Session Lead: Scott Phillips, USGS

Session Co-Leads: Emily Trentacoste, USEPA and Annabelle Harvey, CRC

Session Format: Oral presentations followed by a panel discussion

Abstract:

The Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) has developed the Strategic Science and Research Framework that will identify, and help prioritize, both short- and longer-term science needs of the. Partnership.  The Strategic Science and Research Framework that will be an on-going, repeatable process that supports the Strategic Review System (SRS). The results will be used to help focus existing science resources, and leverage the research enterprise, to more effectively provide science to advance Chesapeake restoration and conservation efforts and decision making. The following steps are taken to establish the Framework:

  • Update understanding of currently identified science needs: Combine science needs from these efforts: (1) science items identified for each CBP outcome through the decision framework used in the SRS process, (2) GIT input on science needs that have been given to STAR, and (3) previous recommendations from STAC workshops that address operational and fundamental research needs.
  • Conduct a resource assessment: Inventory how needs are currently being addressed by different science providers.
  • Prioritize GIT science needs that require more resources: The GITs will identify, and provide relative priorities, of operational and fundamental science needs that require additional resources. Operational needs examples are development of indicators, GIS support, data gathering, and analysis of existing information. Examples of fundamental needs might include advances in monitoring and research to address an outcome.
  • Further identify and incorporate long-term fundamental research needs: In addition to the GIT needs, there are additional fundamental science needs that need to be brought forward. Examples include advances in monitoring and research to address a variety of knowledge gaps with implications for Bay management (e.g., predicting human behavior and incorporating characterized uncertainty/risk toward making more robust decisions). STAC will continue its effort to identify critical science needs and potential emerging issues through its various proactive and reactive efforts (e.g., workshops, reviews, and whitepapers).
  • Align Strategic Science and Research Framework with the SRS process. The framework would provide a strategic approach to:
    • Continue to update the operational and fundamental science needs identified for CBP outcomes through the SRS process, and their quarterly reviews.
    • Assess existing efforts by science providers to address the existing and new needs
    • Identify, and prioritize knowledge gaps that need to be addressed.
    • Recommend approaches for CBP and partner resources to address operational and fundamental science needs and knowledge gaps. The recommendations would be considered by the MB and CBP partnership for evolving the necessary resources (CBP teams, grants, contracts) and identifying opportunities for other potential science providers to align efforts or explore other funding to address the gaps.
    • The results from the framework would be updated for each SRS biennial meeting.

The recommendations from the Strategic Science and Research Framework can be used for multiple purposes by the CBP and its partners:

  • Management Board and the agencies they represent: MB can suggest how the collective resources of CBP (grants, contracts by EPA) for monitoring and modeling should evolve. Agencies represented on the MB can identify their own resources to address science priorities (since many agencies have technical capabilities).
  • Goal Implementation Teams and Workgroups: Members can identify how the agencies they represent can evolve efforts to address science priorities of the GIT team or its workgroups. GITs can use the science priorities to identify topics for Goal Team RFPs.
  • CBP Office: Evolve EPA grants and contracts to address science needs. Evolve focus of CBPO modeling, monitoring, and GIS teams.
  • STAR: Update activities of STAR and its workgroups to address operational and fundamental science priorities to support Goal Teams. Help evolve directions for Citizens Monitoring Cooperative.
  • STAC: Inform STAC’s focus for proactive and reactive efforts (e.g., workshops, reviews, and whitepapers). Individual members (or their institutions) can consider evolving their research directions or bring forward current findings to inform management decisions.

Science Providers: Current science providers can evolve their work to match CBP needs. Additional science providers can be identified based on their knowledge or experience with identified needs.