Register: Climate Change and Human Mobility Briefing Series
October 31, 2024 | CCST Newsroom, Federal Research in California, Photo Gallery, Press Releases Â
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— On October 17th, CCST and the California Natural Resources Agency brought together leaders in science and policy from across CCST’s partner institutions, nonprofits, and the State for our second annual Science Day. With more than 350 registrants in-person and online, panelists and attendees shared exciting ideas to build partnerships addressing the many challenges facing California, particularly as we seek to decarbonize our economy in response to climate change.
Driven by the leadership of Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, this annual event fosters collaboration and removes barriers to partnership between research institutions and the State. The event kicked off with opening remarks from Secretary Crowfoot and CCST CEO Julianne McCall and featured two panel discussions, brainstorming breakout sessions, a Science Translators session, and a networking mixer.
Facing an ever-growing set of natural resource challenges, California has set ambitious goals to invest in climate resilience, protect its biodiversity, and ensure equitable access for all Californians to its natural resources. Watch the two panel discussions below with researchers from California’s many world-class educational and research institutions who are eager to leverage their expertise to complement the State’s efforts.
Download our high level takeaways from the Science Day Breakout Sessions, described below.
Did you attend Science Day? Help us shape next year’s event by taking our short survey.
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Panel 1: Lessons Learned from Successful State/Scientist Partnerships
Highlighting and Learning from Success
As California faces converging climate change-driven challenges, seeks to decarbonize its economy, and maintain its natural ecosystems, harnessing the talent throughout our state at all levels will be crucial to meeting our goals. This will require partnerships and shared resources throughout government, academia, nonprofits, the private sector, and more. Our kickoff panel highlighted successful partnerships between science-focused organizations and the California Natural Resources Agency that demonstrate how the State can integrate science into its decision-making processes. The discussion included a mix of scientists and policy leaders from CNRA and external organizations leading projects that focus on wildfire, water and drought, biodiversity, and energy. Panelists discussed the importance of developing collaborations and the challenges and benefits that come through partnering.
Science has never been more important. The partnerships that are growing in this room and across the state, are more critical than ever.
– Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot
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Panel 2: California for the Next Generation: The Role of AI in Addressing our Natural Resources Challenges
Using AI to Solve Natural Resources Challenges
Recent years have seen rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, with the emergence of Generative AI models capturing the public’s interest. As this technology continues to develop at such a swift pace, tools that utilize AI are being developed for a wide variety of applications. This panel took a forward-looking approach to the role of AI in the Natural Resources space. The discussion explored topics including: What are current or emerging applications of AI in the Natural Resources spaces? How do we ensure that our data infrastructure is prepared to support the deployment of these tools? And how do we ensure that we are preparing our current and future workforce to adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape?
Traditional AI tools, such as those that rely on machine learning, have continued to develop at incredible rates, offering unprecedented capacity to take on and tackle large scale challenges.
– CCST CEO Julianne McCall
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Breakout Sessions
Download our high level takeaways from the afternoon sessions.
Morning Networking Sessions
Attendees connected across the research ecosystem working in the same issue areas in these lightly facilitated speed networking sessions. Room leads provided structure and discussion prompts to facilitate new connections across the following topic areas:
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
Attendees shared lessons learned from their own experiences and developed solutions to the challenges of creating lasting research partnerships between the State and other entities. Each breakout session focused on a different aspect of the mechanics of partnership, with facilitators walking the group through a collaborative brainstorming exercise.
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CCST Science Translators Alumni return to share their research, engage with State experts
Engaging Scientists in Science Communication
The CCST Science Translators Showcase trains graduate students and postdocs to communicate their scientific research to policy audiences. At Science Day 2024, we welcomed back four Translators alumni to share their research with attendees and contribute to the day’s events.
The returning Translators, listed below, participated in the 2024 Science Translators Showcase during CCST Science & Technology Week in February:
Interested in developing your science communication skills? Apply to be a translator! Check here for the status of our application for the Feb. 2025 cohort.
Networking Mixer Showcases Innovative Work Happening in California’s Research Ecosystem
Attendees continued the conversations at a networking mixer, where CCST Partners and CNRA units staffed booths to share more information about their innovative work. Experts across the State and scientific research ecosystem forged new connections and fostered existing ones to further develop partnerships and opportunities.
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About the California Council on Science and Technology
The California Council on Science and Technology is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established via the California State Legislature — making California’s policies stronger with science and technology since 1988. We engage leading experts in science and technology to advise State policymakers — ensuring that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation.