Posts in: Reflections

Most of us have had our fill of the “fiscal cliff,” are glad that we’re (technically) past it, but dread the next round of this fiercely political debate. In the midst of this—in two weeks time—the President is supposed to present his proposed budget to Congress and the next federal budget cycle will start. That’s been delayed, but not likely by mor...

I’m in a very familiar place—Portland’s Oregon Convention Center – but drowning in a sea of alien acronyms. In literally every talk (and even at meals!), I’m bombarded by them: FARSITE, FEIS, FLAMMAP, FOFEM, FVS, GYE, IFTDSS, WFAT, WFDS, and my new favorite, WUI (pronounced, woo-ee), or the Wildland Urban Interface. I’m definitely the only marine ecolo...

When Chad and I prep scientists to participate in policy briefings, we often share our own experiences of entering the policy arena for the first time as Knauss Marine Policy Fellows.  Chad talks about finishing his dissertation on a Friday in 2005 and showing up the following Monday in the Senate Commerce Committee, bright-eyed, bushy tailed, and expecting to ...

When Brooke first shared the news that we were going to spend the next 9 to 12 months exploring what an expanded scope for COMPASS might look like, I reacted with a mix of “wow—just think of the possibilities!” and “holy s#$%!” The terrified part of me was wrestling with impostor syndrome. There’s a palpable buzz about this phenomenon on Twitter an...

“Don’t be stupid, get out.” Governor Chris Christie minced no words when he issued the mandatory evacuation warning to the residents of New Jersey’s barrier islands as Hurricane Sandy made her approach. To anyone thinking about staying behind, he cautioned, “If I turn out to be right, and you turn out to be dead, that’s not a great equation.” Th...

Last week, as I backpacked around Diamond Peak in Oregon, I reflected on how to navigate the seemingly insurmountable mountain of challenges we face as a global society: guaranteeing food security for generations to come, protecting our homes and communities from storms and fires, and ensuring that there is sufficient water to drink, nourish our crops, and allow bi...