National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis - NCEAS

The Arctic Data Center at NCEAS is currently recruiting for two positions and soliciting nominations for members of the Science Advisory Board. Summary details below. We encourage all interested individuals to apply. UCSB is an AA/EOE, including disability/vets.

~Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator~
We are currently seeking a Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator to maintain and further develop our community building, communications, and data science training activities, in addition to supporting communication activities across other NCEAS projects. Full position description, responsibilities, qualifications and details of how to apply can be found at: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02011. The position will remain open until filled with initial review of applications beginning 8/17/21.

~Data Science Fellowship~
We are currently seeking a short term (1 year) Data Science Fellow to work with the Arctic Data Center on projects that further support Arctic social science data preservation and management and/or the Arctic social science community directly. Further information including project descriptions, full position details, responsibilities, qualifications and details of how to apply can be found at: https://recruit.ap.ucsb.edu/JPF02017. The position will remain open until filled with initial review of applications beginning 8/24/21. You can also read about the NCEAS Data Science Fellowship experience here.

~Advisory Board Nominations~
The NSF Arctic Data Center Science Advisory Board comprises 10 members who provide advice and leadership to the Center regarding goals and strategic priorities in support of the Arctic research and education community. Through engagement and familiarity with the NSF Arctic Section, and Polar Programs in general, Science Advisory Board members also serve as emissaries for the Center. It is critical that the Advisory Board incorporates diversity that is representative of the Arctic research community at large and we are actively seeking nominations for the 2021-2024 Science Advisory Board.

Current advisory board members (https://arcticdata.io/science-advisory-board/) span diverse disciplines and expertise, including representation from earth systems science, data science, social science, snow cover, informatics, anthropology, and permafrost hydrology. Each board member contributes for a 3 year term and in 2021 we are seeking an additional three members to contribute to the diversity and expertise represented in the current board.

We seek nominations and self-nominations from any community members that are supported by and impacted by Arctic Data Center operations. We are particularly interested in hearing from researchers, educators and data users across diverse social science disciplines (e.g., ethnography, archaeology, economics, sociology, etc.) in addition to the natural sciences (e.g., atmospheric, terrestrial, oceanographic, earth, and environmental sciences). This is not an employed position but an opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction of the Arctic Data Center. Learn more and nominate yourself or someone else here: https://arcticdata.io/science-advisory-board/

A comprehensive study of four salmon species across all regions of Alaska finds salmon are returning to rivers smaller and younger than in the past. For years, people in Alaska have been noticing that wild salmon were getting smaller, but the reasons have been unclear. In the new study, published August 19 in Nature Communications, working group researchers compiled and analyzed data collected over six decades (1957 to 2018) from 12.5 million fish by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This unprecedented dataset enabled them to see patterns of body size changes for four species of salmon—Chinook, chum, coho, and sockeye—across all regions of Alaska.

Alaska’s salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems News & Features Alaska’s salmon are getting smaller, affecting people and ecosystems A comprehensive study of four salmon species across all regions of Alaska finds salmon are returning to rivers smaller and younger than in the past By Tim Stephens | August 19, 2020 Breadcrumb News & Features Alas...

What skills should early career ecologists invest in to answer complex questions about our changing world? Our new video features some of today's brightest minds in ecology & their advice on what tomorrow's bright minds will need.

Essential Skills for Early Career Ecologists What skills should the next generation of ecologists invest in to be able to answer complex questions about our changing world? This video features some of t...

Effective fisheries management works! A team from our Science for Nature and People Partnership completed a global analysis showing that where there is strong management, fish stocks are increasing. Their results demonstrate the value of not just management for sustainable fisheries, but also data that can help scientists assess management outcomes.

Fisheries Management Is Actually Working, Global Analysis Shows | NCEAS Nearly half of the fish caught worldwide are from stocks that are scientifically monitored and, on average, these stocks are increasing in abundance. According to a new global analysis, effective management appears to be the main reason these stocks are at sustainable levels or rebuilding successful...

"I've learned to focus on the long term outputs and impacts. The usual duration of a SNAPP project is two years, but I think I learned that we shouldn't always set these hard deadlines. The impacts of SNAPP working groups, particularly our own database, could very well span over decades. It's crucial to not rush things when our vision can be long term." Krithi Karanth led a team through our Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) with a vision to reduce human-wildlife conflict in India through improved data accessibility and use. Read about her work in our latest NCEAS Portrait: https://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/news/nceas-portrait-krithi-karanth

Open science is kinder science. In our newest commentary, Julie Lowndes, founder of NCEAS-operated Openscapes, writes how open software can enable kinder culture IRL - and why we need more of this in science.

Open Science is Kinder Science | NCEAS As a marine ecologist, I never expected I would one day advocate that science should operate more like the tech industry.

There's no silver-bullet solution for how to sustain , and that's why the question is perfect for . In the last of our Big Picture roundtable series, these five experts share big insights they're learning through their work as part of our Science for Nature and People Partnership. https://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/news/big-picture-how-sustain-biodiversity

To achieve a sustainable future, we need to include early career professionals in global decision-making - an inspiring message from Erin Satterthwaite and Alfredo Giron, both postdocs with NCEAS and .org, in our latest commentary. https://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/news/achieve-sustainable-future-we-need-include-early-career-professionals-global-decision-making

To Achieve A Sustainable Future, We Need to Include Early Career Professionals in Global Decision-Making | NCEAS A panel of early career professionals from the OceanObs'19 conference in September 2019. Co-author Erin Satterthwaite is second from the left. Credit: OceanObs'19 Conference.

"I think [synthesis science] will be an important part of my toolbox throughout my career." We're inspired by Cristy Portales-Reyes, who got her hands dirty in long-term data & synthesis early in her ecology career. See more in our latest NCEAS Portrait https://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/news/nceas-portrait-cristy-portales-reyes

Let's build a 'solution space' for soil, says a team from our Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP). In their new paper, they urge scientists to not let the debate around the feasibility of rebuilding soil carbon to combat climate change undermine policies to leverage carbon's other soil health benefits.

Building A ‘Solution Space’ for Soil | NCEAS A tractor prepares a field for planting by turning over the cover crop, a practice for improving soil health. Photo by USDA Media/Lance Cheung

Read our new story about a research team that's shepherding a cultural transformation in marine ecology to help sustain marine species in a globalized world. We're glad to be supporting their important effort. (We're also glad to be partnering with .org to support them!) https://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/news/sea-change-science-sea-life