Rapid Environmental Change and the role of Interdisciplinary and Diverse Education February 18, 2010 Carmen J. Cortez, Ph.D. Student Graduate Group in Ecology Environmental Policy and Human Ecology University of California Davis Carmen J. Cortez, Ph.D. Student Graduate Group in Ecology Environmental Policy and Human Ecology University of California Davis

Overview  Rapid Environmental Change (REC)  REC in California  Interdisciplinary response  California public universities mission  University of California graduate student profile  My involvement  Rapid Environmental Change (REC)  REC in California  Interdisciplinary response  California public universities mission  University of California graduate student profile  My involvement

Rapid Environmental Change (REC)  Pollution  Habitat fragmentation (e.g. urban development, deforestation)  Invasive species  Over harvesting  Pollution  Habitat fragmentation (e.g. urban development, deforestation)  Invasive species  Over harvesting

Rapid Environmental Change Climate Change:  Species distribution and extinctions: -Poleward range shifts of species are occurring and range restricted species show sever range contractions (Parmesan 2006) % of species committed to extinction by 2050 with current climate scenarios (Thomas et al. 2004).  Ocean acidification Climate Change:  Species distribution and extinctions: -Poleward range shifts of species are occurring and range restricted species show sever range contractions (Parmesan 2006) % of species committed to extinction by 2050 with current climate scenarios (Thomas et al. 2004).  Ocean acidification

REC in California  Decrease in snow pack More winter rainfall/less snowfall—earlier seasonal peak in runoff, increased fall/winter flooding, decreased summer water supply (IPCC 2007 WG2T-ARchap15)  Decrease in snow pack More winter rainfall/less snowfall—earlier seasonal peak in runoff, increased fall/winter flooding, decreased summer water supply (IPCC 2007 WG2T-ARchap15) Source: NASA Terra Satellite 2004

 Implications: Exacerbate water allocation issues  Water Wars: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Farmers, endangered species, urban water supply.  Vulnerable populations: Disproportionate effect on low income and communities of color  Implications: Exacerbate water allocation issues  Water Wars: Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Farmers, endangered species, urban water supply.  Vulnerable populations: Disproportionate effect on low income and communities of color REC in California

How do We Respond?  Interdisciplinary Approach: Resource Management  Natural and Physical Science  Social Scientist  Economic  Political Science  Sociology  Anthropology  Interdisciplinary Approach: Resource Management  Natural and Physical Science  Social Scientist  Economic  Political Science  Sociology  Anthropology

Communicating Our Science  To the public  To the stakeholders  To decision makers  To the public  To the stakeholders  To decision makers

Public Universities: Teaching, Research, Public Service “Teaching, research, and public service are goals that date back to UC's origins as a land grant institution in the 1860s. Today, through its public service programs and industry partnerships, UC disseminates research results and translates scientific discoveries into practical knowledge and technological innovations that benefit California and the nation.” -University of California Mission “Teaching, research, and public service are goals that date back to UC's origins as a land grant institution in the 1860s. Today, through its public service programs and industry partnerships, UC disseminates research results and translates scientific discoveries into practical knowledge and technological innovations that benefit California and the nation.” -University of California Mission

California Mission of Public Universities The California Master Plan for Higher Education: Adopted by the state in 1960, helps integrate the missions of these colleges and universities in meeting the educational needs of Californians.  10 UC campuses,  23 CSU campuses  108 campuses community college system  independent institutions throughout the state The California Master Plan for Higher Education: Adopted by the state in 1960, helps integrate the missions of these colleges and universities in meeting the educational needs of Californians.  10 UC campuses,  23 CSU campuses  108 campuses community college system  independent institutions throughout the state

“Science is a social field of forces, struggles, and relationships that is defined at every moment by the relations of power among the protagonists. Scientific choices are guided by taken-for- granted assumptions, interactive with practices, as to what constitutes real and important problems, valid methods, and authentic knowledge…The strategies used by science are at once social and intellectual for example strategies that are founded on implicit agreement with the established scientific order are thereby in affinity with the positions of power within the field itself.” -Bourdieu 1991 “Science is a social field of forces, struggles, and relationships that is defined at every moment by the relations of power among the protagonists. Scientific choices are guided by taken-for- granted assumptions, interactive with practices, as to what constitutes real and important problems, valid methods, and authentic knowledge…The strategies used by science are at once social and intellectual for example strategies that are founded on implicit agreement with the established scientific order are thereby in affinity with the positions of power within the field itself.” -Bourdieu 1991

UC Graduate and Professional Degree Enrollment by Race/Ethnicity, Fall Source: UCOP Corporate Student System University of California Accountability Report 2009

UC Davis Graduate Group in Ecology 2009

Kevin Rice Lab in collaboration with the John Muir Institute for the Environment (Environmental Leaders Program): Broader Impact Seminar My Research Interests: Human Ecology Indigenous land management and conservation, land rights, human manipulation of ecological process NSF-REACH IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship)