Blog posts by Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen
2nd International Conference on the Environmental Management of the Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS 12) held at the Jomtien Palm Beach Resort in Thailand. Photo credit: Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen.

Representing UMCES at the 12th International Conference on the Environmental Management of the Enclosed Coastal Seas

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
3 December 2018
Applying Science |     1 comments

Last November 5-8, 2018, I was fortunate to have attended and presented at the 12th International Conference on the Environmental Management of the Enclosed Coastal Seas (EMECS 12) held at the Jomtien Palm Beach Resort in Thailand. EMECS 12 was hosted by the International EMECS Center and co-hosted by the Royal Society of Thailand, several leading Thai Universities, and the UNESCO-IOC/WESTPAC.

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Nick Magliocca teaching the SESYNC short course on Spatial Agent Based Modeling. Photo credit: Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen.

Understanding the dynamics and interdependencies of socio-ecological systems through models

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
1 October 2018
Applying Science | Learning Science |     1 comments

The Integration and Application Network (IAN) has been trying to evolve its work so that its societal impact can go beyond science communication and integration. Our recent delve into transdisciplinary science necessitates that we not only incorporate its concepts into our work but that we explore and adapt tools currently being used in the field.

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Commemorating twenty years of Network Science during the Sunbelt Conference.

Lessons learned from the Sunbelt Social Network Conference

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
10 September 2018
Applying Science | Learning Science | 

During the opening ceremony of the Sunbelt Social Network Conference that I attended last June (you can read my conference experience here), the article “Twenty years of Network Science” was mentioned. It emphasized the 20 years since Watts and Strogatz introduced the ‘small-world’ model of networks, which initially was viewed only as the explanation for the popular social network idea of Six degrees of Separation.

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The 38th Sunbelt Conference was held at the DOM square in Utrecht.

Attending the International Sunbelt Social Network Conference

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
28 August 2018
Applying Science |     1 comments

Last June 26th-July 1st, 2018, I had the opportunity to attend and present at the 38th International Sunbelt Social Network Conference in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The Sunbelt Conference is the official conference of the International Network for Social Network Analysis (INSNA), the foremost professional academic association of researchers and practitioners of social network analysis (SNA).

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Dr. Chris Feurt facilitated the Collaborative Learning workshop during the CERF conference.

Using the Collaborative Learning framework to improve IAN’s report card development process and outcome

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
15 January 2018
Science Communication |     1 comments

Last November 5, 2017, Suzi Spitzer and I attended a Collaborative Learning workshop during the 24th Coastal Estuarine Research Federation Conference in Providence, RI. The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Christine Baumann Feurt of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Coastal Training Program. Attending this workshop was one of the highlights of my CERF experience.

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Opening panel of the Science of Science Communication III with Drs. Baruch Fischhoff (left) and Alan Leshner (right) and moderator Mr. Frank Sesno (center).

The Science of Science Communication

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
11 December 2017
Science Communication | 

In November 17-18, 2017, Bill Dennison, Suzi Spitzer and I attended the Science of Science Communication III, part of the Sackler Colloquia series of the National Academy of Science. The theme was “Inspiring novel collaborations and building capacity." This theme built upon two previous colloquia in 2012 and 2014, but focused on the consensus study report Communicating Science Effectively: A Research Agenda, in particular.

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The 5-day SESYNC short course on Social Network Analysis was taught by Lorien Jasny. Image credit: Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen

Adding value to “Network” in IAN: Exploring the potential uses of Social Network Analysis

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
19 June 2017
Environmental Report Cards | Science Communication | Applying Science |     1 comments

Last June 5-9, 2017, I was fortunate enough to be selected to participate in SESYNC’s short course on Social Network Analysis (SNA) taught by Lorien Jasny, PhD, who was a postdoc at SESYNC but is now based at Exeter University in the UK. This introduction and crash course on Social Network Analysis was a great opportunity for me, as I will be using SNA in my dissertation research.

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Participants of the Belmont Synthesis workshop co-developed a Synthesis Document. Credit: Heath Kelsey and Vanessa Vargas

Co-development of the Belmont Forum synthesis document

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
4 April 2017
Science Communication | Applying Science | 

Last December 2016, Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey and I teamed up with our partners at Future Earth’s Coasts, Martin LeTissier and Shona Paterson, to facilitate the Synthesis Workshop for the 13 Belmont Forum funded transdisciplinary projects in Coastal Vulnerability and Freshwater Security. During that time, Bill’s awesome songs were not the only ones that were produced; we also co-developed a draft Synthesis document with all the participants.

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(top) The official banner of CommOCEAN 2016, credit: commocean.org and (bottom) the historic Market Square of Bruges, credit: Vanessa Vargas.

IAN attends CommOcean 2016 in Bruges, Belgium

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
23 December 2016
Environmental Report Cards | Science Communication | Applying Science | Learning Science | 

On December 6th to 7th 2016, Heath Kelsey and I represented the Integration and Application Network (IAN) at the 2nd International Marine Science Communication Conference (CommOcean) in Bruges, Belgium. The conference took place at the Provincial Court on the Market Square in the heart of the medieval Bruges, a historic UNESCO heritage site. It was my first trip to Europe, and my first conference to attend as both an IAN graduate student and session speaker.

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Laguna de Bay Map and Quick Facts

Laguna de Bay, Philippines: Environmental Literacy

Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
21 July 2015
Environmental Literacy |     5 comments

‘Environmental literacy‘ series … As part of the Integration and Application Network’s collaboration with the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia Resource Facility (PRF) and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) in the development of an Ecosystem Health Report Card for Laguna de Bay, the seven environmental literacy for Laguna de Bay are listed:

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