SCIENCE DIPLOMACY CENTER FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Summary Report

The IAI Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) held its first advisory board meeting in November 2022 to establish a framework for strengthening the science-policy interface in the Americas. The board defined a vision focused on peaceful and sustainable regional development through transdisciplinary collaborations and set goals including the creation of a science diplomacy knowledge hub and regional training. Key recommendations include focusing on 'Climate Action' as a priority thematic area, leveraging the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program to produce non-technical policy briefs, and developing a strategic communication plan to attract diverse funding from foundations and member Parties. The meeting also highlighted the need for contextualized training that includes scientists, diplomats, and journalists, and the establishment of a formal mentorship program to bridge the gap between early-career researchers and policy-makers.

• The SDC's vision is to contribute to a "peaceful and sustainable Americas" by using transdisciplinary collaborations to address shared regional challenges and protect future generations and the planet.
• The Center aims to prioritize 'Climate Action' as a primary thematic focus because it was identified as a local and regional priority in the IAI's Regional Assessment. Potential sub-focus areas include disaster risk reduction and management, oceans, and food security.
• There is a critical need to translate scientific data into digestible, non-technical formats for policy-makers. The board recommended that the SDC synthesize IPCC information into 1-2 page briefing memos tailored to the specific contexts of the 19 IAI Parties.
• The SDC intends to leverage the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program, which has grown to 46 participants from eight countries, to serve as future ambassadors and provide the human capacity needed to conduct landscape analyses and policy synthesis.
• Sustainable funding strategies for the SDC should include a mix of support from IAI Parties, partnerships with philanthropy organizations and foundations, and potentially providing consulting services to various organizations.
• Capacity building should be inclusive and multidisciplinary, extending training beyond scientists and diplomats to include journalists and the media, as well as providing economics training for scientists to better communicate the costs of decision-making to stakeholders.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2023). SCIENCE DIPLOMACY CENTER FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Summary Report. https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/SDC%20Meeting%20Full%20Report_Uruguay%20en.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. SCIENCE DIPLOMACY CENTER FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Summary Report. 2023. https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/SDC%20Meeting%20Full%20Report_Uruguay%20en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=SCIENCE DIPLOMACY CENTER FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Summary Report |date=25 January 2023 |url=https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/SDC%20Meeting%20Full%20Report_Uruguay%20en.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2023science, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{SCIENCE DIPLOMACY CENTER FIRST ADVISORY BOARD MEETING Summary Report}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2023}, month = jan, url = {https://www.iai.int/administrador/assets/images/ckfinder/files/SDC%20Meeting%20Full%20Report_Uruguay%20en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }