The Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities

Michael Gilmore

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Resilience as a Boundary Object

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An Opinion Piece from GMU MPA Student and C-RASC Graduate Fellow, Alexandra Albright

In a 2013 article from the Guardian, resilience was called “the sexiest new buzzword in international development.” Yet, the growing popularity of the term without a single cross-cutting definition often draws criticism about whether resilience can move beyond buzzword status to achieve measurable outcomes. I believe resilience offers scholars and practitioners a way of to move forward in a world of increasing uncertainty and disruption. Resilience concepts have evolved separately within the silos of different disciplines. An engineer’s definition of resilience will be different than a social scientist’s definition which will be different from a community organizer’s definition of resilience, and so on. The reality is that resilience does not and will not mean the same thing to everyone. Instead of focusing on the need to develop a singular definition, we can use resilience as a bridge to explore similarities and differences across disciplinary silos.

In my opinion, a useful way for C-RASC to approach the concept of resilience is to understand it as a boundary object. In other words, resilience can be meaningfully understood and conceptualized within disciplines, while serving as a conceptual link and platform to leverage convergence between disciplines. While some may consider resilience as it was defined by Holling (1996) as a return to stability and equilibrium following a disruptive event, others may focus more specifically on ecosystem resilience, absorbing disturbances and changing to a new steady state rather than the previous equilibrium. As a public administration scholar, I often turn to Wildavsky’s concept of resilience as “the capacity to cope with unanticipated dangers after they have become manifest, learning to bounce back” (1988, p.77). Moreover, practitioners in the field may focus more on applied resilience frameworks rather than resilience theory. For instance, the Rockefeller Foundation defines resilience as “the capacity of cities (individuals, communities, institutions, businesses and systems) to survive, adapt, and thrive no matter what kinds of chronic stresses and acute shocks they experience.”

These differences in the conceptualization of resilience can be unique among disciplines/sectors while still sharing some common understandings, allowing resilience to act as a boundary object for convergence. This is the goal of many resilience platforms operating at the functional level by governments and community leaders. At Mason, one of C-RASC’s major goals is to facilitate these kinds of convergent, transdisciplinary research approaches using sustainability and resilience as a boundary objects. The tension between well-defined resilience concepts and a more flexible boundary object created through transdisciplinary work is still being negotiated by scholars. By recognizing the challenge and creating shared goals using resilience as a boundary object, C-RASC and likeminded organizations are able to start looking toward a future where resilience is truly transdisciplinary.

References:

Holling, C. S. (1973). Resilience and stability of ecological systems. Annual review of ecology and systematics4(1), 1-23.

Holling, C. S. (1996). Engineering resilience versus ecological resilience. Engineering within ecological constraints31(1996), 32. https://www.nap.edu/read/4919/chapter/4

Wildavsky, A. B. (1988). Searching for safety. Transaction Publishers. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/027046769001000432

 

Wenying Ji

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C-RASC Seed Funding Opportunity | Spring 2021

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*** The 2021 C-RASC Seed Grants have been awarded. Scroll down to the C-RASC Seed-Funded Projects on our Funded Projects page to learn about the awardees***

C-RASC SEED GRANT PROGRAM

Purpose: The following Seed Grant Program is supported by Mason’s Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC) to provide financial support to Mason researchers to conduct preliminary research and/or develop data in support of seeking extramural funding on transdisciplinary projects related to resilient and sustainable communities.

I. Program Description

This program is designed to provide seed funding for Mason researchers who intend to seek extramural funding for transdisciplinary projects related to resilient and sustainable communities, which are greater than or equal to $100,000. This includes, but is not limited to, projects related to social, political, environmental, ecological and/or technological aspects of topics such as:

  • Hazards, Risks, and Disasters
  • Infrastructure Resilience
  • Cyber and Cyber-Physical Systems Resilience
  • Coastal/Ecosystem Resilience
  • Natural Resource Use/Management
  • Water/Energy/Transportation/Agriculture
  • Pandemic Resilience
  • Community Well-Being (e.g. Food Security, Health Outcomes, Civic Engagement, Social Equity, Digital Divide)
  • Sustainability/Sustainable Development

A requirement of a seed grant award is that the recipient will submit an application for extramural support, indicating C-RASC as an affiliated center in the Office of Sponsored Program’s request for proposal support. Affiliating C-RASC with a proposal has no impact on departmental indirects. The extramural funding application should be submitted within approximately one calendar year of the award date of the seed grant, or the awardee must provide a written update on progress toward submission. Within 60 days of the submission of the extramural funding proposal, a copy of that proposal, along with a final report of seed grant activities should be sent to crasc@gmu.eduOnce the extramural funding proposal is submitted, an additional $1,000 (separate from the proposed budget) will be allocated, as the team determines, to research team members’ indirect accounts. These funds can be used for professional development, travel, research or other professional expenditures, as Mason policy allows.

Awarded projects will be asked to include the C-RASC logo on all printed materials related to the proposed activities, and include, where appropriate, the following statement: This __________ is supported, in part, by the Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities.

II. Award Criteria

A number of highly competitive awards, generally limited to $10,000 (exceptions may be made), will be funded based on the probability that this funding will translate into significant funded extramural grants as described above. Awards are for costs associated with conducting preliminary research and/or developing data needed to apply for extramural funding. Awards may also be used for faculty stipends or summer salary, as appropriate and allowed by Mason policy. Priority will be given to transdisciplinary, collaborative projects for which the sponsor will allow for the payment of indirect costs.

III. Review Criteria

1. Applicant and team qualifications

  • Does the project involve the formation of or collaboration with a diverse transdisciplinary team?
  • Does the applicant have the appropriate experience/training to carry out the proposed research?
  • Is the proposed project/activity further supported by other sources of seed funding?
  • Is the applicant a C-RASC member? (Not a requirement; Contact crasc@gmu.edu to discuss C-RASC membership)

2. Relevance of project to resilient/sustainable communities

  • Does the seed funding application make a strong case to explain how the seed-funded project is relevant to resilient/sustainable communities?

3. Intellectual merit

  • Does seed-funded project lead to a project/activity that will advance intellectual merit and discovery?
  • Can the seed-funded project be executed in a timely manner?
  • If the aims are achieved, will they form a basis for an extramural proposal?

4. Well-defined plan for submitting a proposal for external funding

  • Does the application include a target agency for application?
  • Does the application provide a URL to the specific announcement?
  • Does the application state how success of the seed-funded work will lead to larger application for the research team?

IV. Eligibility

  • This program is intended to help Mason researchers to develop projects related to resilient, sustainable communities, specifically in support of submitting a proposal for extramural funding. Any Mason researchers whose research is administered through OSP are eligible (including adjunct or affiliate faculty who are eligible with approval of their dean or institute director).

V. Period of Award

  • Award funds may be expended at any time during the twelve-month period following the award (or until the external funding proposal is submitted if an extension has been granted).

VI. Application Timing

Applications are due no later than April 9, 2021, with the review and decision occurring by May 3. Applications should be submitted as a single PDF via email to crasc@gmu.edu with the subject line: C-RASC Seed Funding Request <APPLICANT-LAST-NAME>.

VII. Application Process

A. Applications must include the following (see subsection B. Application Details below):

  1. Cover sheet
  2. Project description
  3. Specific plan for the development of the extramural proposal
  4. References
  5. Budget with budget narrative
  6. Biographical Sketch
  7. Dean/Director and Chair approval

B. Application Details

  1. Cover Sheet: Cover sheet must include applicant information (name, academic unit, email, C-RASC membership status – if applicable); Project title; Total budget requested; Extramural funding proposal to be supported by this seed funding (with link to solicitation, if available).
  2. Project Description: Maximum of 4 pages (single‐spaced, 1” margins, at least 10-pt Arial or 11pt Times New Roman) for non‐specialist readers. The description should be brief, non‐technical and include:
    1. General background
    2. Statement of the central problem or question to be addressed by this research, its scholarly significance and its relevance to resilient and sustainable communities.
    3. Objectives of the project, the methods to be employed and (where relevant) the project’s relation to existing literature in the field.
    4. Description of how the project will assist in competition for external research support.
    5. Statement of applicant and team’s qualifications.
    6. Project timetable for completion of the major elements of the project
  1. Specific plan for the development of the extramural proposal (1 page):
    1. Sponsor to which you intend to apply for extramural funds (including link to the solicitation, if available)
    2. Extramural proposal application deadline
    3. List of other faculty/disciplines with whom you will be collaborating to develop the extramural proposal and their departments/units
  1. References: Limited to 1 additional page
  2. Budget with budget narrative: Itemized project costs and budget narrative should not exceed 1 page. Please note that applicants are welcome and encouraged to combine C-RASC seed funding with other seed funding, as long as the other seed funding does not disallow it. Examples of allowable expenses include (but are not limited to): support for travel and supplies; postdoctoral candidate stipends; full or partial stipends and tuition for advanced graduate students who have completed their coursework; and research stipends for undergraduate research assistants. No indirect expenses should be included.
  3. Applicant’s Biographical Sketch: Not to exceed 2 pages; NSF-format is appropriate.
  4. Chair Approval: The applicant must provide a brief letter of approval from their Department Chair. If you are the Chair of your department, your letter of approval should come from your Dean/Director. Letters should be included with the application and should not exceed 1 page.

** Applications should be submitted as a single PDF (no longer than 11 pages) via email to crasc@gmu.edu with the subject line: C-RASC Seed Funding Request <APPLICANT-LAST-NAME>.

VIII. Selection: The Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities awards seed grants upon recommendation of the Director, in consultation with the Assistant Director for Research Operations and an appointed, ad-hoc committee of at least 2 additional C-RASC members. Members cannot serve on a review committee for their own seed funding requests. Please note that success in receiving extramural funds under the Seed Grant Program will be considered in future applications to this program.

IX. Equity Statement: C-RASC is committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

X. Contact Information: Contact crasc@gmu.edu with any questions.

Wildlife Trade, Pandemics and the Law

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Legal Atlas, EcoHealth Alliance, and George Mason University

are proud to announce the release of their joint report

Wildlife Trade, Pandemics and the Law:

Fighting This Year’s Virus with Last Year’s Law

As of January 22, 2021, over 97M human cases and 2.1M deaths have been reported globally due to COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. Both figures are almost double what they were just two months prior; with infection rates and mortality still climbing.

The international response has of course been strong with significant attention being given to how we can change international agreements like UNTOC and CITES. There has also been talk of prohibiting wildlife trade altogether and pursuing better management of natural resources.

But zoonotic diseases are not new, and most countries have some policies in place to manage zoonotic disease risks or impacts but require re-examination in light of COVID-19. This report therefore takes a critical look at the national legal context, sampling 38 jurisdictions and asking; what have nations already done with their laws that support the monitoring and prevention of disease emergence that comes from wildlife? In particular, it examines how ten different areas of law respond to this need. In addition to the main findings, the authors provide a summary of the legal challenges and the many opportunities for immediate action.

We invite you to consider the findings and to join us in further conversations on how laws can best support these efforts. The full report is linked here and can be found through Legal Atlas’s social media accounts, as well as in the publications section of their website.

For more information, contact:

  • James Wingard, JD — Co-Founder and Legal Director, Legal Atlas (Email: james.wingard@legal-atlas.net)
  • Catherine Machalaba, MPH, PhD — Senior Policy Advisor and Scientist, EcoHealth Alliance (Email: machalaba@ecohealthalliance.org)
  • A. Alonso Aguirre, D.V.M., Ph.D. — Department Chair & Professor, Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University (Email: aaguirr3@gmu.edu)

For more on Legal Atlas www.legal-atlas.com

For more on EcoHealth Alliance www.ecohealthalliance.org

For more on Prof. Aguirre, at George Mason University https://science.gmu.edu/directory/alonso-aguirre

Padmanabhan (Padhu) Seshaiyer

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Jennifer Sklarew

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Minkyung Park

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Maj. Gen. John F. Wharton

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All-star line-up at 14th annual STAR-TIDES

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The 14th annual demonstration of the global STAR-TIDES knowledge-sharing network, coordinated by George Mason University’s new Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities, was held virtually October 20-22, 2020.

Mason President Gregory Washington kicked off the “Converging Approaches to Sustainable Resilience” capabilities demonstration by highlighting the broad scope of STAR-TIDES and how the university’s three institutes, Sustainable Earth, Digital InnovAtion, and Biohealth Innovation, align with the World Economic Forum’s view.

“It is a tribute to the foresight of George Mason’s leadership over many years that the university is positioned to adapt to the many dimensions of these changing, accelerating times and lead in teaching and research related to them,” Washington said.

This is an example of how Mason’s thought leadership in these areas recognizes that the physical, digital, and biological worlds are fusing.

The audience for the event included members of the national security, human security, emergency management, and sustainable development communities. The overall theme focused on how the complex, accelerating challenges that the world faces require coordinated approaches.

The 22 separate events and 10 parallel breakout tracks focused on diverse areas including technologies, narrative and storytelling, and ethics. Students interacted with professionals for advice on job search approaches, as well as practitioners from areas such as global health, geospatial information, emergency management, development, and sustainable resilience during a career track session.

The conference featured 25 speakers and approximately 70 panelists, several national and international figures.

During his keynote address, Thomas L. Friedman, the distinguished New York Times Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist, discussed the fast, fused, deep, and open forces that increasingly affect our lives.

Lt. Gen Michael Plehn, USAF, Military Deputy Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, and Claire Melamed, PhD, CEO of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, presented keynotes on the second day of the conference.

Participating exhibitors shared examples of how they applied their capabilities in real-world situations. These included perspectives on Navy operational energy, low-cost shelters, power grid cost reduction, and supply chain risk management for open source software, as well as a compelling example of how STAR-TIDES network members helped rebuild a medical clinic in South Sudan.

STAR-TIDES is a global knowledge-sharing network that focuses on building sustainable resilience, promoting human security (freedom from want and freedom from fear), and creating life-changing social and economic activities. These roles have evolved from original support by the U.S. Defense Department’s TIDES (Transformative Innovation for Development and Emergency Support) program to four defense-related mission areas: building partner capacity, humanitarian assistance and foreign disaster relief, defense support of civil authorities, stability and peace-keeping operations.

Follow-up activities will continue throughout the coming year.