NEWS

A delegation from the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC) recently attended the CASC Futures Forum in San Diego, CA, where national and regional CASCs convened to look back at what the centers have accomplished, and look onward to more that can be done through actionable science.

The forum, held from Nov. 18 to 22, set the stage for CASC administrators, researchers, communicators, and partners to reflect on the CASCs’ impact on climate adaptation science in the nation in their 15 years of service. It was also a momentous opportunity for the CASCs to collaborate and strategize new approaches as they chart the next 15 years. Through numerous breakout sessions and networking events, participants pieced together priorities for the centers, including knowledge building, strengthening partnerships with local and natural resource managers, and increasing capacity to advance actionable research.

Voices from the Pacific

Fifteen administrators, staff, and fellows from PI-CASC participated in the forum and shared stories on climate adaptation services catered to addressing unique issues in the Pacific Islands. The PI-CASC team contributed to the event with the following roles:

• Assistant Regional Administrator Heather Kerkering facilitated discussion on actionable science topics among CASCs and reported out key messages following a breakout session.
• University of Guam PI-CASC lead Romina King presented on the Climate Adaptation for Resource Management (CARM) program, as part of the session on capacity building.
• Climate Adaptation Extension Specialist Scott Laursen gave a lightning talk about the Manager Climate Corps (MCC) on a plenary session that highlighted the impact of CASC professional and workforce development.
• Consortium Deputy Director Brad Romine and Communications Specialist Rachel Lentz presented a PI-CASC informational poster to attendees during a CASC Showcase networking activity.
• Outreach biologist Emily Sesno and ORISE communications and research fellow Maya-Lin Green presented the K-12 Education Hub to attendees during the Early Career Poster Session.
• King, ORISE Climate Adaptation Planner and Research Scientist fellow Kamuela Plunkett, USGS PI-CASC Research Coordinator Kaʻuaʻoa Fraiola, and Guam Communications Coordinator John I. Borja were invited to provide insights during a session on exploring and collaborating with tribal and Indigenous communities.

The team also participated in various leadership meetings, cross-CASC collaborative discussions, and networking events. Through this exchange of insights, opportunities, and lessons learned, PI-CASC is even more driven to provide the best deliverable research and resources to Pacific Island communities.