The Coastal Institute IGERT Project (CIIP) at URI Q Kellogg, Peter August & Judith Swift, Faculty Leads Steph Koch, Trainee Anna Pfeiffer-Herbert, Trainee

Assessing change in coastal ecosystems: Integrating natural and social sciences

 Sea level rise  Increased air & water temperatures  Changes in precipitation patterns  salinity, nonpoint pollution  Increased erosion from extreme storms …all of which have an effect on… Global climate change…

Fisheries: (e.g., flounder, lobster, quahogs, etc.)  Overfishing?  Marine population shifts due to habitat and community changes  Human population shifts - fishing culture as a way of life  Government regulation vs. voluntary management  Marine protected areas (MPA’s)

Urban Waterfront Development  Mixed Use Working waterfront Tourist destination Condo development  Public Access

Coastal Pollution  Nutrients  Pathogens  Sediment  Organic Chemicals  Heavy Metals = Watershed Management

Increased competition for resources  Human uses – shipping, fishing, recreation, etc.  Ecosystem services – how to evaluate?  Coastal marshes and lagoons as nurseries, filters, buffers  Sense of place

Integrating social and ecological dimensions to address these issues: Curriculum – Starting Year 3  Assessment (trainees, faculty, external evaluators)  Adaptive management  Application of interdisciplinary approach: Within URI External NGO’s, government agencies (federal and local) Wider public forum - increased communication

Fall – Years 1 & 2 Multidisciplinary Problem Solving in Coastal Ecosystems Second-year students lead curriculum  Topics relevant to coastal ecosystem management  Examine all dimensions  Guest scholars Adaptive management at work: Year 1: 4 topics…faculty enthusiasm gone awry! Year 2: 3 topics…saner trainee minds prevail Year 3: 1 topic…getting it right

Intersession – Year 1 Leadership and Communication in Coastal Ecosystem Science and Management Second year trainees assist  Communication  Ethics  Social justice  Culture  Logic and Argument  Leadership

Spring – Years 1 White Papers on Contemporary Policy Issues in Integrated Coastal Science  Project relevant to host agency.  Create a document that is useful to a wide audience. Hosts: Office of Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) Office of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) National Park Service* Rhode Island Economic Policy Council* Rhode Island Dept. of Environmental Management The Nature Conservancy* Conanicut Island Land Trust* Conservation Law Foundation & RI Coalition for Water Security EcoAssets Markets, Inc. *Subsequently published in either a refereed journal, conference proceedings, or other media outlet.

Summer – Year 1 Field Practicum in Coastal Science 5 weeks  Uncertainty  Tractable questions  Different field methods Fish trawl in Narragansett Bay Dissolved oxygen profiles in Narragansett Bay Stream sampling at Baltimore LTER Horseshoe crab tagging at Monomoy National Wildlife Reguge, Cape Cod Resource Economics policy SimLab

Spring – Year 2 Internship in Coastal Ecosystem Management  Work outside of academia  Gain exposure to the wide range of concerns Hosts: USAID/Coastal Resources Center (Tanzania) CERES (coalition of investors, environmental and public interest organizations) National Park Service The Nature Conservancy Massachusetts Audubon Society Reefball Foundation

Other Activities  Metcalf Fellows / IGERT Pizza Summit  Writing Op-Eds  Workshops on the art of critiquing, negotiation, writing for lay audiences  Work-life issues (with NSF ADVANCE at URI)  Meetings for women in STEM disciplines

Acknowledgements: National Science Foundation Coastal Institute University of Rhode Island Dr. Peter August & Prof. Judith Swift, co-PI’s The rest of the gang (IGERT Trainees): Abby Anthony Josh Atwood Carrie Byron Crystal Fry Kifle Hagos Leanna Heffner Jason Krumholz Kim Lellis Erika Lentz Cathy McNally Ronan Roche Nicole Rohr Leslie Smith Tiffany Smythe Karen Sullivan Nathan Vinhateiro