We are now receiving applications for DMDU Regional and Special Interest Groups (more information below).
Please use this form to submit your group proposal. Proposals are due by Feb 29th, 2024, and the DMDU leadership team will select proposals by the end of March 2024.
Quick Summary
In 2024, we will pilot DMDU Regional & Special Interest groups, and applications to submit a DMDU group will be open from February 1st to 28th, 2024. If you expressed interest in joining or leading groups, this page contains more details about the rationale and process for establishing DMDU member groups.
If you would like to express interest or find committee members for your group, add your name to the DMDU member groups interest list and reach out to those with similar interests.
Context
Over the past ten years, the DMDU society pursued its mission of improving decision making under deep uncertainty through the development and dissemination of DMDU principles and methods. We pursued this mission through a set of initiatives: the now-established DMDU annual meeting, ad-hoc committees, webinars, and the DMDU summer school.
In response to the demand for membership engagement initiatives and in support of the DMDU Society’s overarching mission, the society will pilot member-led regional and special interest groups in 2024.
Purpose
The purpose of the DMDU regional and special interest groups is to provide a nexus for greater collaboration and member-led engagement within the society. Member groups will provide you with the opportunity to engage with the mission of the DMDU society and establish connections that would otherwise not be made.
DMDU regional and interest groups may also contribute towards the equitable distribution of benefits afforded by the society – both by augmenting the pool of DMDU professionals who can contribute to the society’s goals (i.e., those who would lead member groups) and those who benefit from member-led activities but otherwise would not join our annual meetings and events.
Types of Member Groups
We initially envision the establishment of two types of member groups:
- Regional Groups: Regional groups enhance the geographic representation and standing of the society by organizing local events, engaging with local demands, and providing a point of contact to local decision-makers and analysts who would otherwise not have contact with DMDU principles and methods. Regional groups may organize local symposia, invited talks, and society-branded events.
- Special Interest Groups: Special Interest groups can provide a disciplinary point of contact for the society or may be related to specific aspects of the DMDU toolset. For instance, we may have a set of disciplinary interest groups to raise awareness of DMDU methods in specific fields (e.g., DMDU in water resource management, health policy) and interest groups to advance specific aspects of the DMDU practice (e.g., a stakeholder engagement methods interest group, or a DMDU software development interest group).
Activities
Regional and interest groups are welcome to organize activities that are of interest to their members and consistent with the DMDU society’s mission. These activities may include: i) organizing informal “DMDU meet-ups” in more specialized conferences (i.e., an AGU meet-up); ii) holding regional or thematic symposia or webinars; iii) organizing ad-hoc task forces to respond to timely thematic issues.
Application Process
Setting up a DMDU member group is similar to organizing a DMDU meeting session. The application period in 2024 will be from Feb 1st to Feb 28th, 2024. Prospective DMDU member group leads can reach out to their network and fellow DMDU members to gather support for their group and identify a member group committee, composed of 3-5 DMDU members. You can reach out to your own network to find committee members, or reach out to those who have similar interests in the DMDU member group interest list. You will fill out a short form and state your group’s vision, a steering committee of key members, your planned activities, and scope. Ideally, the application will be filled out by a DMDU member willing and able to make a lasting contribution to the DMDU society.
Limitations and Oversight
DMDU member groups are not a replacement for other activities led by the society and do not “represent” the society formally. Interest groups will not be allowed to conduct activities deemed inconsistent with the mission of the DMDU society and its non-profit status, which will soon be established. The DMDU leadership team will select DMDU groups, and oversees the groups.