Green Infrastructure, Blue Carbon, and Nature and Human Health: Science to Support Policy and Decision Making

Dr. Ariana Sutton-Grier

U.S. Geological Survey

Monday February 13, 2023, 2 PM ET

Abstract:

As society struggles with substantial socioenvironmental challenges including climate change and habitat loss, there are many ways to examine what we know about how ecosystems provide benefits to people and how to use this knowledge to inform policy and decision making. This talk will explore research focused on natural infrastructure to support coastal resilience efforts, the role of coastal wetlands in helping to mitigate climate change, and the important role that nature exposure plays in human health and well-being. Plus a very brief introduction to the Climate Research & Development/Land Change Science program at the USGS.

Biosketch:

Dr. Ariana Sutton-Grier is a Visiting Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is also the Program Coordinator for the Climate Research & Development/Land Change Science Program in the US Geological Survey’s Ecosystem Mission Area. The program funds over 150 USGS scientists and their research on the impacts of environmental and climate change in order to inform natural resource management, policy and decision making. Dr. Sutton-Grier is an ecosystem ecologist with expertise in wetland ecology and restoration, biodiversity, biogeochemistry, climate change, and ecosystem services. She holds Honors Bachelor degrees from Oregon State University in Environmental Science and International Studies and a doctoral degree from Duke University in Ecology. Her research interests include the relationships between nature/biodiversity and human health, natural climate solutions including coastal blue carbon, and natural and nature-based coastal resilience strategies. A former Smithsonian Fellow and AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, Dr. Sutton-Grier also was selected as an Early Career Fellow by the Ecological Society of America in 2015, one of her papers won the ESA 2016 “Innovations in Sustainability Science” award, and she was selected as the 2019 Young Investigator by the Sigma Xi Scientific Honors Society. She gets especially excited about seeking and discovering innovative opportunities to combine science and policy to solve environmental problems and promote ecosystem conservation. Dr. Sutton-Grier has authored over 55 publications in many environmental and policy journals and her research has been featured in several news stories, as well as a children’s science TV show. See more at her website: suttongrier.org

Webinar:

Event site: https://go.umd.edu/sutton-grier

Zoom Webinar: https://go.umd.edu/suttongrierwebinar

Zoom Meeting ID: 993 6571 6504
Zoom password: essic

US Toll: +13017158592
Global call-in numbers: https://umd.zoom.us/u/aMElEpvNu

For IT assistance:
Cazzy Medley: cazzy@umd.edu

Resources:

Seminar schedule & archive: https://go.umd.edu/essicseminar

Seminar Google calendar: https://go.umd.edu/essicseminarcalendar

Seminar recordings on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ESSICUMD