Publication Date
8-2023
Publisher
Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Institute
Abstract
As a core vision, the Cal Poly Humboldt Sea Level Rise Institute (SLRI) “envisions a diverse network of collaborators working together across disciplines, sectors, and ways of knowing to develop sea-level rise research and planning that informs equitable, sustainable, and community-centered local climate action.” The SLRI had a productive academic year from 2022 - 2023 in service of this vision. Key accomplishments included: ● Governance - Over the summer of 2022, the group formally became an institute at Cal Poly Humboldt and adopted a formal charter including a vision statement, values, goals, and governance structure. ● Participation - Over the course of the academic year, participation in the SLRI more than doubled from 20 in August 2022 to 48 in July 2023. ○ Participation includes representatives from academic institutions, Tribes, government agencies, NGOs, the private sector, and civic and community groups in the region.
● Projects and Awards - Participants in the SLRI have been a part of over ten funded projects which total over $3.68 million dollars in awarded funds. ○ Grants and projects have been led by a variety of entities including: Cal Poly Humboldt, the Wiyot Tribe, Humboldt Baykeeper, and US Fish & Wildlife Service. ● Publications & Presentations - SLRI participants were authors or influencers of 10 publications and/reports and over 11 presentations related to SLR topics. ○ SLRI members developed their first joint publication (25 authors) for the Humboldt Journal of Social Relations titled: Transformative Sea-level Rise Research and Planning: Establishing a University, Tribal, and Community Partnership for a Resilient California North Coast
● Media - Work of the SLRI was mentioned in over 24 media pieces this year in venues including the San Francisco Chronicle, the North Coast Journal, the Eureka Times Standard, the Lost Coast Outpost, and Humboldt Magazine, and the Econews podcast. ● Events - The SLRI hosted two major events, a king tide viewing activity and a community discussion about locally stored nuclear waste following the staging of the play “The Children” ● Students - SLRI employed two student research assistants; had five graduate student members; led four SLR-related undergraduate capstone projects (in ESM and ERE); and collaborated with the Wiyot Tribe on the hosting of a summer ecocultural restoration program for five native students.