Join the Social Sciences Colloquium at the Department of Social Sciences for this Great Problems, Great Minds seminar series event featuring guest speaker Natalie Boodram, a senior technical officer at the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), who will give a presentation on “Caribbean Science-Policy Interfaces—A Case Study of the Grenada National Ecosystem Assessment.” This seminar will take place on Wednesday, January 31, from 5–6:15 p.m. over Zoom.

Abstract

National ecosystem assessments collate and synthesize current knowledge on the status, trends, and threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services in target countries. These assessments also provide information on the economic, social, and intrinsic value of those ecosystems and ecosystem services for use in national and local level decision making. This seminar presents the process and outputs of the Grenada Ecosystem Assessment showcasing pathways used for the uptake of the information for advocacy and policy formulation.

Bio

Natalie Boodram leads the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute’s Biodiversity and Ecosystems Program, drawing on many years of experience as a forest, river, and riparian ecologist. Boodram also has an extensive background in climate resilience, and integrated water resources management and environmental health. She has also led the development of a number of national and regional Caribbean environmental policies and frameworks. Her work at CANARI focuses on participatory approaches to natural resources management as it pertains to forest and freshwater ecosystems, livelihoods, and governance issues. Before joining CANARI, she worked at Global Water Partnership-Caribbean and the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute. Boodram has earned a Ph.D. in Ecology from the University of Florida, and a master’s degree in plant science and a bachelor’s degree in botany from the University of the West Indies.

The Great Problems Great Minds Seminar Series event is part of Social Sciences Colloquium of the Great Problems, Great Minds seminar series which explores the major problems facing humanity as we move into the heart of the twenty-first century. To see the full schedule and videos from previous events, visit the seminar series page.