Harvard Forest and Partners Launch Science Policy Exchange Consortium

Harvard Forest joined with partners from five major research institutions on November 12 to host "Science for a Sustainable World," an event to launch the Science Policy Exchange (SPE). SPE was founded with leadership from HF Director of Science and Policy Integration, Kathy Fallon Lambert, to increase the impact of science on environmental decisions.

The reception, held at Syracuse University's Lubin House in New York City, showcased results from four new SPE projects in the core program areas of Energy Transformation, Resilient Landscapes, and Water Sustainability. Scientists involved in each project, including HF Director David Foster and HF Senior Scientist Jonathan Thompson, discussed the outcomes and impacts of their work with guests, who represented a range of government agencies, non-profits, research institutions, and foundations.

Marcia McNutt, Editor-in-Chief of Science, and the nominee for incoming President of the National Academy of Sciences, delivered remarks about the importance of investing in monitoring and research in a fireside conversation with SPE Governing Council Chair Sherburne Abbott of Syracuse University.

Fallon Lambert, the Director of SPE, spoke about the consortium's mission and future directions. SPE project leader Charles Driscoll of Syracuse University spoke about his commitment to return value to society from science.

The six founding institutions of SPE are Harvard Forest, the Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, Syracuse University, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the University of New Hampshire, and the Marine Biological Lab Ecosystems Center.

• Explore projects from the Science Policy Exchange.

(Photo by by JoAnne Race)