In a recent book chapter in Policy Work in Canada: Professional Practices and Analytical Capacities Bryan Evans and Adam Wellstead explored the working relationship of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and government staff in a policy- and decision-making context (Evans & Wellstead, 2017). In my experience as vice-chair of the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP), this […]
Science-Policy Interface
Current Literature: Environmental Assessments and Public Consultations
“Current Literature” is a recurring feature highlighting recent publications of interest on the science-policy interface. Despite the fact that Canada has had a formal environmental assessment (EA) process since the 1970s, it remains highly criticized by academics and practitioners alike (MacKinnon, 2017). Currently, the federal government is undertaking a review of the Canadian Environmental Assessment […]
Science Outside the Lab North: Investigating Science and Policy in Canada. Part II: Decision-Making
As noted in Part I, along with 11 other Canadian graduate students, I was given the opportunity to attend the second science-policy workshop Science Outside the Lab North (SOtL) in Ottawa and Montreal, earlier this spring. In this post, I outline some of the key themes of the workshop. Not surprisingly, with such a diverse […]
Science Outside the Lab North: Investigating Science and Policy in Canada. Part I: The Experience
Recently, I experienced a week I will not soon forget. Along with 11 other graduate students, I was given the opportunity to attend the science-policy workshop Science Outside the Lab North (SOtL) in Ottawa and Montreal. Originating as a Washington D.C.-based program, Matthew Harsh and Eric Kennedy brought SOtL to Canada in 2016, and this […]
New paper by EIUI team member on the role of evidence in UK marine planning
EIUI team member Elizabeth De Santo has published a new paper on her research about the role of evidence in marine planning, entitled “California dreaming: Challenges posed by transposing science-based marine protected area planning processes in different political contexts.” This paper critically assesses the role of evidence in the development of a network of Marine […]
EIUI Book Chapter Post: What Good are State of the Environment Reports?
“The Science-Policy Interface in Coastal and Ocean Management” is a series of posts highlighting the chapters in the new book: Science, Information, and Policy Interface for Effective Coastal and Ocean Management, edited by Bertrum H. MacDonald, Suzuette S. Soomai, Elizabeth M. De Santo, and Peter G. Wells, published by CRC Press (Taylor & Francis). Is […]
EIUI Book Receiving Positive Reviews
EIUI’s new book Science, information, and policy interface for effective coastal and ocean management is receiving positive reviews that emphasize key features of the volume. Writing in Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, Agnieszka Hunka of Halmstad University, Sweden stated: “The overall take-home message of Science, Information, and Policy Interface for Effective Coastal and Ocean Management […]
EIUI Team Member Publishes Two Papers on the Science-Policy Interface in Fisheries Management
Dr. Suzuette Soomai, Postdoctoral Fellow with the EIUI research program, is the author of two new papers that discuss communication of information at the science-policy interface. These papers are based on Suzuette’s doctoral research, which examined the information pathways – production, communication, and use of scientific information – at the operational level in the Canada […]
EIUI Team Member Participates in IPBES-5 Plenary, Bonn, Germany
EIUI team member Dr. Elizabeth De Santo participated in the 5th Plenary Session of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) held in Bonn, Germany, 6-10 March 2017. As a member of the IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law, Elizabeth was part of the IUCN delegation to the meeting, which began […]
The 2017 AAAS Conference – “Serving Society through Science Policy” – Highlights and Key Messages
This year’s conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) took place in Boston, MA, 16-20 February, with the theme: “Serving Society through Science Policy.” The full program and other information are available at this link. The sessions that I attended illustrated the numerous dimensions of current research and discussion on the […]