Seminar: Neil Carter & Lorien Jasny

Navigating the Complexity of Human-Carnivore Coexistence with Agent-Based Models

Neil Carter’s research integrates ecological and human dimensions for conservation purposes. He conducted his master’s research at the University of Michigan, evaluating the drivers and spatial location of potential conflict “hot-spots” between black bears and people in Michigan. He conducted his doctoral research at the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability at Michigan State University, where he evaluated the complex relationships between humans and tigers in and around the Chitwan National Park in Nepal. At SESYNC, Dr. Carter is developing a spatially-explicit, agent-based model of the reciprocal interactions between people and the environment in Chitwan. The goal of the model is to help develop conservation initiatives that promote long-term co-existence between humans and tigers, and that can be applied to other landscapes where people and carnivores interact.

The Impact of Interdisciplinary Teams on the Individual: Change in Mental Models During SESYNC Workshops

Lorien Jasny is a computational social scientist focusing on questions of public involvement in environmental decision making. Her research agenda focuses on two related themes: how the structure and dynamics of inter-organizational networks affect policy change, and how the structure and dynamics of belief networks affect behavioral change. Substantively, she studies how people try to bring about societal change in response to political and environmental concerns. Methodologically, the need to grapple with these often complex phenomena requires the use and development of techniques for handling large, dynamic, and relational datasets.