The one year anniversary of the massive Gulf Spill has passed with perhaps more questions than answers about the effects of the oil and attempts to control and abate it. The size of the spill, the lack of definitive knowledge of what exactly should be done, the relatively old control and abatement technology available, and yes, even the regulatory-based damage assessment process have all contributed to the challenges inherent in understanding what happened and more importantly will happen to complex ecosystems and habitats in and along the Gulf.
Still, it is critical we assess where we are today, what we think we know or don’t know, and what and how we need to organize our scientific resources going into the future.
The basis for the SETAC Gulf of Mexico Focused Topic Meeting is to provide a multi-stakeholder forum for exchange of current and developing knowledge on key aspects of the spill not only from a traditional scientific meeting standpoint, but also in a more conversational way. The format as a combination of platform presentations, posters, and panel discussions is intended to facilitate exchange and joint learning.
If you want to make a contribution to this blog during or even after the meeting, here’s a link to an input form to capture your thoughts: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GWMRZRQ.
Further, the idea that the meeting will have immediate impact only happens if the key learnings are taken away and used to modify research projects and proposals and even to rethink strategies and policies within companies and agencies based on the exchanges at the meeting. In short, we want this to foster thinking and acting at various levels. The idea to include a session on “Communications Challenges and Solutions” is to address the fact that we as scientists and those we need to be communicating with, don’t always interact, preferring to stay in our own narrow universe, and even when we do try, we don’t necessarily speak the same language. We must change that!
May 26, 2011 at 12:31 pm |
1) this workshop was very successful and valuable in exchanges. Did you psot on a specific website the issues from the last session, (considering track for future research)?
2) I would be interested to keep link with projects or proposals dealing with sub sea oil behaviour and dispersion in ultradeep environment
Regards
fxm
May 26, 2011 at 3:26 pm |
Francois
Thanks for reading the blog and commenting – we are working on a variety of ways to communicate the meeting outcomes. These include additional blog posts beyond what is up now. We also have in discussion a webinar and a featured journal article (not sure if it will be in IEAM or ET&C). An article for the SETAC Globe newsletter in in press as well.
Bruce