Alena Fritch
Pronouns: She/her
Research Mentor(s): Heidi Huber-Stearns
Research Mentor School/College/Department: / SNRE
Program: UROP
Session: Session 3 (11:00am – 11:50am)
Authors:
Abstract
Wildfires in the western United States are a growing problem that involves a range of experts, rights holders and stakeholders in this field, who each have different values and understandings as to the problem, solutions and causes. As part of a larger project focused on an investigation of the different ways thought leaders are thinking and talking about the Western wildfire crisis, we identified all information gaps or research needs discussed by over 60 thought leaders interviewed for this project. Combined with other workshop documents and related meeting materials, we thematically coded these information gaps, to highlight where and how scientific expertise could inform a range of social and ecological issues related to wildfire. Although there is a varying discourse about the wildfire crisis in the western US, there are key information needs that applied, coproduced research could serve a role in filling.
