IGERT: Marine Biodiversity - Understanding Threats and Providing Solutions

人类深刻地影响着地球的许多物理和生物过程，对未来的后果却知之甚少。多年来，人们的关注主要集中在陆地上，但海洋生态系统的退化和脆弱性现在已经很明显。确定环境变化的规模和原因是一项复杂的任务，但仅此还不够。必须评估备选政策反应的环境和社会经济后果，并且必须将这些信息有效地传达给决策者和公众。为了实现这一目标，我们提出了一项综合研究和培训计划，旨在回答我们具有专门知识的特定海洋生态系统的以下问题：(1)海洋生态系统如何随时间变化，影响这些动态的主要力量是什么？(2)目前海洋生态系统是如何运作的？它们提供了哪些服务？(3)保护和恢复海洋生物多样性和生态系统功能有哪些政策选择？(4)决策者需要哪些信息（生物和社会经济），如何最好地向他们和广大公众传达这些信息？为了满足这一需求，我们计划了一种新型的研究生培训，其核心是一系列跨学科，团队合作，解决问题的经验，以培养具有全球视野的分析和沟通能力。这个IGERT项目的关键新颖元素是：相关自然科学和社会科学的密集入门课程（第一个夏天）；为期一年的案例研究课程海洋科学，法律和政策，跨学科的学生团队一起研究社会面临的与海洋有关的问题（第一学年）；暑期实习（国内或国际，政府或非政府组织；第二个暑期）；召集跨学科团队，制定和协调目标生态系统的研究战略（第2年）；生物多样性信息学课程和伦理与沟通技巧研讨会（二、三年级）；与来自学术界内外的顾问（3-5年）一起完成一篇连接自然科学和社会科学的论文，解决一个重要的海洋保护问题。知识价值：IGERT项目将使人们对海洋生物多样性及其面临的威胁有更深入的了解，并提供解决这些威胁的方法。它的跨学科结构将促进在自然科学、社会科学和信息科学之间建立新的联系。更广泛的影响：该计划的主要目的是培养有能力面对与世界海洋健康有关的重要社会问题的新一代学生。具体内容包括建立学术界以外的联系（国内和国际），增加代表性不足的群体的代表性，以及在传统学术界之外传播调查结果。IGERT是一项nsf范围内的计划，旨在满足教育美国博士科学家和工程师的挑战，他们具有跨学科背景，所选学科的深厚知识，以及未来职业需求所需的技术，专业和个人技能。该计划旨在通过建立创新的研究生教育和培训模式，在一个超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中，促进研究生教育的文化变革。在该计划的第六年，奖项将颁发给那些由NSF支持的科学和工程领域的项目的机构。

Human beings profoundly affect many of the physical and biological processes of the planet, with consequences for the future that are poorly understood. For many years concern focused on the land, but the degradation and vulnerability of marine ecosystems is now apparent. Identifying the magnitude and causes of environmental change is a complex task, but this alone is not enough. The environmental and socioeconomic consequences of alternative policy responses must be evaluated, and this information must be conveyed effectively to policy-makers and the public. In order to accomplish this, we propose an integrated research and training plan designed to answer the following questions for specific marine ecosystems where we have expertise: (1) How have marine ecosystems changed over time and what are the main forces influencing those dynamics? (2) How do marine ecosystems currently function and what services do they provide? (3) What are the policy options available for protecting and restoring marine biodiversity and ecosystem function? (4) What information (biological and socio-economic) is needed by decision-makers and how is it best communicated to them and to the public at large?To meet this need, we plan a new type of graduate training whose centerpiece is a series of interdisciplinary, team-based, problem-solving experiences to foster analytical and communication skills with a global outlook. Key novel elements of this IGERT program are: an intensive introductory course in the relevant natural and social sciences (1st summer); a year-long, case-studies course Marine Science, Law and Policy in which interdisciplinary teams of students work together on marine-related problems facing society (1st academic year); a summer internship (national or international, governmental or NGO; 2nd summer); assembly of interdisciplinary teams to elaborate and coordinate research strategies for targeted ecosystems (year 2); an Informatics in Biodiversity class and workshops in ethics and communication skills (years 2 & 3); and a dissertation bridging the natural and social sciences that addresses an important marine conservation problem, with advisors from within and outside academia (years 3-5).Intellectual Merit: The IGERT program will provide greater understanding of marine biodiversity, the threats that it faces, and provide methods to address those threats. Its interdisciplinary structure will facilitate creation of novel links across the natural, social and informatic sciences.Broader Impact: The primary purpose of the program is to train a new generation of students capable of confronting important societal issues with respect to the health of the world's oceans. Specific elements include building links outside academia (nationally and internationally), increasing representation of under-represented groups, and communicating the results of investigations outside traditional academic circles.IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. In this sixth year of the program, awards are being made to institutions for programs that collectively span the areas of science and engineering supported by NSF.