Institute for the Study of Society and the Environment
Dates
- Existence: 2004-2009
Biography
Vision
Increasing societal vulnerability to atmospheric phenomenon such as hurricanes, floods and droughts underscores pressing concern over the state of human society's complex relationships with our fragile planet. Human activities have played a complex role in the interaction between the atmosphere and the environment, resulting in unprecedented weather and climate changes.
Society now stands at a formidable cross-roads: we must move toward sustainable land and natural resource use and commit to protecting the global commons (our atmosphere and biosphere).
As awareness of the crucial choices before us has grown in different segments of society (policy makers, research community, industry, educators, and civic society), we see a palpable shift in the relationship between science and society. While curiosity-driven research at the science-environment-society interface must remain important, more direct engagement of the scientific community with these segments of society to help address the specific challenges we face is on the horizon.
ISSE is poised and ready -- through first-class science at the society-environment-atmosphere interface and meaningful collaborative engagement with social actors -- to play its part in producing high quality research and helping society make the best possible choices to ensure an economically prosperous and environmentally sustainable future.
Mission
ISSE's mission is to improve societal welfare in the context of natural and changing climate and weather. ISSE conducts interdisciplinary research on 1) societal activities related to climate and weather at the individual, economic, and political levels, 2) the consequences of those activities on the atmosphere and the environment, and 3) effective communication of this science to decision-makers and managers for coping with weather and climate risks.
We plan to fulfill our mission through attainment of the following goals.
Goals:
Conduct research that integrates human-environment interactions with atmospheric and earth-system dynamics
Conduct research that produces knowledge for use in decision making.
Conduct research on earth system and societal interactions through active engagement with stakeholders to develop conceptual frameworks for improved use of scientific information for society's benefit
Act as an integrative force across NCAR and within the university community and maximize the societal benefit of NCAR's research by informing the earth-systems dynamics community of societal needs relevant to their research
TIIMES & ISSE evolved to create the Integrated Science Program (ISP). This new program initially focused on the scientific objectives of TIIMES & ISSE while working across NCAR to facilitate projects and activities, and promote new integrated directions, through close partnership with NCAR's Laboratories and the community.
Found in 1 Collection or Record:
Institute for the Study of Society and the Environment (ISSE)
Arrangement is primarily by chronological order within each folder and alphabetically by folder within each series. The collection is housed in 1 box and is arranged into 3 main series. Series 1: Correspondence and Other Materials Series 2: Newsletters Series 3: Papers, Publications and Reports