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CERF 2019 Workshop:

Putting Science "In the Room:" Science Communication to Support Decision Making

Jacques Oliver

Date: Sunday, 3 November
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

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About this Workshop

Environmental managers and policy-makers at all levels of government rely upon rigorous scientific research and analysis to inform their decisions on natural resource management. Their decisions, and thus the science, not only impact the natural resource itself, but often a wide range of stakeholders—the public, including regulated and non-regulated industries. 

This four-hour workshop focuses on interactions that occur between scientists and environmental managers and policy-makers “in the room” where natural resource management decisions are formulated. Scientists will have an opportunity to broker these transactions by communicating the scientific research that they are presenting at the conference to a panel of state and federal water quality managers who implement natural resource statutes and regulatory programs. 

Participants will prepare a one-page briefing document that will be provided to panelists and other attendees prior to the conference.  Scientists will be asked to deliver a 10-minute brief to the panel in which they describe the environmental problem or issue, their scientific research, and its implications. A 10-minute question and answer period with the panel will follow. The workshop will conclude with an exchange of ideas among participants regarding all the presentations strategies for effective exchange of scientific information in a decision-making context. The objective of the workshop is to improve the skills among scientists for sharing scientific information and among policy/decision makers for effectively soliciting and receiving scientific information.

About the Presenter:

Jacques (“Jack”) Oliver is a senior regulatory scientist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, in Washington, D.C. His work focuses on implementing the Clean Water Act, specifically water quality standards development and regulatory oversight. Jack administers a national nutrient pollution control program that provides technical and regulatory support to state and tribal surface water agencies. He also collaborates with state, tribal, and federal programs working to reduce nutrient pollution discharges.