Scoping Workshops for Coastlines and People

University Corporation For Atmospheric Res, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

Coasts are paramount to our nation's economic prosperity, sustainability and national security. Coastal areas have a population density that is six times greater than inland counties and is rapidly growing. Environmental phenomena of terrestrial, oceanic, and atmospheric origin are constantly changing coastal landscapes and affect human habitats, infrastructure and ecological communities. Interdisciplinary research on coastlines and people can lead to greater predictive capabilities that will enable decision makers to develop sustainable pathways to protect our coasts and the people that inhabit them from future environmental change. This project will support 4 workshops (3 in-person, 1 virtual) that will bring together over 400 scientists, stakeholders, and community leaders to develop priorities for the most pressing interdisciplinary science needs on coastlines and people. These workshops will address not only the pressing science issues, but also identify the infrastructure needed to support research efforts in the identified areas. The workshops will be facilitated by Know Innovation and include a diverse engagement of participants. The workshops will be held simultaneously and will utilize technology to allow for cross-pollination of ideas across the various workshops. The goals of the workshops are to identify the gaps in fundamental research on coastlines and people that will a) better address environmental challenges; b) better inform decision makers (including federal agencies and local, state, and federal authorities and governing bodies); c) involve the public in citizen science and knowledge transfer; and d) create mechanisms to include underrepresented communities and learners. Ideas generated at these workshops will be made broadly available to the scientific community. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.