An Integrated Assessment Approach to Research
Science that Supports Communities
Michigan Sea Grant supports research that follows an Integrated Assessment approach. Research teams develop new information, create tools and build partnerships that help people better address particularly challenging coastal issues – such as fish contaminants, stormwater run-off or wind energy conflicts.
The Integrated Assessment process is different from traditional research because researchers work closely with stakeholders to examine an issue from many perspectives, identify challenges and evaluate feasible solutions. The aim is to create results that are trusted, accessible and useful to those in decision-making positions.
A Collaborative Process
A multi-disciplinary team of researchers leads each Integrated Assessment. The team focuses on a complex environmental issue and then conducts a comprehensive analysis of natural and social scientific data and information. Rather than running additional experiments, experts summarize what is known and offer an assessment of how the science could be interpreted and used.
Throughout the project, researchers incorporate feedback from stakeholders via meetings, workshops or surveys. Stakeholders include people or organizations affected by an issue or involved in addressing the problem, such as natural resource managers, public officials, business leaders, non-profit groups, or homeowner associations. Sea Grant outreach professionals promote participation in each project, raise awareness about the issue, and support the implementation of new ideas after the project ends.
Useful Results
Stakeholder meetings and technical results are intended to help decision makers identify, compare and ultimately put solutions into place, e.g., a new ordinance, regulatory change, business initiative or coordinated approach to resource management. Each Integrated Assessment follows a unique trajectory, but most focus on the following three goals.
Clarify the history, causes and consequences of the issue.
Example: One research team used a variety of data sources to look at the distribution of contaminants in the Detroit River and developed a model to evaluate the most likely sources of PCBs in fish. See: Detroit River Fish Consumption Advisories
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Identify and evaluate potential options for addressing the issue.
Example: Researchers created a computer model of run-off water in the Spring Lake watershed to examine how better managing stormwater could improve water quality in streams and lakes. They also compared the costs and benefits of using specific techniques, such as installing constructed wetlands and rain gardens. See: Rein in the Runoff |
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Develop information and tools that can guide decision making.
Example: Researchers developed a series of maps and inventories to guide land use planning, including maps of underwater wrecks, coastal cultural assets, potential ecotourism sites, and sites likely to be impacted by current zoning regulations. See: Northeast Michigan Integrated Assessment |
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Benefiting Communities and the Environment
To better understand the benefits of Integrated Assessment, we interviewed 25 participants in recent projects, including scientists, natural resource managers, private consultants, public officials and non-profit leaders. These interviews illustrated that projects helped generate momentum, new collaborations, innovative ideas and greater consensus about next steps.
To read more about past projects and participant feedback, see: Benefits of Integrated Assessment: Information for Decision Makers, Project Leaders and Scientists
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