477
that the Colorado River problem was triggered by drought in Texas and illustrates
the interconnectedness of the water sector and the avalanche effect on multiple
stakeholders from different sectors.
Key Points
• Applying science to practice involves stakeholders, decisions, decision tools, and
communities of practice.
• An integrated approach to modeling of FEW systems that is able to address the
research questions and stakeholder needs will need not only to couple modeling
tools for food, energy, and water systems but connect to decision science, data
integration, and visual analytics.
• In response to the need for an integrated analytical approach across sectors, a
new generation of FEW system modeling tools and approaches are being developed that include representations of food, energy, and water systems. For example, Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) have been enhanced over the last
decade to include interacting representations of FEW systems.
• Uncertainty is a key part of most FEWS decisions and must be explicitly
addressed.
• Communities of practice, decision tools, and platforms for FEWS are evolving,
but still immature.
• Successful case studies are a good way to learn about how to apply science to
practice.
Discussion Points and Exercises
1. Find a good example of a data integration system that includes remote sensing
data and the FEW system, and present it. What do you like about it? What are its
limitations?
2. Read about integrated assessment models (IAM’s). Is this something we need for
FEW systems? Why or why not? What are your concerns, if any, about the use
of IAM’s?
3. Find a good example of visual analytics that includes the FEW system, and present it. What do you like about it? What are its limitations?
4. Find a good example of an online platform or collaborator that is used in your
area of work. Try to use it. Do you think you would benefit from using this kind
of tool in your work? Why or why not?
5. Find a good example of an immersive decision environment (if you can!). Try it
out. Do you think the immersive decision environment is useful? Why or why
not?
6. What is the most important kind of uncertainty preventing good decisions, in
your area of work? Is the uncertainty human, or is it found in the data and
predictions?
7. Identify two or three communities of practice in your area of work. Join one, and
present on the options, service opportunities, activities, resources, and relationships that this community provides.
8. Come up with your own case study (imitating Sect. 17.6).
17 Applying Science to Practice
that the Colorado River problem was triggered by drought in Texas and illustrates
the interconnectedness of the water sector and the avalanche effect on multiple
stakeholders from different sectors.
Key Points
• Applying science to practice involves stakeholders, decisions, decision tools, and
communities of practice.
• An integrated approach to modeling of FEW systems that is able to address the
research questions and stakeholder needs will need not only to couple modeling
tools for food, energy, and water systems but connect to decision science, data
integration, and visual analytics.
• In response to the need for an integrated analytical approach across sectors, a
new generation of FEW system modeling tools and approaches are being developed that include representations of food, energy, and water systems. For example, Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) have been enhanced over the last
decade to include interacting representations of FEW systems.
• Uncertainty is a key part of most FEWS decisions and must be explicitly
addressed.
• Communities of practice, decision tools, and platforms for FEWS are evolving,
but still immature.
• Successful case studies are a good way to learn about how to apply science to
practice.
Discussion Points and Exercises
1. Find a good example of a data integration system that includes remote sensing
data and the FEW system, and present it. What do you like about it? What are its
limitations?
2. Read about integrated assessment models (IAM’s). Is this something we need for
FEW systems? Why or why not? What are your concerns, if any, about the use
of IAM’s?
3. Find a good example of visual analytics that includes the FEW system, and present it. What do you like about it? What are its limitations?
4. Find a good example of an online platform or collaborator that is used in your
area of work. Try to use it. Do you think you would benefit from using this kind
of tool in your work? Why or why not?
5. Find a good example of an immersive decision environment (if you can!). Try it
out. Do you think the immersive decision environment is useful? Why or why
not?
6. What is the most important kind of uncertainty preventing good decisions, in
your area of work? Is the uncertainty human, or is it found in the data and
predictions?
7. Identify two or three communities of practice in your area of work. Join one, and
present on the options, service opportunities, activities, resources, and relationships that this community provides.
8. Come up with your own case study (imitating Sect. 17.6).
17 Applying Science to Practice