Developing leaders to tackle wicked problems at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems

Alisa A Wade,Seigi Karasaki,Andrew C Wilcox,Amina Grant,Aavudai Anandhi,Laurie Yung,David Cwiertny,Rachel Smoak,Kristin Sleeper,Michael E Chang,Alastair Iles

doi:10.1525/elementa.407

Abstract

The multiscale, complex challenges at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems (FEWS) demand approaches to graduate education beyond traditional disciplinary training. Here, we present a vision for training FEWS leaders developed by faculty and students from interdisciplinary graduate training programs focused on the FEWS nexus. We discuss the imperative to create interdisciplinary, next-generation FEWS leaders and the core skills and proficiencies such leaders need: employ systems thinking, thrive in interdisciplinary teams, communicate effectively, and engage diverse stakeholders and communities. These skills will prepare students to connect science to innovative, actionable solutions and to successfully lead across a variety of careers. Graduate training that integrates these approaches must, on the one hand, overcome structural, cultural, and financial barriers in higher education, but on the other hand, will help develop a community of practice capable of developing sustainable solutions for the FEWS nexus and other vexing environmental challenges.

Highlights

Interdisciplinary leaders to solve wicked problems at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems The challenge of building sustainable and secure food, energy, and water systems (FEWS; D’Odorico et al, 2018; Jones et al, 2017) requires a new generation of leaders trained in interdisciplinarity and innovation (Ledford, 2015)
In this paper we identify and examine core elements of interdisciplinary and experiential graduate education aimed at developing leaders with specific skills and proficiencies necessary to address environmental challenges, including but not limited to those at the FEWS nexus
Academic breadth and depth can be at odds, faculty and graduate students are already typically overextended, and solving wicked problems at the FEWS nexus will depend on more than innovative graduate training programs

Summary

The imperative

Interdisciplinary leaders to solve wicked problems at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems The challenge of building sustainable and secure food, energy, and water systems (FEWS; D’Odorico et al, 2018; Jones et al, 2017) requires a new generation of leaders trained in interdisciplinarity and innovation (Ledford, 2015). In this paper we identify and examine core elements of interdisciplinary and experiential graduate education aimed at developing leaders with specific skills and proficiencies necessary to address environmental challenges, including but not limited to those at the FEWS nexus. Our own efforts to achieve the vision we propose here, as students, faculty, and staff who have participated in U.S National Science Foundation Research Traineeships (NRTs) focused on Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS; NSF, 2020), inform our proposals and underpin our optimism that innovative, interdisciplinary graduate training programs can be realized

The training

The challenge

The reward