James Ross, a graduate student who completed his Master’s thesis within the Environmental Information: Use and Influence research program, received the 2015 Research Prize awarded by the School of Information Management. This prize is awarded to a graduating student who has demonstrated significant success in research and was announced at the Spring Convocation on 26 […]
Scientific Communication
What Do Users Want From a State of the Environment Report? An EIUI Study of the State of the Scotian Shelf Report
Over forty years ago, the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment proclaimed that decision-makers require access to the best available scientific information to achieve effective environmental management (United Nations, 1972). To fill this need, various governments and inter-governmental partnerships have produced many state of the environment reports (SOEs), which present current scientific understanding […]
New EIUI Paper on How Information in Grey Literature Informs Policy and Decision-Making
A new paper published by members of the Environmental Information: Use and Influence (EIUI) research team emphasizes that simply advocating the use of information without understanding the contexts of its use will likely be ineffective in closing the gap between research and policy-making. As the growing number of studies on the science-policy interface demonstrate, the […]
Using Information: Models and Influential Factors
Research based information is important in decision and policy making, and problem management. Understanding how information is used offers an opportunity to improve these aspects of decision making and the inclusion of different networks. Models, framing, structure, and knowledge systems are all components that influence how research-based information is used and are explored below. Considering […]
Information Flows and Social Media: Effect on Evidence-Based Policy Making
Social media plays a complex role in the development of evidence-based policy. Many have suggested that sites like Facebook and Twitter have created a new online public sphere, where open debate can lead to a strengthened democracy, improved community ties, and decision making (Merry, 2014). In reality, the effect of social media is not so […]
Coastal Web Atlases in Policy and Decision-Making: An EIUI Study
With over 10,000 km of coastline, Nova Scotia is undeniably a coastal province. Numerous activities occur within the coastal zone making it a highly valuable area for many Nova Scotians. For this reason, numerous stakeholders are involved with studying and making decisions about various aspects and activities that occur in the coastal zones around the […]
The Communication of Research-Based Information in a Public Policy Context: Bridging the Divide
Research should be an essential component in the development and implementation of public policy. By informing decision makers of the potential costs and benefits of a particular action or inaction, research can contribute to sound decision making. However, the technical and scientific nature of research often may not obviously match the policy implications of decision […]
Information Pathways: Charting Evidence-Based Policy
Policies are everywhere, and although often unseen and unknown, form the framework for how citizens work, play, and live their lives. At the heart of every policy is information, forming the basis of knowledge and evidence-based decision-making. Acquiring the information to make the right policy decision is by no means a simple task. In our […]
Communication across Science-Policy Interfaces
Using research-based information to make informed decisions in policy-making is important in the creation of governmental policies. The use of evidence-based knowledge verifies and validates that appropriate decisions are made by policy makers. Within the science community, the use of scientific research in public policy is termed the science-policy interface. Van den Hove (2007) defines […]
6th Canadian Science Policy Conference – Highlights
The Canadian Science Policy Conference was held for the first time in Atlantic Canada on 15-17 October 2014 in Halifax, NS. The conference did not focus on a single special theme, but was organized as a forum consisting of a number of panels and invited speakers who discussed aspects of the current Canadian science-policy environment […]