Speaker: Steven Gray, Professor, Michigan State University. Research Scientist, Collective Intelligence Unit IT University of Copenhagen. Research Associate, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Most social-ecological issues of great importance to human well-being, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and overexploitation of natural resources are embedded within coupled human and natural systems. Problem-solving and decision-making in these complex systems is difficult. Understanding these issues requires integrating different forms of knowledge to create socio-ecological models. However, creating such models is challenging and model building too often lags behind conservation decision-making. In this talk I outline several emerging ‘Collective Intelligence’ (CI) approaches (e.g., participatory modeling, wisdom of crowds, swarm intelligence) that engage diverse stakeholders and scientists to better understand the nature of complex environmental problems given different conservation data goals (estimating populations and harvesting pressure locally, modeling social and ecological linkages, and estimating uncertain climate change impacts regionally) in a quick but robust manner. Using three empirical fishery case studies I will demonstrate how technological approaches to harnessing the CI of large groups is an efficient way to improve computational model building, increase model validity and better support participatory forms of environmental governance and decision-making.