Dialog on Science Impact: Benchmarking External Efforts and Organizations

This report summarizes the efforts of organizations external to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that focus on improving the use of science to support societal decisionmaking. This information was collected to provide the USGS with additional program ideas and potential avenues for collaboration as it develops the Science Impact Program.

The Science Impact Program, a research program dedicated to increasing the use and value of USGS science in societal decisionmaking, is a focused effort by the USGS to enhance its program performance and science delivery in support of the Department of the Interior's "Four C's": consultation, cooperation, and communication - all in the service of conservation. The benchmarking effort described in this report is a first step for the USGS toward consulting other federal agencies and nations, as well as academic groups and the private sector, to exchange ideas and best practices for improving the use of science in decisionmaking. The USGS can then cooperate with external organizations in areas of mutual interest so as to develop new ways to communicate the best available science. This integrated and collaborative approach will increase the relevance, utility, and customer value of USGS science.