Expanding Access to Ecological Research Innovation and the Power of the Data Revolution

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Many of the large, complex challenges in ecology and environmental science will need new approaches, incorporating new data and collaborations with experts in neighboring fields of science. To help address this, a cohort of twenty graduate students and early career scientists from a variety of disciplines will meet to foster collaborations in innovative ecological research methods and the role of big data in emerging ideas through a series of activities at the 2020 Ecological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, August 2-7, 2020. This project will help to advance ecological research by providing opportunities, particularly for students and early career scientists from underrepresented groups in science, to learn novel ways of harnessing the deluge of data in ecology expected to yield transformative results for science and society. By explicitly encouraging scientific research into environmental issues that disproportionately impact the communities of participants, follow-on research will have far reaching impacts on policy, resource management decisions and programs in communities of color, low income communities and tribal communities. The cohort of graduate students and early career scientists from underrepresented groups will be drawn from a variety of disciplines, and will meet to foster collaborations in innovative ecological research methods and the role of big data in emerging ideas through a series of activities at the 2020 ESA Annual Meeting. Research skills workshops, diversity networks and focused conversations on: i) Expanding Access to Ecological Research Innovation; and ii) The Power of the Data Revolution will be followed by two cohort web meetings to facilitate exchange of ideas. This project will enable ESA to better understand the use of participant cohort strategies to support diverse graduate students and early career scientists within an expanding field with many sub-disciplines that extend into others. This project will provide twenty participants with the exposure, skills training, and networking to increase the likelihood of becoming contributing members of the extended ecological research community. Over time, many will act as role models for their communities and will inspire new students to enter and persevere in science, helping to create a sustainable critical mass of scientists that reflects the breadth of society in the U.S.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.