Panel Session Abstract: The technology of the 21st century can facilitate novel approaches to professional networks and communities of practice beyond the professional society that were not possible a decade ago. And the past year has offered a stark reminder of the need for resilient networks and communities that connect, re-connect, and support — professionally and personally — natural resource social scientists, practitioner, and advocates.

Over the past 10-years, several independent initiatives have built global or fit-to-purpose networks of natural resource social scientists and practitioners. These include an Interagency Federal Collaborative (my.usgs.gov/hd/about), the Social Science Extreme Events Research Network (hazards.colorado.edu/sseer/researchers-map), In Common Podcast (incommonpodcast.org/about-common/), the Marine Social Science Network (www.marsocsci.net), and the Conservation Social Sciences Community Network (bit.ly/ConSocSci)

These five network initiatives have agreed to participate in this session to show current efforts to build global networks for natural resource social science. Bringing together leaders of these related but distinct initiatives contributes to the conference theme of building global networks for natural resource social science. Contributors represent a well-rounded understanding of the trials and tribulations associated with developing, launching, and sustaining a social science network.

Our hybrid session of pre-recorded talks (8-mins/each) are followed by a moderated panel discussion with the panelists and their collaborators (45 mins). Contributors’ presentations focus on introducing these initiatives, and trials and tribulations, and the follow-up moderated panel discussion focuses on a broad theme of how we (re-) construct communities of practice away from academic disciplines and towards problem-oriented work that can synergize academics, practice, and broader institutional and public interest.