Linda Silka - National Initiatives with Statewide Impact: The Sustainability Soulutions Initiative

NATIONAL INITIATIVES WITH STATEWIDE IMPACT:

THE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS INITIATIVE

Karen Hutchins & Linda Silka, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center,

University of Maine

Maine is Participating in National Efforts to Increase Impact of Individual Work: SSI

• Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI)

• Funded by National Science Foundation

• Part of national and international efforts to change the way science is done so science makes a difference

• Move away from what has been called the “loading dock” problem

What Are the Changes?

• Higher Ed Working With Stakeholders (Knowledge to Action)

• Disciplines Working Together

• Groups Working Across Campuses

• Place-Based Work that can Generalize

SSI Examples

• “Sustainable Urban Regions Project”

• “Safeguarding a Vulnerable Watershed”

• “Ecological and Social Change: Adaptation, Place and Evaluation”

• “Mapping a Sustainable Future”

• “Helping Communities Weather the Storms”

• “Mobilizing to Fight an Invasive Insect”

• “Renewable Energy from the Tides”

• “Restoring Maine’s Rivers”

SSI Examples

• “Sustaining Our Lakes”

• “Sustaining Quality of Place in the Saco River Estuary through Community Based Ecosystem Management”

• “Assessing the Feasibility and Sustainability of Renewable Energy Production in the Aroostook River Watershed Through Research and Stakeholder Partnerships”

• “Charting the Rangeley Region’s Social-Ecological System and Identifying Community Sustainability Strategies”

How Do These Fit Together?

• Connecting knowledge with action in ways that promote:– strong economies,

– vibrant communities, and

– healthy ecosystems in and beyond Maine

• Seeking to transform Maine’s capacity for addressing scientific challenges by building a statewide network of higher education institutions and partnership institutions

• Identifying alignment between research and community needs

• Strengthening impact: studying and working with relevant organizations that have regional or statewide reach

Identifying Ways to Work with Partners Throughout Maine

Maine Salt Management

Taskforce

Implications, Conclusions, Next Steps

• Regional and statewide partners: unique opportunities for conducting research that can have local and broad impacts

Implications for Sustainable SolutionsIdentifying Needs and Problems Together: Aligning Supply and Demand

Informing Present and

Future ResearchIdentifying

Factors Influencing the

System

Institutionalizing Training

Opportunities

Identifying New Research Frames; Seeking New

Communication Outlets

Mentoring Building a Program

CONTACT [email protected]@maine.eduFor Information about SSI: www.umaine.edu/sustainabilitysolutions/

This project is supported by National Science Foundationaward EPS-0904155 to Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine.