Blog posts categorized by Applying Science
Brainstorming strategies to overcome report card success.

Using Conceptionary to initiate discussion on barriers for implementing report cards

Bill Dennison ·
26 January 2016
Environmental Report Cards | Science Communication | Applying Science | 

This blog is part of the Basin Report Card Initiative: a partnership between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) As part of our Integration and Application Network (IAN), University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), we held a one day workshop on 7 May 2015 in Annapolis.

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Roadtrip!

There’s a track winding back to Stung Treng, Cambodia

Simon Costanzo ·
12 January 2016
Environmental Report Cards | Applying Science |     1 comments

This blog is part of the Basin Report Card Initiative: a partnership between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) In October 2015, I made the great journey back to Cambodia for my second time that year. I love the trip there as you get to fly right over the North Pole and see icebergs! I think I mentioned that already in my previous blog about Cambodia.

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Narratives are effective in communicating science to non-experts. Credit: Narrative Lab

The importance of narrative in science communication

Bill Dennison ·
8 January 2016
Science Communication | Applying Science | Learning Science |     1 comments

I recently posted a blog about Randy Olson's new book, "Houston, we have a narrative: Why science needs story". I contacted Randy about his book and learned that he is experiencing push back from some quarters, including some scientists. I would like to point out that Randy is not the only person to promote the importance of narrative in science communication.

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Randy Olson’s new book: “Houston, We Have a Narrative”

Bill Dennison ·
5 January 2016
Science Communication | Applying Science |     1 comments

Randy Olson has really knocked a home run with his latest book, “Houston, we have a narrative: Why science needs story”. Randy’s previous book, “Don’t be such a scientist: Talking substance in an age of style” does a good job defining the problem that most scientists have in communicating complex ideas to wide audiences.

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Participants at the North Central Climate Science Center ecological drought workshop.

From the mountains to the prairies—discussing ecological drought in the North Central United States

Brianne Walsh ·
22 December 2015
Science Communication | Applying Science | 

In December, Simon Costanzo, Bill Dennison, and I traveled to Fort Collins, Colorado for a workshop on ecological drought - part of an ongoing project with the USGS National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center. This was the second in a series of eight workshops to be held at each of the nation’s eight Climate Science Centers, aimed at collating our existing knowledge of the ecological impacts, resistance, and recovery from drought.

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Colin Talbert and Jeff Morisette in the Resource for Advanced Modeling facility.

Viewing data on a VisWall and in an immersive dome in Fort Collins, Colorado

Bill Dennison ·
15 December 2015
Science Communication | Applying Science | Learning Science |     2 comments

Jeff Morisette, Director of the North Central Climate Science Center, provided us with two amazing opportunities following our workshop on climate issues in the North Central region of the United States. First, we were treated to demonstrations of the VisWall, a bank of 24 computer monitors run by a series of networked computers. The VisWall facility was in the USGS Fort Collins Science Center adjacent to the Colorado State University campus.

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Top: Bill introduces Ricky Arnold to MEES students and faculty. Photo by Brianne Walsh. Bottom: Ricky addresses his audience. Photo by Vanessa Vargas.

A look at the "Earth in Perspective" with Ricky Arnold

Suzanne Webster ·
6 November 2015
Science Communication | Applying Science | 

IAN hosted this year’s MEES Colloquium, offering students and faculty an opportunity to network and sharpen our science application and communication skills. The Colloquium sessions were previously described in more detail in the form of a poem blog post, written by Bill Dennison. NASA astronaut and MEES alumnus, Richard Arnold, served as our special guest speaker following the poster session and dinner on October 30th at the Banneker-Douglas Museum in historic downtown Annapolis.

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MEES goes to Annapolis

Bill Dennison ·
3 November 2015
Science Communication | Applying Science | Learning Science | 

This poem was written on the last day of the 2015 Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Sciences (MEES) Colloquium held at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Annapolis, October 30-31, 2015, and hosted by the MEES goes to Annapolis … William C. Dennison … 31 October 2015 … A gathering of scientists of the MEES brand … From all over the state of Maryland … They developed a passion for understanding nature … For which there really is no cure.

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