Synthesis

Synthesis refers to analysis of data to draw conclusions beyond the scope of the initial or local data collection effort, particularly to integrate findings to large scales (e.g., regional or national assessments), to evaluate new theory or models, and to assess interactions between disparate types of processes. Synthesis of disparate information is essential to obtain comprehensive understanding of freshwater systems and links between inland, coastal, and marine waters, as well as to evaluate outcomes that are critical to society, such as potential short- and long-term variability in the availability and quality of water resources, and the integrity and resilience of ecosystems subject to changing climate and intensive human manipulation.

• John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis (USGS)—The Powell Center serves as a catalyst for innovative thinking in earth system science research by providing scientists from different backgrounds a place and time to focus on multi-faceted issues. Working together in concentrated work sessions promotes absorption of new ideas and fosters debate among colleagues with different perspectives.
  
  
  • The USGS Powell Center and the National Science Foundation (NSF) will jointly fund two to three proposals for Working Groups to work on water science synthesis projects. FY 2012 proposals due November 30, 2011. FY 2013 proposals due April 30, 2012. Read our "Dear Colleague" Letter about this important opportunity
  • Joint USGS/NSF Powell Center Synthesis and Analysis Agreement - July 27,2011

    The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) agree to collaboratively support synthesis activities at the USGS John Wesley Powell Center (Powell Center) for Earth Systems Science Analysis and Synthesis. The Powell Center provides opportunities for sustained, intense interactions among individuals, ready access to raw data and metadata, and sophisticated analytical tools. Centers that foster opportunities such as this are extraordinarily effective for advancing synthesis projects (Carpenter et al. 2009). The Powell Center, located in Fort Collins, Colorado, has served as a catalyst for synthesis activities since 2009. Through a pilot phase beginning in Fall 2011, NSF and the USGS Powell Center will issue a joint call for proposals for Working Group activities. [read more]

  • Powell Center Fact Sheet 2011
• Humans Transforming the Hydrologic Cycle City University of New York—Hydrology is at an important crossroads. As articulated in several recent Grand Challenge documents, we've made great progress in process-level understanding at plot, hillslope, and small catchment scales, but our capacity to pass to the next horizon–to understand the inherent variability of the water cycle, improve hydrologic predictability, grasp its human dimensions, and articulate links to biogeochemical cycling over broader domains–requires a major reformulation of our thinking and a purposeful move toward synthesis and systematic observation.
• Water Cycle Dynamics in a Changing Environment: Advancing Hydrologic Science through Synthesis University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign—The aim of this project is to conduct a range of synthesis activities that will produce transformational outcomes in the critical research area of "improving predictability of water cycle dynamics in a changing environment," which will serve as an effective model of synthesis within the hydrological community.
• The Hydrosynthesis Multiversity is a forum for hydrologic research collaboration at the graduate level encompassing human impacts to hydrology in the United States. The Hydrosynthesis Summer Institutes (2008 & 2009) brought together graduate students from universities around the world to characterize alteration to hydrologic systems in the Northeast corridor of the United States over a 500-year period (1600 to 2100). View an online webinar.

  Alumni of the Hydrosynthesis Institute remain actively engaged from their respective graduate institutions through student-led webinars hosted by CUAHSI every 8 weeks called Multiversity. Because interdisciplinary teams of scholars, PIs, and early career participants continue to collaborate on historic hydrologic analyses in the Northeastern Corridor, many aim to submit manuscripts or abstracts to conferences on their results. Scholars utilize the webinars as a testing ground for publication or project ideas that began during the Summer Institutes. Scholars can leverage knowledge collectively that will advance their respective masters or Ph.D research topics as it relates to hydrologic impacts in addition to advancing the mission of the greater research efforts of the Hydrosythesis Institute.

• Standing Committee on Synthesis