fall 2008 l spring 2008 l fall 2007 l spring 2007 l fall 2006
SPRING 2009
Seminar listings for Spring 2009 are available on Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative Web site.
FALL 2008
Thursday, November 6
12noon-1pm
Room 107, Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
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
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Room 107, Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
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
12noon - 1pm
Room 107, Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
Our "Indian Distinction": Penobscot Indian Diplomacy and Critiques of Participation in Environmental Decision Making
Dr. Darren Ranco, University of Maine
SPRING 2008 (archive)
Thursday, April 17
12noon-1pm
Room 107, Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
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.
Prior to joining the Maine Law faculty in 2007, Dave practiced with a small San Francisco firm specializing in environmental, land use, and water law, and he clerked for Judge Samuel Conti of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. Before attending law school, Dave worked as a geologist and environmental auditor with an environmental consulting firm.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu.
Friday, May 2
11:00 am
Room 354 Aubert Hall, UMaine, Orono
Penobscot River, Penobscot Bay: State of the Watershed
Gayle Zydlewski, University of Maine
Sponsored by the School of Marine Sciences Seminar Series
For information: 581-4381
Thursday, March 20, 2008
12noon-1pm
Room 107, Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
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.
Laurie Fowler is an environmental attorney with a joint appointment at the University of Georgia School of Law and Odum School of Ecology. She is the director for policy of the River Basin Center, where ecologist, lawyers, planners and economists research the effects of land use on water quality and biodiversity and assist governments in the development of management strategies to protect water resources.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Monday, January 28, 1:00pm
Room 107, Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
Talking about the earth: Environmental communication in the 21st century
Stephen Depoe, Assoc. Prof. of Communication, Univ. of Cincinnati
Sponsored by the Mitchell Center and the UMaine Dept. of Communication and Journalism.
A DVD of this seminar is available. Contact umgmc@maine.edu for additional information.
Tuesday, February 26, 1-2pm
Room 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine, Orono
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
University Club, Fogler Library
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
Friday, December 14 from 10:30am-12:30pm. Room 107, Norman Smith Hall
Summary documents and Power Point presentations from this workshop are available from the "funded projects" web page.
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. This workshop will also assist in providing information and prompting discussion for a new round of ESI projects. The request for proposals deadline for FY09 projects is January 11, 2008.
Journalists are from Venus, Scientists are from Mars - Bridging the Two Worlds
Nancy Baron and Ken Weiss
Friday, September 21. Seminar begins at 11am. Refreshments served from 10:30am. Room 107 Norman Smith Hall.
Download Nancy Baron's "Message Box" (PowerPoint document)
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.
This seminar is sponsored by the School of Marine Sciences, Maine Sea Grant, and the Mitchell Center.
Senator George J. Mitchell Lecture on the Environment
Thursday, September 27 at 1:30pm
Hauck Auditorium, University of Maine, Orono
Speakers: James Gustave "Gus" Speth & Senator George J. Mitchell
This event is free and open to all. Tickets are required. Please call 207/581-3244 for reservations.
SPRING 2007
Thursday, May 3, 1-3pm.
David Hart, Director, Senator George J. Mitchell Center
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. Presentation and DVD available.
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. Session DVD available.
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 and Maine Sea Grant) facilitated. Session DVD available.
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.
Presentations and DVD available.
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.
Session DVD available.
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.
The Environmental Solutions Initiative seminars are sponsored by the Senator George J. Mitchell Center, University of Maine Ecology and Environmental Sciences Program, and the School of Marine Sciences. |
