"The New Paradigm of Sustainability Science and its Application to Natural Systems"

R.W. Gentry, Ph.D., P.E., Director, Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment, The University of Tennessee

Abstract:

Sustainability Science has been adopted by the National Academies of Science as an emerging focus area (Clark 2007). This new paradigm requires a careful consideration in the context of natural systems. For sustainable ecosystems, it is necessary to understand and quantify the most important signals that establish ecosystem maintenance. For example, from the literature we know that watersheds act like a complex filter ordering chaotic signals (Kirchner et al., 2000; Shang and Kamae, 2005; Koirala 2007). The complex interactions between storage and release processes in watersheds create a persistent signal or patterns. Techniques that incorporate complex signal analyses may allow us to develop more robust tools for decision making processes. The Institute for a Secure and Sustainable Environment (ISSE) has been developed at the University of Tennessee with these new ideas at a part of its strategic initiatives. Examples of how ISSE is pursing this research agenda will be provided.

Time: 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Date: May 15, 2008, Thursday
Place: MSB 100, UH Manoa Campus