NRM 692 students take on "broader impacts"

The SNRAS graduate seminar is examining broader impacts for fall semester. The students took their show on the road Oct. 23 at the EPSCoR annual meeting on the UAF campus.

They were armed with two questions:

What do you want the broader impacts of your research to be?
Have you used a form of broader impacts in your research?

From left, Willie Wilkins, Tricia Kent, Bryant Wright, Christin Anderson, Lauren Lynch with their poster at the EPSCoR annual meeting.

EPSCoR meeting attendees were asked to write down their answers, which the graduate students will share on Facebook.

Seminar leaders Janice Dawe and Meriam Karlsson selected the theme because the National Science Foundation has been emphasizing it so much. "We wanted the students to think about how their research connects to the big questions or bi needs in society," Dawe said. "It's taking research to the community. It's a connection between research and society, industry and government."

Dawe explained that NSF leaders believe if public money is spent on research that researchers have a responsibility share their information. "They want an innovative plan about how to extend university research beyond immediate circles and peer review," Dawe said.

"We hope to see what people's perceptions of broader impacts are," said student Lauren Lynch. "We want to start an online dialog."

Tricia Kent said, "Researchers hear broader impacts and they don't know what it is. We wanted to generate a better discussion. By sharing broader impacts of research it increases our understanding of how it can impact communities."

Sarah Liben said, "Try to put your research and your information out there on a broader level. They can do it themselves or they can utilize other people. It's perfectly acceptable."

Christin Anderson said, "People learn about broader impacts from seeing examples. This was a good place to think about broader impacts."

Some of the posted comments were:

"I hope to find a way to make birch syrup production a viable supplemental income source for local landowners who have birch trees on their property."

"Being able to assist wildlife and ecological managers with assessing the impacts of climate change on wildlife population and the systems in which they live."

"To help people gain the rights to sustainable use and management of the natural resources."

"I'm asking people about information and communications related to barriers to climate change adaptation they are facing. I hope to develop better ways for information to transfer between tourism and research."

"I will find the status of a valuable species of fungus while in the Peace Corps and use my research to engage with the community and work toward environmental stewardship."

"For students to discover the long-term impacts that glacial melting has on salination of areas of food for underwater life."

"Work to conserve and sustain temperate ocean ecosystems and resources."

"Indigenous rights, environmental impacts, identity."

"Have engaged K-12 teachers and their students in environmental/Earth system science research to prepare them to be decision makers based on science evidence and also perhaps to go into STEM careers."

And one simple one:
"Save the world."

Anthony Arendt, research associate professor of glaciology, jots down his answers to the broader impacts questions.