As scientists, we often think about the role we play in environmental management. But what about scientific advice? How do we provide effective scientific advice that allows for studying and solving environmental problems?

A science policy advisor is one that provides others with scientific information in order to support decision making and push for public policy implementation. Who are these decision makers? They are not only elected officials or business partners, but also the broader scientific community. Science is a systematic enterprise that gathers information, allowing us to predict, test, and explain a variety of issues. Last week, the Science for Environmental Management class discussed multiple science advising strategies, touching on the tools that were mentioned in the science advising module.

In Pastuer’s Quadrant model, there are two main dimensions; democratic decision-making and the role of science in society. In the first quadrant are the pure scientists, who follow a linear process by conducting research and publishing information. The next quadrant includes issue advocates, where organizations or specific issues are represented. Scientific arbiters are in the third quadrant, acting to arbitrators between conflicting perspectives. In the final quadrant are the honest brokers. This is where scientific advisors are challenged with issues, as they work outside of their comfort zone to work with others and investigate policy alternatives.

To be effective scientific advisors, we need the right tools. One of the key tools is communication skills. Why is science important? Who is impacted by the issue? What can be done about it? These questions, along with many others, are critical when it comes to science advising. To touch on the class discussion, communication and credibility are large factors in science advising as well. One example of a successful communicator is Greta Thunberg, who, on numerous occasions, emphasized the urgency of addressing the climate crisis. She says in one of her Ted Talks that we have the tools and information, we just need to act on it¹.

Because science involves transdisciplinarity, a message box can be a great tool to communicate with other scientists and nonscientists. The message box involves multiple parts of an issue; the problem itself, the audience, what the audience should value from the issue, benefits, and potential solutions. To create solutions, we need to collaborate with stakeholders across different disciplines, which can sometimes be challenging, especially for science advisors when studying versus solving environmental issues. Scientists are often trained from a through their specialty’s perspective. In reality, environmental problems require interactions with multiple disciplines. It is also critical that the public is involved in decision making. How can we make decisions for the public if their perspectives are not heard? Perceptions from the public are just as critical in environmental management, as it informs decision making.

As the class discussed, personality traits can be useful in influencing science advising. Knowing one’s strengths and weaknesses can be used as tools in the decision making process². In the context of decision making, personality, characteristics, and goals can influence policy making because passion, emotion, and critical thinking come into play³.

It is important for scientists to use information effectively. Coming from different research backgrounds and work experiences, I encourage all scientists to think about how you can use the tools you have obtained through your career to solve environmental issues.

Resources

1. Şeker, M., Rüstamov, P., & Yalçın, F. (2013) The interaction between personality traits, emotional intelligence and environmentally sensitive management: A research on central Anatolian companies, International Association of Social Science Research DOI: 10.15527/ejre.201426297
2. 16 Personalities (2024) I can change the world? How different personality types respond to environmental concerns, 16 Personalities https://www.16personalities.com/articles/i-can-change-the-world-how-different-personality-types-respond-to-environmental-concerns
3. Thunberg, G. (2018) A disarming case to act right now on climate change [Video] TED Conferences https://www.ted.com/talks/greta_thunberg_the_disarming_case_to_act_right_now_on_climate_change?language=en