Customer Listening Sessions

2006 Customer Listening Session: Executive Summary

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) recently formed a Science Strategy Team (SST) to develop a strategy to draw on and integrate the diverse capabilities of the USGS in concert to better meet societal needs. The USGS hosted a listening session in Washington, D.C. on May 1, 2006 to gain insights from its stakeholders for this science strategy.

During the listening session, leaders from scientific associations, academic and research institutions, environmental interest groups, and other government agencies commented on what factors USGS should use to identify priority issues and challenges, potential USGS roles in addressing the challenges, and the relationship between societal trends and science priorities.

Participants supported the purposes articulated for creating the science strategy and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be consulted. Overall, participants' comments highlighted the importance of investing in a strategic way across disciplines and programs, thinking in terms of such cross-cutting themes as the need to strengthen predictive/modeling tools, improving methods and the "cyber-infrastructure" for integrating information across multiple temporal and spatial scales, supporting innovation both in science and in society (e.g., new and emerging technologies), and the importance of baseline information and long-term data sets. USGS should also consider strategic investments in its workforce and infrastructure that support cross-cutting priorities. Several suggestions also were offered concerning strategic priorities in selected substantive areas, such as energy, water and the nexus of water with other key issues (e.g., water for ecosystem needs), natural hazards, zoonotic diseases, and invasive species research.

Participants emphasized several criteria for selecting USGS science priorities and shaping how these priorities can be implemented most strategically. Themes from these comments include:

USGS's Unique Capabilities. USGS's science strategy should be informed by and build on its unique role as a source of public science, specifically its capabilities to produce objective, high-quality information, leadership in integrating geospatial information, and addressing emerging science questions that other agencies do not have the resources or immediate mandate to pursue.

The Value of Fundamental Science. The baseline/background data and long-term data sets that USGS collects and analyzes is vital to other research and to policy-making in many areas. USGS should continue to think in terms of geological time as it shapes its science strategy.

Future-Focused Predictive Capabilities and Tools. Given the need for better planning and forecasting to address societal issues, the USGS strategy also should recognize the importance of strengthening the Survey's predictive capabilities, such as tools and resources for modeling and scenario building. This is seen as linked to and informed by, not in conflict with, the monitoring and analysis functions associated with collecting baseline/background data above that participants believe also need to be reflected in any future science strategy.

Integrating Science and Information across Programs and Scales. USGS should continue to find linkages between programs and disciplines, strengthening a more cross-cutting approach that can improve the ability to respond to requirements for more integrated information in meeting complex scientific challenges.

Building and Enhancing Partnerships. Universities, scientific associations, state agencies, and the private sector are open and interested in creating partnerships that will leverage resources, create better understanding of customer needs, and could result in greater impact on priority issues.

Translating Data into Relevant Information for Decision-Makers. USGS work should produce information that is accessible, integrated, and clear to-non experts to be useful in policy-making and everyday program decisions.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.usgs.gov/customer/conversation/2006/exec_summary.html
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