Toward Understanding and Building Community Networks
To address the complex problem of climate change, scientists and decision makers need to work together to produce actionable science. Building a network that allows such individuals to interact and form relationships allows for the development of new collaborative projects.
Our Goal
Our goal is to create an online virtual network platform to connect climate change-related researchers, science translators, and decision makers. It is anticipated that the virtual platform will enable novel climate adaptation strategies and actions to be developed through the acceleration of collaboration, innovation, discovery, and knowledge transfer.
Our Team
Established in November 2019, the Virtual Network Community of Practice team has 4 members:
Derek Rosendahl (co-lead), University of Oklahoma
Tamara Wall (co-lead), Desert Research Institute
Alicia Knoedler, Exaptive Inc.
Renee McPherson, University of Oklahoma
Our Projects
Milestones & Next Steps for 2021
We developed and submitted a proposal for a one year $150,000 planning grant to the NSF Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks program to develop an interconnected network of researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders that (1) conducts transdisciplinary research in urban-rural systems, (2) enables rapid problem solving and transferability of solutions to new places and peoples, (3) emphasizes equity and capacity building by engaging directly with diverse people and communities, and (4) measurably assesses collaborative success through artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. The goal of the project is to build capacity for developing a full grant proposal (5-year, $15 million) to be submitted the following year.
Rosendahl and Knoedler submitted a proposal to the South Central CASC USGS funding call and were awarded $47,790 for a one-year project to expand the design and use of the SC CASC’s Cognitive City virtual network software platform in partnership with Exaptive, Inc.
Coming up: Once USGS funding has been received, a team meeting will be set to discuss acquiring additional information from South Central CASC members. At that time, Rosendahl and new affiliate member Jared McArthur (Exaptive Inc.) will begin updating virtual network platform.