2015 AAAS Annual Meeting (12-16 February 2015)

February 12 - 16, 2015

Information Accelerators: Using Online Tools To Address Sustainability Challenges

With another two billion people expected on the planet by 2050 and mounting pressure on our lands, waters, and vital natural resources, information about how to steward natural systems and the people who depend on them has never been more precious. Fortunately, the pace of advancement in information technology has been accelerating, and there is enormous potential to provide better support for the innumerable decisions that regularly affect the sustainability of coupled human and natural systems. For over a decade, the rate of online data storage has doubled every two years, internet connection speeds have increased 50 percent per year, and the price of computational hardware has halved every 14 months. This creates an alluring opportunity for natural scientists to consider the distribution and collaborative generation of scientific data and endeavors on a global scale. This symposium will highlight online tools and initiatives that bring together large social and environmental datasets and environmental science to support conservation, advance science, and raise public awareness of complex environmental issues. Speakers will share the vision for a particular online initiative, address design issues, discuss insights on barriers to using their data and tools to their full potential, and chart a path forward using the power of information technology to influence positive outcomes for science and sustainability.