Introduction to the Geographical Sciences Committee. AAG Annual Meeting April 2017

Transcription

1 Introduction to the Geographical Sciences Committee AAG Annual Meeting April 2017

2 The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Inform decision making and public policy Provide independent scientific advice to the nation Draw together volunteer experts to advise federal government, states, NGOs, foundations, academic community, public Do not lobby or advocate Non-profit 501(c)(3) support for activities and operations from federal agencies, foundations, state & local governments, private sources, universities, NGOs

3 The Academy shall, whenever called upon by any department of the Government, investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science (1863 Congressional Charter of the NAS, signed by President Lincoln) Three subsequent Executive Orders: 1916, 1956, 1993 (Wilson, Eisenhower, Bush)

4 The National Academies consists of: National Academy of Sciences (1863) National Academy of Engineering (1964) National Academy of Medicine (1970) Dual mission Honor top scientists Serve as scientific advisers to the nation on science, technology, engineering, and medicine Role of a NASEM consensus report Provide scientific and technical advice to inform public policy and decision making

5 The National Academies are not Part of the federal government An advocacy organization Consultants to for-profit entities Conductors of primary research (generally) Limited to advising the federal government

6 Organizational Chart National Academy of Sciences National Academy of Engineering National Academy of Medicine (1863) (1964) (1970) 7 Divisions Engineering & Physical Sciences Transportation Research Board Policy and Global Affairs Earth & Life Studies Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education Health and Medicine Gulf Research Program 11 Program Areas (Boards) Agriculture & Natural Resources Atmos. Sciences & Climate Chemical Sciences & Technology Earth Sciences & Resources (1988) Environm. Studies & Toxicology Laboratory Animal Research Life Sciences Nuclear & Radiation Studies Ocean Studies Polar Research Water Science & Technology Earth Resources Seismology & Geodynamics Geological & Geotechnical Engineering Mapping Sciences Geographical Sciences Standing committees

7 Committee on Geography (COG) was created in the 1990s, in part, by the recognition of the National Academies that spatial place-based science and human-environment science were of increasing importance. In 2004, COG received approval to change its name and mission to the Geographical Sciences Committee (GSC) to properly reflect the rationale for its creation that spatial place-based science and human environmental science exist as parts of various fields of study and the breadth of expertise in these two sciences extends beyond the formal discipline of Geography. The name change reflected this reality and opened the door to the essential focus on scientific perspectives on the spaces and places of the Earth environment.

8 Collaboration with Other Academies Groups Mapping Science Committee Board on Earth Sciences and Resources Water Science and Technology Board Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources Board on Environmental Change and Society Space Studies Board Health and Medicine Division

9 Project Initiation Congressional mandate or request/letter (Congress directs an agency in a public law to engage with the Academies) Federal agencies or others (e.g., states, non-profits) approach us Self-generated/mutual agreement (Boards, standing committees, with staff approach/discuss with agencies or other sponsors)

10 Types of Projects Consensus studies Result in consensus report Ad hoc committees of volunteers months Convening activities Biannual standing committee meetings (public) Workshops, roundtables, symposia Public outreach Webinars, videos, public lectures Congressional testimony (study committee members) Websites, Facebook, Twitter

11 Project Sponsors & Key External Collaborators Federal National Science Foundation U.S. Forest Service U.S. Bureau of the Census U.S. Geological Survey State Department USAID Department of Transportation Non-federal AAG Esri National Geographic

12 GSC and IGU GSC is the U.S. National Committee for the International Geographical Union (IGU) The GSC chair is the U.S. representative to the IGU The U.S. dues to IGU are paid through the National Academies

13 Recent Webinar March 1, 2017 Using GIS to Make Urban Mobility More Sustainable by Prof. Harvey Miller, Ohio State University ~200 viewers from over 20 countries Topics Covered how GIS and technology offer new possibilities to support mobility planning the Moving Across Places Study, which measures the impact of public transit and physical activity the Green Accessibility project, which estimates the potential environmental costs of space-time accessibility.

14 Recent Titles

15 Increasingly Frequent Coastal Flooding NYC Stakeholder Comment: I think the fundamental issue is a lack of acknowledgement of what we are heading towards. Beautiful maps show sea level rise and describe impacts, but at our core we can t acknowledge that we have to fundamentally change how we live in NYC year flood map developed using the static approach 15

16 Developed Coastal Systems Managing the Coastal Squeeze Enhancing connectivity Balancing green space and blue space

17 Nature and Health Human-environment relations are one of the central themes of Geographic Science Growing evidence suggests that contact with natural areas (green and blue spaces) have a wide range of human health benefits Many of the questions related to this area are inherently geographic (access, perception, exposure assessment with remote sensing, GPS, environment justice) Research on these questions can inform policy for developing green infrastructure

18 Topical Areas and Problems for the Geographical Sciences Committee: ICT and The Energy and Climate Nexus Fact and Fiction in Global Energy Policy by B. K. Sovacool, M.A. Brown, & S. Valentine, Johns Hopkins University Press, Green Savings: How Policies and Markets Drive Energy Efficiency by M.A. Brown and Yu Wang, Praeger, 2015.

19 The Plausible Reconfiguration of Urban Infrastructure and Environmental Services Emerging as the result of advances in ICT Enabling a shift toward open markets and shared ownership distributed provision of electricity via leased rooftops with solar panels, transportation services through Uber/Lyft-like ridesharing, on-demand rental units in homes through Airbnb type arrangements, water management and storage increasingly integrated into buildings. In the Internet of Things (IoT) era, sensors and actuators can be embedded into devices, vehicles, homes, factories, and appliances.

20 With shared ownership and digitalization connecting urban infrastructure assets, the social, human, financial, institutional, physical, and natural sources of capital can pivot. Prosumers can interact in a new sharing economy requiring a reconceptualization of the economic theory that traditionally separates consumers from producers They can use ICT to foster democratic governance and shape infrastructure investments that better reflect their preferences. Dr. Marilyn A. Brown Brook Byers Professor of Sustainable Systems School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology Marilyn.Brown@gatech.edu

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