7. Applying Geoinformatics to the Construction of Coastal Knowledge Systems
Two recent reports by the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council highlighted the need for the USGS to strengthen its ability to provide scientific information relevant to decision making. In the 1999 NRC report on the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program, the second of three grand challenges was to develop a "Knowledge Bank." In the 2001 review of the entire USGS, the NRC described the USGS as a "Natural Science and Information Agency" (italics added) in which the USGS has a major responsibility for providing, classifying, displaying, and disseminating geospatial information.
A knowledge system is a network of linked actors, organizations, and objects that translates knowledge and know-how into action. A knowledge system for the coast would seamlessly span both the land and the water and would function as an intermediary between USGS science and decision makers. The USGS has the pieces in place for such a knowledge system in the Marine Realms Information Bank, the National Map, and the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII), but these efforts are fragmented.
Additionally, preliminary research on knowledge systems has shown that to be effective, knowledge systems must engage not just in the simple one-way transfer of knowledge from scientists to local users but in the co-production of knowledge (Cash et al. 2003). This two-way communication is particularly important for public scientists to understand the human context of natural systems in order to contribute scientific expertise that is relevant. Understanding how to construct such a knowledge system demands skills encompassing the earth sciences, the social sciences, and information technology. The emerging discipline of geoinformatics -- the application of information technology to the earth sciences -- would provide much-needed skills that are currently unavailable to multidisciplinary USGS teams working on knowledge systems.
This post-doctoral position builds on the framework established by the two NRC reports and invites candidates to participate in research related to building the Marine Realms Information Bank and linking it to other information systems within the USGS, particularly The National Map and the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Node of NBII, and perhaps also the Geosciences Network (GEON), a national cyberinfrastructure for geosciences . The Knowledge Bank is a knowledge management system for coastal and marine geology data, information, and knowledge. It is designed to serve a diverse user community of scientists, decision makers, managers, and the public.
The goal of the geoinformatics post-doc is to apply both information technologies and communications strategies to enhance the sharing of knowledge about coastal and marine environments. There will be considerable latitude in defining the geoinformatics research problem, offering opportunities that include information ontology, visualization, knowledge representation, knowledge architecture, social informatics, community engagement, decision support systems, and scenario modeling. Research might address how to develop a synoptic, 4-dimensional view of the coastal and marine realms, developing analytical systems from a national perspective, for example, for the delivery and integration of a national coastal geology GIS system, or the further development of a digital geolibrary. Opportunities for research include development of new tools to integrate and analyze data across multiple spatial scales, and new methods of predicting biodiversity hotspots, hotspots for invasive species impacts, and places for consideration as protected areas. Opportunities exist for ethnographic research on social and policy aspects of constructing a spatial data infrastructure, on the construction and representation of scientific knowledge, and on the inclusion and maintenance of local knowledge in distributed databanks. The proposed research project will be expected to nest within the National Coastal and Marine Geology Knowledge Bank and relate to existing USGS and federal standards for information exchange, metadata, and e-government, as applicable.
Cash, D. W., W. C. Clark, F. Alcock, N. M. Dickson, N. Eckley, D. H. Guston, J. Jager, and R. B. Mitchell, 2003, Knowledge systems for sustainable development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, v. 100, no. 14, p. 8086-8091.
Proposed Duty Station: Woods Hole, MA, and/or St. Petersburg, FL and/or Reston, VA
Areas of Ph.D.: Geology, geography, biology, geoinformatics, social informatics, science and technology studies, communications, environmental science, library science, information science
Qualifications: Applicants must meet one of the following qualifications: Research Geologist, Research Oceanographer, Research Biologist, Research Geographer, Research Physical Scientist, Computer Scientist
(This type of research is performed by those who have backgrounds for the
occupations stated above. However, other titles may be applicable depending
on the applicant's background, education, and research proposal. The final
classification of the position will be made by the Personnel specialist.)
Research Advisor(s): Deborah R. Hutchinson, (508) 457-2263, dhutchinson@usgs.gov; Barbara S. Poore, (703) 648-5971, bspoore@usgs.gov; T. Douglas Beard, (703) 648-4215, dbeard@usgs.gov
Personnel Office contact: Rosetta Alexander, (703) 648-7468, ralexand@usgs.gov
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://geology.usgs.gov/postdoc/2006/opps/opp7.html
Direct inquiries to Rama K. Kotra at rkotra@usgs.gov
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Last modified: 12:05:02 Tue 24 Aug 2004
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