Wrap-up Group Discussion
Deliverables:
Who is doing what, and when?
What are our next steps?
What:
Biocomplexity curricular resources based on specific topics (e.g. El Nino).
A model for case-based modules.
How:
- Web site to communicate:
- How to develop student activities and approaches
- Introductory steps around a biocomplexity case study
- Find the links
- Role playing
- Concept maps
- Examples of existing case studies (today El Nino, tomorrow...)
- JGE article? (we need publications)
Who:
Ghost writer needed
- Carol will provide the reference list for El Nino
- Rose will type what we have
- Julie will turn it into html
- Robin will make a concept map example
What:
Identify the fundamental elements of biocomplexity for educators.
How:
Conduct a workshop or shourt course on the fundamental elements of biocomplexity.
Who:
Workshop run by experts in each needed area who are also audience participants.
What:
Case studies based on funded CHN (coupled human-natural systems) projects—articulate links between human and natural systems.
How:
Personal contact with PIs
Publishers and necessary support persons
Who:
Dave McGinnis and Biocomplexity PIs
How do we have an influence?
A) Teaching
- Asking questions
- Using case studies to phrase questions in biocomplexity
- Breaking out of traditional departments
- New ways to include biocomplexity in classes
- Motivation to break down subject barriers
- How to incorporate and make us socially responsible
B) Research
- Incorporation of feedback from stakeholders
- Expand projects to include new collaborators
- Funding for integrated studies
C) Academic Life
- Work to increase interaction between humans and geology
- Validation
- Appreciation of "biocomplexity"
- Collegiality
- Cross-fertilization between disciplines
What to do to reach a wider audience over a longer term?
Spread the message to...
- Paleontologists
- Modelers
- Pattern emergence physicists
- Condensed matter theorists
- Emergence mathematicians
- Social scientists and geographers
- Cultural ecologists
- General ed
- Non scientists
How to get the message out?
- Within university—departments, deans, administration
- Communications written so that non-scientists can understand them
- Science journalism, such as LDEO
- Model complexity across the curriculum
- Broaden thesis resources
- Informal seminar series
- Lecturer series
- Map onto NSES
- Way of thinking
- Form partnerships, such as with school boards
Develop a "party line"
- What is biocomplexity? (3 bullets)
- How is biocomplexity an improvement over the way we currently look at systems? (3 bullets)
Develop publications
- Article for the Chronicle of Higher Education
- No white paper at this time.
Our Message to NSF
- Funding of integrated research by NSF is much appreciated and needs to keep going.
- Biocomplexity has the potential to promote a systemic change in education.
- NSF to facilitate transfer of research to educational materials, from K through grad levels.
- NSF to fund biocomplexity education in parallel, rather than waiting until research is further along.
- Would like to see follow-on workshops (e.g. regional focus).
