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NATIONAL INITIATIVES WITH STATEWIDE IMPACT:
THE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS INITIATIVE
Karen Hutchins & Linda Silka, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center,
University of Maine
Maine is Participating in National Efforts to Increase Impact of Individual Work: SSI
• Sustainability Solutions Initiative (SSI)
• Funded by National Science Foundation
• Part of national and international efforts to change the way science is done so science makes a difference
• Move away from what has been called the “loading dock” problem
What Are the Changes?
• Higher Ed Working With Stakeholders (Knowledge to Action)
• Disciplines Working Together
• Groups Working Across Campuses
• Place-Based Work that can Generalize
SSI Examples
• “Sustainable Urban Regions Project”
• “Safeguarding a Vulnerable Watershed”
• “Ecological and Social Change: Adaptation, Place and Evaluation”
• “Mapping a Sustainable Future”
• “Helping Communities Weather the Storms”
• “Mobilizing to Fight an Invasive Insect”
• “Renewable Energy from the Tides”
• “Restoring Maine’s Rivers”
SSI Examples
• “Sustaining Our Lakes”
• “Sustaining Quality of Place in the Saco River Estuary through Community Based Ecosystem Management”
• “Assessing the Feasibility and Sustainability of Renewable Energy Production in the Aroostook River Watershed Through Research and Stakeholder Partnerships”
• “Charting the Rangeley Region’s Social-Ecological System and Identifying Community Sustainability Strategies”
How Do These Fit Together?
• Connecting knowledge with action in ways that promote:– strong economies,
– vibrant communities, and
– healthy ecosystems in and beyond Maine
• Seeking to transform Maine’s capacity for addressing scientific challenges by building a statewide network of higher education institutions and partnership institutions
• Identifying alignment between research and community needs
• Strengthening impact: studying and working with relevant organizations that have regional or statewide reach
Identifying Ways to Work with Partners Throughout Maine
Maine Salt Management
Taskforce
Implications, Conclusions, Next Steps
• Regional and statewide partners: unique opportunities for conducting research that can have local and broad impacts
Implications for Sustainable SolutionsIdentifying Needs and Problems Together: Aligning Supply and Demand
Informing Present and
Future ResearchIdentifying
Factors Influencing the
System
Institutionalizing Training
Opportunities
Identifying New Research Frames; Seeking New
Communication Outlets
Mentoring Building a Program
CONTACT [email protected]@maine.eduFor Information about SSI: www.umaine.edu/sustainabilitysolutions/
This project is supported by National Science Foundationaward EPS-0904155 to Maine EPSCoR at the University of Maine.