Future directions for synthesis in ecological and environmental science: Learning from the past 25 years to chart the next generation of synthesis

生态和环境科学的综合实践现在经常被用来解决许多最紧迫的科学和社会环境研究问题。大数据的快速增长正在加速合成领域的进步，为应对各种生态和环境挑战的新颖研究问题、学科、视角和数据技术创造了新的机遇。该奖项将支持举办一次研讨会，旨在反思合成科学的现状，并通过促进广泛和趋同的论述，探索生态合成领域新出现的需求、机会和前沿。一个不同的科学家社区将共同确定优先研究方向，并制定下一个十年的研究议程，其中包括大胆的新思维和战略优先顺序。在这个综合研讨会中，一个由近100名专家组成的多学科、多样化的小组将在加利福尼亚州圣巴巴拉聚集，集思广益，讨论机会和需求，并为生态和环境科学的综合制定前瞻性议程。参与者将参与有组织的想法分享的Charrette式的分组会议，重点是具有结果目标的扩张性思维。全体讨论将穿插进行，主旨发言人的遴选将优先考虑若干措施的多样性，特别是性别平等和职业阶段代表性。研讨会将讨论与环境科学合成的未来相关的一系列主题，包括生态预测、合成的网络基础设施、数据驱动的保护决策、人工智能(AI)在生态学中的作用和未来、与利益攸关方共同制作合成科学，以及合成在社会生态系统研究和促进多样性和包容性中的作用。在研讨会结束时，想法将被综合到生态和环境综合科学前沿的同行评议出版物中，以向更广泛的受众传达重要的见解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The practice of synthesis in ecology and environmental science is now routinely used to address many of the most pressing scientific and societal environmental research questions. The rapid growth in big data is accelerating advances in synthesis, creating new opportunities for novel research questions, disciplines, perspectives, and data techniques to address a variety of ecological and environmental challenges. This award will support a workshop aimed at reflecting on the current status of synthesis science and exploring emerging needs, opportunities and frontiers in ecological synthesis by facilitating expansive and convergent discourse. A diverse community of scientists will collectively identify priority research directions and develop a research agenda for the next decade that incorporates bold new thinking and strategic prioritization.In this synthesis workshop, a multidisciplinary, diverse group of nearly 100 experts will convene in Santa Barbara, CA to brainstorm opportunities and needs and produce a forward-looking agenda for synthesis in ecology and environmental science. Participants will engage in charrette-style breakout sessions of structured idea sharing that focus on expansive thinking with an outcome objective. Plenary discussions will be interspersed, and the selection of keynote speakers will prioritize diversity across a number of measures, particularly gender equity and career stage representation. The workshop will address a range of topics that are relevant to the future of synthesis in environmental science including ecological forecasting, cyberinfrastructure for synthesis, data-driven conservation decision making, the role and future of artificial intelligence (AI) in ecology, coproduction of synthesis science with stakeholders, and the role of synthesis in social-ecological systems research and promoting diversity and inclusion. At the conclusion of the workshop, ideas will be synthesized into a peer-reviewed publication on the frontiers of ecological and environmental synthesis science to communicate important insights to a broader audience.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.