HR: 08:30h
AN: GC31A-03    [Abstracts]
TI: The missing link: Creating science policies that facilitate the use of research in environmental and water-related decision-making
AU: * Dilling, L
EM: ldilling@cires.colorado.edu
AF: Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Colorado/CIRES, UCB 488, 1333 Grandview Ave., Boulder, CO 80309-0488 United States
AU: Pielke, R
EM: pielke@cires.colorado.edu
AF: Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, University of Colorado/CIRES, UCB 488, 1333 Grandview Ave., Boulder, CO 80309-0488 United States
AU: Sarewitz, D
EM: Daniel.Sarewitz@asu.edu
AF: Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874401, Tempe, AZ 85287-4401 United States
AB: Despite all good intentions, it is clear that science intended to serve decision making needs often fails to achieve that purpose. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina provides a recent, tragic example. The reasons for failures of science to support decision making are varied. Researchers studying forecasts of climate variability have found, for example, cases where information provided is not needed; information is needed but not provided; information lacks regional specificity; information is provided in an inaccessible form; poor communication exists between potential users and providers; there is a lack of trust in information or deliverers; institutional constraints prevent use of new information; and so on. Traditional science policies have institutionalized the separation of the conduct of science from its application and use. It is clear that as long as such a separation, reinforced by tradition, institution and culture, is the dominant paradigm of science policies, the efficient and effective use of science in environmental and water-related decision making will be hampered. We introduce here a research methodology for examining the decision making involved in setting science policies for research aimed at being useful. Based on the economic concept, the notion of "reconciling supply and demand" for information offers a framework for identifying missed opportunities where science policies can be adjusted to improve the usefulness of a given research portfolio. We present results from a case study focused on internal science policies and decision making within the Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) projects. The RISA program aims to "expand the range of choices available to private and public communities in a region, by...enabling practical decisions...using research-based knowledge" and so provides an excellent opportunity for harvesting lessons for creating usable science.
UR: http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/sparc/
DE: 1600 GLOBAL CHANGE
DE: 6309 Decision making under uncertainty
DE: 6339 System design
DE: 6620 Science policy (0485)
SC: Global Climate Change [GC]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005