Public Participation in Policy: A More Inclusive Approach to Decision Making

The field of policy making can be influenced by a host of government agencies, interest groups, associations, and social movements, both on a domestic and global scale (Pal, 2010). Considering that the range of players involved depends on the issue at hand, policy literatures have introduced the two concepts of policy community and policy network […]

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EIUI Team Members Publish a Paper on Key Characteristics of a Communication Network in Marine Resource Development

Public policy decisions are frequently made within complex interconnecting networks of many stakeholders. Decisions about environmental problems, for example, often involve an extensive array of different participants. In an effort to influence policy decisions, these individuals, groups, and organizations participate in networks to gain an understanding of the issues and to ensure their (sometimes competing) […]

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Can Research on the Diffusion of Innovations Offer Insights about Enablers and Barriers to Information Use?

The body of literature focused on the enablers and barriers to research use is extensive and insightful. Nutley, Walter, and Davies rightfully categorize the literature as providing “a rich source of theories and evidence that can be mined to inform strategies for promoting research use” (2007, p. 192). Numerous mechanisms such as dissemination, interaction, and […]

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EIUI Researcher Conducts Study about the International Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts

Is your institution a subscriber to the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA)? If so, you can assist with an evaluation of this major international information resource. Since 1971 the ASFA database has been providing access to information about the science, technology, and management of marine, brackishwater, and freshwater environments globally. Operating as an international […]

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Communication of Research Information: Information Pathways and Models

While many policy makers and practitioners heavily rely on information from the scientific community for their decision making, research about activities at the science-policy interface shows that information use is often not straightforward. Despite the large amounts of scientific information available to policy-makers and practitioners, there are still calls for more “useful” information to be […]

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The Science-Policy Ecosystem: Managing Variabilities, Complexities, and Trade-offs

It is often believed that scientific information and knowledge travels through a linear pipeline that leads straight from researchers to policy makers to use in decision-making and planning. It isn’t so simple–values, political considerations, and available resources are all part of the policy-making process. Peter Gluckman, the Chief Science Advisor to the New Zealand Prime […]

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Learning from the Mississippi Delta: Richard Campanella on the Sunken City of New Orleans at the 2018 Social Coast Forum

From 5-8 February 2018, I was given the opportunity to attend and present a report on my research at the 2018 Social Coast Forum in Charleston, South Carolina. Organized by the United States National Estuarine Reserve Research Association, the Social Coast Forum draws coastal scientists and managers from across the U.S. and other countries every […]

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Science, Information, and Policy Interface for Effective Coastal and Ocean Management Now Available in Paperback

Science, Information, and Policy Interface for Effective Coastal and Ocean Management is now available in paperback. Published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis), this book is the first to focus exclusively on the role of scientific information in the development of coastal and ocean policy and management of the oceans. “Researchers looking for inspiration will […]

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EIUI Team Member Cited in Scientific American

In the February 2018 issue of Scientific American, Olive Heffernan critically examines the growth of large marine reserves across the world, the influence of biodiversity targets on this conservation process, and the importance of science in marine planning. Among the scientists profiled in this article is EIUI team member, Elizabeth De Santo, drawing on her research […]

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“Holding our feet to the fire”: How eNGOs use information and relationships to advance marine conservation

Today, thousands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), large and small, are found in decision making settings globally. Why are they active in these contexts? Do they fulfill particular roles? Do they affect how information is shaped and used by decision makers? Do they succeed in influencing policy development? Although NGOs have existed for many years, to […]

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