions Initative, facilitated.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
On January 18, former Governor Angus King presented via videoconference the first in a series of dialogues about the environmental challenges and opportunities facing Maine, especially in the lower Penobscot River watershed. King engaged in a discussion with faculty, students and interested stakeholders about the findings and recommendations of the Brookings report, and what roles the Environmental Solutions Initiative can play in addressing local and regional problems. This discussion was facilitated by Kathleen Bell, Department of Resource Economics and Policy, UMaine, and Mac Hunter, Department of Wildlife Ecology, UMaine.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
FALL 2006
During the fall semester, 2006, we brought in experienced colleagues from inside and outside Maine to help us understand how universities can transform themselves to be of greater service to society through interdisciplinary applied research and engagement with stakeholders. We discussed the many challenges and opportunities involved in linking knowledge to action. Following is a list of the invited speakers which will provide some additional background on the evolution of the Environmental Solutions Initiative.
Thursday, October 12
William Schlesinger, Dean, Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University
The Nicholas School of the Environment: Innovations in interdisciplinary environmental science
Bill discussed his hands-on experience leading the Nicholas School at Duke University, and offered valuable insights on the factors that contribute to successful interdisciplinary environmental teaching and research programs.
Thursday, October 26
Mary Cathcart and Lee Webb, Margaret Chase Smith Center for Public Policy, UMaine
Engaging with Augusta - Strategies to increase the relevance and value of environmental research programs for Maine
Mary and Lee have extensive experience in state-level politics and policy development. They discussed their recent research focusing on how UMaine researchers can meet State needs more effectively.
Thursday, November 30
David Cash, Director of Air, Energy and Waste Policy, Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs
At The Nexus: Environmental Policy, Science and Politics
David discussed work he completed while at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. This research included various case studies designed to identify key factors influencing the effectiveness of efforts to link knowledge to action in environmental problem solving.
Thursday, December 7
Robert Kates, Distinguished Scientist, Clark University and Independent Scholar, Trenton, Maine
Sustainability Science: Good for Science? Good for Maine?
A member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of the National Medal of Science, Bob discussed his work on the research strategies and institutional innovations needed to effect a transition to sustainability.
To date, we have convened faculty from more than 20 UMaine departments who are committed to working with government, the private sector, and NGOs to help search for, evaluate, and implement sustainable solutions to local and regional challenges.
