As of 2017, there is not a formal committee for social-ecological research in the LTER Network. The information below documents efforts to form such a committee in the early 2000’s. 

The social sciences have been incorporated to some degree in several of the LTER sites, particularly those that have received funds to conduct regional studies and the new, urban sites. Unlike the biophysical components of the LTER sites, however, there has been no structured or systematic approach to the social sciences within the entire LTER network to identify and address:

  1. significant social or “integrated” science questions and
  2. cross-site studies.

The semi-annual meeting of the LTER network in Madison, Wisconsin in October, 1999 focused on social science research from various LTER sites. During the presentations it became apparent that there were some common research themes. It was suggested that, similar to a core set of biophysical themes, the LTER network could identify a core set of social science themes. A group met after one of the sessions and discussed some ideas for how to organize and coordinate social science efforts at the LTER sites and to develop a “white paper” describing a vision for comparable social science research in the LTER network.

The linked documents include a list of social science contacts associated with different LTER sites, a “white paper” describing the need and opportunities for social science research within the LTER network, and a “vision” statement or initial strategy for developing and implementing a social science component with the LTER network.

The last known membership of the group included:

  1. Buckley, Geoffrey (buckleg1@oak.cats.ohiou.edu)
  2. Wilson, Matthew (wilson@bsad.uvm.edu)
  3. Shindler, Bruce (shindler@for.orst.edu) – AND
  4. Bond, Barbara (barbara.bond@oregonstate.edu) – AND
  5. Lach, Denise (denise.lach@oregonstate.edu) – AND
  6. Gosnell, Hannah (gosnellh@geo.oregonstate.edu) – AND
  7. Hobbie, John (jHobbie@mbl.edu) – ARC
  8. Pickett, Steward (PickettS@ecostudies.org) – BES
  9. Troy, Austin (atroy@uvm.edu) – BES
  10. Grove, Morgan (jmgrove@gmail.com) – BES
  11. Kofinas, Gary (gary.kofinas@alaska.edu) – BNZ
  12. Harlan, Sharon (Sharon.Harlan@asu.edu) – CAP
  13. Boone, Christopher (cgboone@asu.edu) – CAP
  14. Redman, Charles (charles.redman@asu.edu) – CAP
  15. Larson, Kelli (Kelli.Larson@asu.edu) – CAP
  16. Zhang, Junjie (junjiezhang@ucsd.edu) – CCE
  17. Polasky, Stephen (polasky@umn.edu) – CDR
  18. Gragson, Ted (tgragson@uga.edu) – CWT
  19. Heynen, Nik (nheynen@uga.edu) – CWT
  20. Roy Chowdhury, Rinku (RRoyChowdhury@clarku.edu) – FCE
  21. Ogden, Laura (ogdenl@fiu.edu) – FCE
  22. Alber, Merryl (malber@uga.edu) – GCE
  23. Schneider, Laura (laschnei@rci.rutgers.edu) – HBR
  24. Rustad, Lindsey (rustad@maine.edu) – HBR
  25. Kittredge, David (dbkitt@gmail.com) – HFR
  26. Skaggs, Rhonda (rskaggs@nmsu.edu) – JRN
  27. Wright, Jack (jowright@nmsu.edu) – JRN
  28. Stuart, Diana (dstuart@msu.edu) – KBS
  29. Swinton, Scott (swintons@msu.edu) – KBS
  30. Xia, Yang (yangx@ksu.edu) – KNZ
  31. Harrington, John (jharrin@k-state.edu) – KNZ
  32. McConnell, Marjorie (mmcconnell@lternet.edu) – LNO
  33. Munoz-Erickson, Tischa A. (tmunozerickson@gmail.com) – LUQ
  34. McGinley, Kathleen (kmcginley@fs.fed.us) – LUQ
  35. Howkins, Adrian (Adrian.Howkins@colostate.edu) – MCM
  36. Cioppa, Tom (tcioppa@brookdalecc.edu) – MCM
  37. Lenihan, Hunter (lenihan@bren.ucsb.edu) – MCR
  38. Rebich Hespanha, Stacy (hespanha@nceas.ucsb.edu) – NCO
  39. Provencher, Robert (rwproven@wisc.edu) – NTL
  40. Bourgeron, Patrick (patrick.bourgeron@colorado.edu) – NWT
  41. Keske, Catherine (ckeske@law.du.edu) – NWT
  42. Baker, Karen (kbaker@ucsd.edu) – PAL
  43. Pontius, Robert (rpontius@clarku.edu) – PIE
  44. Polsky, Colin (cpolsky@clarku.edu) – PIE
  45. Lopez-Carr, David (carr@geog.ucsb.edu) – SBC
  46. Agar, Michael (magar@anth.umd.edu) – SEV
  47. Swallow, Stephen (stephen.swallow@uconn.edu) – VCR
  48. Smith, David (des3e@virginia.edu) – VCR