19 researchers selected as 2008 Leopold Leadersh...(tor discussions about the environment. ...)

"Academic scientists work hard to understand environmental problems and to develop potential solutions, but actually solving problems requires two-way flow of information and communication between scientists and decision makers," said Pamela Matson, dean of Stanford's School of Earth Sciences and scientific director of the program. "The Leopold Leadership Program trains academics to close the gap between knowledge and action."

Following is a list of 2008 Leopold Leadership Fellows and their research:

• Pedro Alvarez, the George R. Brown Professor and chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University. Research: environmental impacts of production, storage and use of nanomaterials and renewable fuels.

• Patricia Balvanera, professor, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas (Center for Ecosystem Research), Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico. Research: role of plant biodiversity in ecosystem services.

• Edward Brook, associate professor, Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University. Research: climate history with emphasis on ice core records of greenhouse gases.

• Laurie Chan, professor and BC Leadership Chair, Community Health Sciences Program, University of Northern British Columbia. Research: assessing risk to native northern peoples' traditional food sources from pollution and climate change.

• Stephanie Chang, associate professor, School of Community and Regional Planning and Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia. Research: computer modeling of consequences of natural disasters.

  Julia Cole, associate professor, Department of Geosciences (joint appointment in Atmospheric Sciences), University of Arizona. Research: change in the El Nio/Southern Oscillation system.

• Peter Doran, associate professor and graduate director, Earth and Environmental Scienc
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