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，对未来的影响却鲜为人知。多年来，人们的关注主要集中在土地上，但现在海洋生态系统的退化和脆弱性显而易见。确定环境变化的规模和原因是一项复杂的任务，但仅有这一点是不够的。必须评估替代政策应对措施的环境和社会经济后果，并将这一信息有效地传达给政策制定者和公众。为了实现这一目标，我们提出了一项综合研究和培训计划，旨在为我们拥有专业知识的特定海洋生态系统回答以下问题：(1)海洋生态系统随着时间的推移发生了怎样的变化，影响这些动态的主要力量是什么？(2)海洋生态系统目前的功能是什么，它们提供了什么服务？(3)保护和恢复海洋生物多样性和生态系统功能的政策选择是什么？(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，我们计划一种新型的研究生培训，其核心是一系列跨学科的、基于团队的、解决问题的经验，以培养具有全球视野的分析和沟通能力。这一IGERT方案的主要新颖内容是：相关自然科学和社会科学的强化入门课程(第一个暑期)；为期一年的案例研究课程，在该课程中，跨学科的学生团队共同研究社会面临的与海洋有关的问题(第一个学年)；暑期实习(国家或国际、政府或非政府组织；第二个暑期)；为目标生态系统拟订和协调研究战略的跨学科小组聚会(第二年)；生物多样性信息学课程和伦理与沟通技能讲习班(第二年和第三年)；以及一篇联系自然科学和社会科学的论文，该论文解决了一个重要的海洋保护问题，来自学术界内外的顾问(3-5年级)。智力上的好处：IGERT计划将提供对海洋生物多样性及其面临的威胁的更多了解，并提供应对这些威胁的方法。它的跨学科结构将促进在自然、社会和信息科学之间建立新的联系。广泛影响：该计划的主要目的是培养新一代学生，能够面对与世界海洋健康有关的重要社会问题。具体内容包括建立(国内和国际)学术界以外的联系，增加代表性不足的团体的代表性，以及在传统学术圈子之外传达调查结果。IGERT是一个NSF范围的项目，旨在应对培养具有跨学科背景、选定学科的深厚知识以及未来职业需求所需的技术、专业和个人技能的美国博士科学家和工程师的挑战。该项目旨在通过建立创新的研究生教育和培训新模式，在超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中，催化研究生教育的文化变革。在该计划的第六个年头，由NSF支持的共同跨越科学和工程领域的项目将被授予机构奖项。

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.