skip to main content


Title: Ideas and perspectives: Biogeochemistry – some key foci for the future
Abstract. Biogeochemistry has an important role to play in manyenvironmental issues of current concern related to global change and air,water, and soil quality. However, reliable predictions and tangibleimplementation of solutions, offered by biogeochemistry, will need furtherintegration of disciplines. Here, we refocus on how further developing andstrengthening ties between biology, geology, chemistry, and social scienceswill advance biogeochemistry through (1) better incorporation of mechanisms,including contemporary evolutionary adaptation, to predict changingbiogeochemical cycles, and (2) implementing new and developing insights fromsocial sciences to better understand how sustainable and equitable responsesby society are achieved. The challenges for biogeochemists in the 21stcentury are formidable and will require both the capacity to respond fast topressing issues (e.g., catastrophic weather events and pandemics) andintense collaboration with government officials, the public, andinternationally funded programs. Keys to success will be the degree to whichbiogeochemistry can make biogeochemical knowledge more available to policymakers and educators about predicting future changes in the biosphere, ontimescales from seasons to centuries, in response to climate change andother anthropogenic impacts. Biogeochemistry also has a place infacilitating sustainable and equitable responses by society.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1637661 1855277 1637685 1832221
NSF-PAR ID:
10251401
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Biogeosciences
Volume:
18
Issue:
10
ISSN:
1726-4189
Page Range / eLocation ID:
3005 to 3013
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. Integrating social equity considerations into analyses of the food-energy-water systems nexus (FEWS) could improve understanding of how to meet increasing resource demands without impacting social vulnerabilities. Effective integration requires a robust definition of equity and an enhanced understanding of reliable FEWS analysis methods. By exploring how equity has been incorporated into FEWS research in the United States and countries with similar national development, this systematic literature review builds a knowledge base to address a critical research need. Our objectives were to 1) catalog analysis methods and metrics relevant to assessing FEWS equity at varying scales; 2) characterize current studies and interpret shared themes; and 3) identify opportunities for future research and the advancement of equitable FEWS governance. FEWS equity definitions and metrics were categorized by respective system (food, energy, water, overall nexus) and common governance scales (local, regional, national, global). Two central issues were climate change, which increases FEWS risks for vulnerable populations, and sustainable development, which offers a promising framework for integrating equity and FEWS in policy-making contexts. Social equity in FEWS was integrated into studies through affordability, access, and sociocultural elements. This framework could support researchers and practitioners to include equity in FEWS analysis tools based on study scale, purpose, and resource availability. Research gaps identified during the review included a lack of studies effectively integrating all three systems, a need for publicly available datasets, omission of issues related to energy conversion facilities, and opportunities for integration of environmental justice modalities into FEWS research. This paper synthesized how social equity has previously been incorporated into FEWS and outlines pathways for further consideration of equity within nexus studies. Our findings suggested that continued exploration of connections between FEWS, equity, and policy development across scales could reduce social risks and vulnerabilities associated with these systems. 
    more » « less
  2. null (Ed.)
    Artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies are increasingly prevalent in society. Many teens interact with AI devices on a daily basis but often have a limited understanding of how AI works, as well as how it impacts society more broadly. It is critical to develop youths’ understanding of AI, cultivate ethical awareness, and support diverse youth in pursuing computer science to help ensure future development of more equitable AI technologies. Here, we share our experiences developing and remotely facilitating an interdisciplinary AI ethics program for secondary students designed to increase teens’ awareness and understanding of AI and its societal impacts. Students discussed stories with embedded ethical dilemmas, engaged with AI media and simulations, and created digital products to express their stance on an AI ethics issue. Across four iterations in formal and informal settings, we found students to be engaged in AI stories and invested in learning about AI and its societal impacts. Short stories were effective in raising awareness, focusing discussion and supporting students in developing a more nuanced understanding of AI ethics issues, such as fairness, bias and privacy. 
    more » « less
  3. How can the public sector use AI ethically and responsibly for the benefit of people? The sustainable development and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector requires dialogue and deliberation between developers, decision makers, deployers, end users, and the public. This paper contributes to the debate on how to develop persuasive government approaches for steering the development and use of AI. We examine the ethical issues and the role of the public in the debate on developing public sector governance of socially and democratically sustainable and technology-intensive societies. To concretize this discussion, we study the co-development of a Finnish national AI program AuroraAI, which aims to provide citizens with tailored and timely services for different life situations, utilizing AI. With the help of this case study, we investigate the challenges posed by the development and use of AI in the service of public administration. We draw particular attention to the efforts made by the AuroraAI Ethics Board in deliberating the AuroraAI solution options and working toward a sustainable and inclusive AI society. 
    more » « less
  4. Community Food Strategies provides guidance and tools to local food networks in North Carolina to empower the creation of equitable policy change at all levels. Their vision is the realization of an equitable food system that improves the quality of life for all. In Davidson County, the recently formed Local Food Network, created under the guidance of Community Food Strategies, is working to create a more equitable and sustainable food system and is evaluating how best to apply their resources toward this end. The county is largely rural, and rural areas tend to have lower food access. Two cities, Lexington and Thomasville, have experienced economic depression over the past three decades with the exodus of furniture manufacturing overseas and as such, both cities have communities that suffer from poverty and food insecurity issues. In this research, we use visual analytics and spatial analysis to build a survey and analysis of local food availability for the county. Visual analytics is increasingly being applied to applications like this to increase understanding of large datasets and improve decision making. This research provides a base analysis for the Local Food Network to present the state of the local food system to potential partners who can help create policies that will increase equity and availability of food to everyone in the county. 
    more » « less
  5. This research paper focuses on the effect of recent national events on first-year engineering students’ attitudes about their political identity, social welfare, perspectives of diversity, and approaches to social situations. Engineering classrooms and cultures often focus on mastery of content and technical expertise with little prioritization given to integrating social issues into engineering. This depoliticization (i.e., the removal of social issues) in engineering removes the importance of issues related to including diverse individuals in engineering, working in diverse teams, and developing cultural sensitivity. This study resulted from the shift in the national discourse, during the 2016 presidential election, around diversity and identities in and out of the academy. We were collecting interview data as a part of a larger study on students attitudes about diversity in teams. Because these national events could affect students’ perceptions of our research topic, we changed a portion of our interviews to discuss national events in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms and how students viewed these events in relation to engineering. We interviewed first-year undergraduate students (n = 12) who indicated large differences of attitudes towards diverse individuals, experiences with diverse team members, and/or residing at the intersection of multiple diversity markers. We asked participants during the Spring of 2017 to reflect on the personal impact of recent national events and how political discussions have or have not been integrated into their STEM classrooms. During interviews students were asked: 1) Have recent national events impacted you in any way? 2) Have national events been discussed in your STEM classes? 3) If so, what was discussed and how was it discussed? 4) Do these conversations have a place in STEM classes? 5) Are there events you wish were discussed that have not been? Inductive coding was used to analyze interviews and develop themes that were audited for quality by the author team. Two preliminary themes emerged from analysis: political awareness and future-self impact. Students expressed awareness of current political events at the local, national and global levels. They recognized personal and social impacts that these events imposed on close friends, family members, and society. However, students were unsure of how to interpret political dialogue as it relates to policy in engineering disciplines and practices. This uncertainty led students to question their future-selves or careers in engineering. As participants continued to discuss their uncertainty, they expressed a desire to make explicit connections between politics and STEM and their eventual careers in STEM. These findings suggest that depoliticization in the classroom results in engineering students having limited consciousness of how political issues are relevant to their field. This disconnect of political discourse in the classroom gives us a better understanding of how engineering students make sense of current national events in the face of depoliticization. By re-politicising STEM classrooms in a way relevant to students’ futures, educators can better utilize important dialogues to help students understand how their role as engineers influence society and how the experiences of society can influence their practice of engineering. 
    more » « less