This award supports a panel symposium scheduled over two days in March 2012 that will examine trends in ecological analysis and synthesis since the establishment of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, or NCEAS, in 1995. The symposium has several objectives, including recognition of the intellectual impacts of NCEAS and the contributions of individuals to these; consideration of lessons learned from the NCEAS experience in cross-disciplinary synthesis research methods, data and information management, communication and outreach; consideration of emerging trends and opportunities for synthesis research in ecology and related fields; and discussion of the impact of networking technologies for accelerating synthesis research, training and outreach. The symposium will engage a diverse group of leading thinkers in ecology, data management and informatics, and scientific journalism.
This symposium is designed to raise awareness of the growing impact of synthesis research in ecology and other fields of science. The agenda is designed to stimulate intensive, wide ranging discussion among the participants on key issues that must be addressed to increase the long term benefits of synthesis research efforts. Participation by some leading scientific journalists will assure that important insights and ideas are communicated to a broad audience.
" (TrEAS). This symposium was convened to acknowledge key scientific contributions and lessons from NCEAS, to examine trends in ecological analysis and synthesis since 1995, and to identify emerging needs and priorities for future synthesis research. The National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology provided funds for the event, and Pacific Standard Magazine co-hosted the opening night’s reception and dinner. The symposium program, which includes the agenda and a list of attendees is provided at the end of this report. Participants came from diverse backgrounds, both academic and non-academic, including early to senior ecology researchers, communication specialists, academic administrators, and informatics specialists. The symposium began with a welcome from University of California Chancellor Henry Yang and video message from Congresswoman Lois Capps highlighting some of the important outcomes of NCEAS work and the need for continued innovation. NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco provided a keynote looking both back and into the future of ecological analysis and synthesis. Subsequently, there was wide-spread participation by attendees in five discussions, each led by a panel of experts: 1. Reflections on the first 16 years of NCEAS: Key scientific contributions and lessons learned 2. From data to knowledge: The ecoinformatics imperative 3. Ecological synthesis for human well-being: Environmental dimensions of disease dynamics 4. Ecological synthesis and human well-being II: Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management 5. Communicating synthesis science In conjunction with the symposium a small group of NCEAS postdoctoral fellows invited all present and past NCEAS postdoctoral fellows to participate in a survey in an effort to identify the major areas of contributions in "synthesis ecology", and to offer ideas on where this way of doing science is moving. For the survey, "synthesis ecology" was defined as "the integration and analysis of existing data, concepts, or theories to find emergent patterns and principles that address major fundamental questions in ecology and allied fields". Results of that survey have been compiled and a manuscript prepared for submission to Frontiers in Ecology and Environment (Balch, Jennifer, et al., Synthesis ecology: a holistic discipline leading networked science. In preparation.). . Prior to the symposium, a TrEAS website (http://treas.nceas.ucsb.edu/) was created which provides background material, videos of Dr. Lubchenco’s keynote address and the panel discussions, a compilation of the most influential papers from NCEAS, and opportunities to post comments on a variety of topics. This website represents an important product of the workshop.
