Overview
July 30-August 1, 2019 – Talaris Conference Center in Seattle, WA.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, this by-invitation only workshop brought together a select group of 40 experts across an array of disciplines, sectors, and locations to:
- identify the key challenges megapolitan regions and their adjacent communities and natural spaces face as urbanization continues,
- explore the myriad approaches used in megapolitan regions to address these challenges, and
- synthesize this information to identify priority research areas that a research network could promote for improving urban systems sustainability.
Group perspective, knowledge, experience, connections, and collaborative and big-thinking mindset were the greatest asset to this convening.
This was a working conference – attendees not just attended, but rolled up their sleeves and focused on the most critical megapolitan challenges and opportunities. Together, with fellow attendees from academia, industry, government, and non-profits we hope to build new collaborative partnerships and outputs.
SUS Drawing Gallery
- Agenda
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SUSRN – Advancing Conference
The Next Urban Giants: Building Resilience and Equity into Growing Megapolitan Regions by Greening the Urban Human-Natural System
July 30-Aug 1, 2019
Talaris Conference Center – 4000 NE 41st St, Seattle, WA 98105
Day 1- Plenary Session and Breakout Group Discussion7:30 AM – 8:30 AM: Registration and Coffee
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Welcome and Opening Remarks
Dr. Brad Gaolach, WSU Metropolitan Center
Ben Bakkenta, Director for Regional Planning, Puget Sound Regional Council
Dr. Kelvin Frank, Eastern Washington University (Land Acknowledgment & Welcome)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Morning Keynote Presentations
- 9:00-9:30: Dr. Marina Alberti, University of Washington, Urban Sustainability from an Eco-Evolutionary Perspective
- 9:35-10:10: Gordon Feller, Meeting of the Minds: Next Generation Solutions: The role industry can play, and is already playing, to help regions and cities
- 10:10-10:40 break
- 10:40-11:15: Kim Zentz, Urbanova: Urbanova – Re-thinking Urban Challenges for Mid-sized Cities
- 11:20-12:00 Sudha Nanadagopal, Environmental Justice Advocate / Social Venture Partners International: Community Centered Solutions: Creating social cohesion and stronger communities
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM: Expectations Wall Activity
Participants share their thoughts on what “Challenges”, “Needs”, “Questions”, and “Opportunities” should be addressed by a Sustainable Urban Research Center.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM: Lunch Buffet
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM: Breakout Group Discussions- identify key megapolitan characteristics that promote sustainability (~8 people per group).
Discussion Questions:
- What are the key characteristics of a megapolitan region that control its ability to be connected, renewable, equitable, and adaptable?
- How do urban system characteristics influence megapolitan resilience to different kinds of hazards and shocks (e.g., earthquake, fire, labor strike, flood, drought, human migration, etc.)?
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM: Breakout Groups Report Out
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM: Coffee Break
3:30 PM – 4:45 PM: Breakout Group Discussions- identify key megapolitan challenges or opportunities for promoting urban sustainability (~8 people per group).
Discussion Questions:
- What are roadblocks or opportunities for building, governing, and fostering urban sustainability?
- How do the challenges faced differ when considering the nested scales of urban systems (e.g., urban-rural gradient, short vs. long-term impacts, local vs. regional scale, sharing lessons learned)?
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM: Breakout Groups Report Out
6:00 PM: Reception with cash bar, dinner, and Adaptation Game Night
Day 2- Breakout Group Discussion and Manuscript Development
7:30-8:30 AM: Contenental Breakfast
8:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Panel Session– A group of 4 panelists from four different metropolitan regions will discuss (1) key challenges and (2) promising opportunities and actions for moving towards a sustainable megapolitan system.
Panel Members:
- Albuquerque, NM: John Barney, Parks and Recreation Planning Manager, Bernalillo County NM
- Boston, MA: Dr. Anne Short Gianotti, Associate Professor, Boston University
- Los Angeles, CA: Janet Hartin, Area Environmental Horticulture Advisor and County Co-Director, Cooperative Extension San Bernardino County
- Sacramento, CA: Dr. Gail Feenstra, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Director, University of California – Davis
10:00-10:30 Coffee Break
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Breakout Group Discussion- Led by Dr. Julie Padowski — participants will identify key research and action pathways forward (~ 8 people per group).
Discussion Questions:
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- What are the most compelling basic research questions (“intellectual merit”) and pressing societal needs (“broader impacts”) that need to be addressed to enable a resilient and sustainable megapolitan region?
- What are the major knowledge and implementation gaps? What types of research approaches or expertise are necessary?
- What is the most important low-hanging fruit?
- What would be the ideal way for a center to be structured to address these questions, gaps and opportunities?
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Lunch Buffet
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Breakout Group Summary– breakout groups summarize morning discussion with one powerpoint slide or poster board and present to all participants.
2:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Product Scoping/Development – Participants divide into subgroups and start scoping/drafting one of three different products. All drafting will take place in a shared Google Docs http://bit.do/SUSPNW)
- White paper and Manuscript – Led by Julie Padowski — develop two documents that summarize 1) key challenges and opportunities cities face 2) how cities can build resilience and equity through green solutions 3) critical research areas that need to be addressed, 4) an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral strategy for advancing research that supports sustainable urban development
- Solution “Green Print” – Led by Scott Altenhoff — a reference guide that can be widely shared by participants that clearly summarizes the meeting’s key issues and lessons, as they pertain to on-the-ground decisions. At a minimum, this “Green Print” will articulate: (1) the nature and scale of the problems facing megapolitan areas, (2) ideas for what novel solutions to these problems might look like, and (3) a list of “success stories” or case studies for solving problems at the megapolitan scale.
- Education & Outreach Scope of Work – Led by Dr. Ani Jayakaran — development of a “scope of work” (SOW) for future education and outreach products targeted at the general public, especially underserved communities. These potential products will be wide ranging in approach and target audiences. The SOW may include things like adaptation games, citizen science projects, or ad campaigns, as well as plans to establish strategic partnerships and secure future funding for development and rollout of these products.
4:30 PM: Adjourn
Dinner on your own – groups meet up
Day 3- Product Development & Discussion
7:30-8:30 AM: Contenental Breakfast
8:30 AM – 10:30 PM: Products Draft Review- Participants in the three groups will collectively review the first drafts of the products to share progress and discuss questions about content and future directions.
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Product Draft Summary Report Out — Groups provide a brief overview of their draft documents to the full group. Participants will indicate their desired level of future participation finalizing conference products in manuscript finalization.
11:00 AM – Box Lunches available
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM: Establish Core Writing Team- Writing teams will be organized and will develop specific manuscript development tasks and product deadlines.
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Closing Remarks
- Participants
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First Last Organization Title City State Martha Aitken WSU Metropolitan Center Assistant Director Seattle WA Marina Alberti University of Washington Professor Seattle WA Scott Altenhoff City of Eugene Urban Forestry Management Analyst Eugene OR Molly Baer Kramer Emerald Corridor Collaboratory Project Manager Portland OR Ben Bakkenta Puget Sound Regional Council Director of Regional Planning Seattle WA Debolina Banerjee Puget Sound Sage Climate Justice Policy Analyst Seattle WA John Barney Bernalillo County, NM (Parks Recreation & Open Space) Planning Manager Albuquqerque NM Todd Beyreuther Katerra Sr. Director Advanced Building Materials Spokane WA Sara Breslow University of Washington EarthLab Social Science Lead Seattle WA Colleen Burgess Ramboll Principal Consultant Phoenix AZ Aaron Clark Stewardship Partners Director of Strategic Partnerships Seattle WA Chad Cramer City of Eugene Urban Designer Eugene OR Jennifer Davison Urban@UW, University of Washington Program Director Seattle WA Susan Day University of British Columbia Professor Vancouver BC Steve Dubiel EarthCorps Executive Director Seattle WA Pam Emerson Seattle Public Utilities Green Infrastructure Planner / Change Coach Seattle WA Maggie Fasy WSU Metropolitan Center Project Coordinator Seattle WA Gail Feenstra UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program Deputy Director Davis CA Gordon Feller Meeting of the Minds Founder San Francisco CA Kelvin Frank None Private Consultant Moclips WA Brad Gaolach WSU Metropolitan Center Director Everett WA Kathryn Gardow Gardow Consulting President Seattle WA Bruce Hamilton NSF Program Director Alexandria VA Mami Hara City of Seattle – Seattle Public Utilities General Manager/CEO Seattle WA Erika Harris Puget Sound Regional Council Senior Planner Seattle WA Janet Hartin University of Calfiornia Cooperative Extension Environmental Horticulturist San Bernardino CA Chris Hilton The Nature Conservancy Urban Partnerships Director Seattle WA Christine Horne WSU Sociology Department Professor Pullman WA Ani Jayakaran Washington State University Associate Professor and LID Extension Specialist Puyallup WA Ed Kolodziej UW (Tacoma/Seattle); Center for Urban Waters Associate Professor Tacoma WA Tiernan Martin Futurewise Livable Communities Program Manager Seattle WA Taylor McHolm University of Oregon Program Director, Student Sustainability Center Eugene OR Kevan Moffett Washington State University Asst. Professor Vancouver WA Sudha Nandagopal Social Venture Partners CEO Seattle WA Erin Nobler National Renewable Energy Lab Project Manager Golden CO Julie Padowski Washington State University Clinical Asst. Professor, WA Water Research Center and Center for Environmental Research Pullman WA Charles Patton Puget Sound Regional Council Equity Manager Seattle WA Aaron Ramirez Reed College Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Portland OR Yolimar Rivera Vazquez Ecotrust Seattle Food & Farms Coordinator Mukilteo WA Christopher Schell University of Washington, Tacoma Assistant Professor of Urban Ecology Tacoma WA Anne Short Gianotti Boston University Associate Professor Boston MA Dale Silha McKinstry Vice President Spokane WA Matt Springer Northwest Youth Corps Programs Director Eugene OR Tracy Stanton The Emerald Alliance for People, Nature and Community Executive Director Seattle WA Trevor Taylor Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Stewardship Section Manager Salem OR Kahreen Tebeau Seattle Public Utilities Senior Policy Advisor Seattle WA Patricia Townsend Washington State University Regional Extension Specialist/Assistant Professor Lake Forest Park WA Heather Trim Zero Waste Washington Executive Director Seattle WA Matias Valenzuela King County Director, Office of Equity and Social Justice Seattle WA Sean Watts SM Watts Consulting, LLC Owner Seattle WA Raymond Williams Black Farmers Collective Farm Manager Seattle WA Roger Woodworth Urbanova Board Chair Colbert WA Kim Zentz Urbanova Chief Executive Officer Spokane WA
- Featured Speakers
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DAY ONE:
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Dr. Brad Gaolach, WSU Metropolitan Center
Ben Bakkenta, Director for Regional Planning, Puget Sound Regional Council
Dr. Kelvin Frank, Eastern Washington University (Land Acknowledgment & Welcome)
Morning Keynote Presentations
- Dr. Marina Alberti, University of Washington, Urban Sustainability from an Eco-Evolutionary Perspective
- Gordon Feller, Meeting of the Minds: Next Generation Solutions: The role industry can play, and is already playing, to help regions and cities
- Kim Zentz, Urbanova: Urbanova – Re-thinking Urban Challenges for Mid-sized Cities
- Sudha Nanadagopal, Environmental Justice Advocate / Social Venture Partners International: Community Centered Solutions: Creating social cohesion and stronger communities
DAY TWO:
- Albuquerque, NM: John Barney, Parks and Recreation Planning Manager, Bernalillo County NM
- Boston, MA: Dr. Anne Short Gianotti, Associate Professor, Boston University
- Los Angeles, CA: Janet Hartin, Area Environmental Horticulture Advisor and County Co-Director, Cooperative Extension San Bernardino County
- Sacramento, CA: Dr. Gail Feenstra, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Director, University of California – Davis
- Planning Team
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Grant Team:
- Metropolitan Center for Applied Research and Extension: Brad Gaolach, Julie Padowski, Anand Jayakaran, Patricia Townsend
- Reed College: Aaron Ramirez
- City of Eugene, OR: Scott Altenhoff
Planning Team:
- Metropolitan Center for Applied Research and Extension: Brad Gaolach (Chair), Julie Padowski, Anand Jayakaran, Patricia Townsend (Co-Chair), Kevan Moffett, Martha Aitken, Maggie Anderson Fasy
- Reed College: Aaron Ramirez
- City of Eugene, OR: Scott Altenhoff
- Urbanova: Kim Zentz
- University of Washington: Thaisa Way
- The Nature Conservancy: Jessie Israel
Convening Products
- Products
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SUS Education & Outreach Scope of Work
SUS White Paper (updated 10/31/19)
The National Science Foundation
Meet Past Green Infrastructure Deep Dive Fellow, Patricia Townsend
