Interdisciplinary Modeling for Aquatic Ecosystems Curriculum Development Workshop, Granlibakken Conference Center at Lake Tahoe July 17-22, 2005

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This award supports development of a graduate level course with an overall objective of engaging interdisciplinary discourse in modeling aquatic ecosystems. The successful workshop implementation will result in materials that can be distributed as a collection via an internet website so that instructors who wish to teach this course at any institution for higher learning will have background materials and a recommended curriculum. Interdisciplinary modeling is a useful approach for managing and understanding aquatic ecosystems, but there are several impediments to the implementation of successful interdisciplinary modeling of aquatic ecosystems, including (1) different spatial and temporal scales that specific disciplines are concerned with; (2) differences in degrees of uncertainty of data and models; (3) lack of awareness of what modeling options are available in an interdisciplinary sense; (4) difficulties in communication between disciplines, where different terminology and perspectives can get in the way of discussing common issues or concerns; and (5) scientists and modelers need to be educated and trained about interdisciplinary approaches. The course will provide students with enhanced knowledge about the availability of models for aquatic ecosystems in different disciplines, how such models might be applied together to address aquatic ecosystem issues, and the experience of working in interdisciplinary teams to apply interdisciplinary modeling approaches to increase knowledge about aquatic ecosystems. These students will then be better-prepared for professional or academic careers in which they interact with peers from other disciplines to address real-world aquatic ecosystem issues.