The Transformation Network

TN Leadership Meeting
2025-02-13 13:00 - 14:00, 2025-01-30 13:00 - 14:00, 2024-12-09 09:00 - 22:00, 2024-11-22 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-11-11 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-10-25 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-14 09:00 - 10:00 (America/Denver)
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Columbia River Basin PBC Quarterly Meeting
2025-02-13 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-11-14 14:00 - 15:00

Transformation Atlas Workshop
2025-01-30 11:00 - 12:00, 2024-11-14 11:00 - 12:00

Rio Grande Fireshed Retreat
2025-01-22 - 2025-01-24
Members of the Rio Grande Fireshed Collaborative Working Group will be participating in a two-day retreat in Santa Fe, NM.

TN Student Winter Writing Retreat
2025-01-07 - 2025-01-10
The Transformation Network is hosting a Winter Writing Retreat for TN-funded Master’s and PhD students from January 7 – 10, 2025 outside of Albuquerque, NM. Students applied to participate in this retreat. We hope to host another in summer 2025!

TN Office Closed - UNM Winter Break
2024-12-23 - 2025-01-01
The Transformation Network’s administrative office will be closed for UNM’s Winter Break from Monday, December 23, 2024 – Wednesday, January 1, 2025. UNM staff will return to work on Thursday, January 2.

Fall Speaker Series: How to Build Relationships with Indigenous Knowledge by Using an Indigenist Research Paradigm
2024-12-06 15:00 - 16:00
Join the Intermountain West Transformation Network in the final presentation in our Fall 2024 Indigenous Community Engagement speaker series on Friday, December 6 at 3 PM MT! This month, we are thrilled to host Dr. Shawn Wilson, the author of Research is Ceremony. Dr. Shawn Wilson is from the Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Canada and lives on Syilx territory in Kelowna, British Columbia. He is an Associate Professor of Indigenous Studies and coordinates the Indigenous Knowledges Theme at the University of British Columbia. View the flyer for this event here.
This event is sponsored by the UNM Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, the Native FEWS Alliance, the University of Arizona Indigenous Resilience Center, and UNM Native American Studies.

Join Us on Zoom:
https://unm.zoom.us/j/91036334450

Transformation Network Community Engagement Team Meeting
2024-12-05 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-11-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2024-10-03 10:00 - 11:00

TN Office Closed - UNM Thanksgiving Break
2024-11-28 - 2024-11-29
The Transformation Network administrative office will be closed for UNM’s Thanksgiving Break.

Fall Speaker Series: Community-Based Participatory Research on Food-Energy-Water Projects
2024-11-18 14:00 - 15:00
Join Dr. Vicky Karanikola (University of Arizona) and Dr. Tommy Rock (Northern Arizona University) for the November session of our Fall 2024 Indigenous Community Engagement Speaker Series. They will present on “Community-Based Participatory Research on Food-Energy-Water Projects” on Monday, November 18 at 2 PM MT. View the flyer for this event here. This is the third talk in our Fall 2024 Speaker Series. View our full fall speaker series schedule here.
Talk Description: The Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park community is situated in the Navajo Nation between the Utah and Arizona state line. The community has a low population density and its proximity to central infrastructure, such as water and electrical services, is far thus households in the area lack access to electricity, water, and often to fresh food. The TseBii and Honor Water organizations started working on community-empowered initiatives related to water, food, and energy. While the two organizations and the community are continuously improving quality of life within the community with water and energy access for the last few years the University of Arizona recently partnered with the organizations to support this vision and provide off-grid water treatment from the water harvested from nearby sources. The UA project is a demonstration of off-grid water purification systems, designed to treat water from existing spring water sources in the Navajo Nation. The presenters will talk about their work with the organizations (non-profit and Universities), how it started, where it is currently, and where it will go in the future. The presenters will discuss the importance of community led projects and how community-based research questions are derived through this work.
Zoom Link: https://unm.zoom.us/j/91036334450

Boise State University – Bridging Knowledge Systems: The Transformation Network’s Interepistemic Approach to Complex Challenges
2024-11-15 11:00 - 12:00
Join the Transformation Network’s Principal Investigator, Melinda Morgan, for a talk at Boise State University. This will be the sixth and final talk in a series of presentations at universities across the Western U.S. Mindy will be speaking in the BSU Environmental Research Building, Room 1127 on Friday, November 15 from 11 AM – 12 PM. View the event flyer here.
Talk Abstract: The challenges facing the Intermountain West are characterized by radical complexity and enormous consequences. They include climate change and associated ecological effects, such as catastrophic wildfire and drought, and are also inextricably linked to social inequities, including freshwater availability and land conversion. A meaningful response to these challenges requires new thinking. Convergent research is designed to foster new thinking by creating novel frameworks and conceptual models that drive innovation. In this talk, team lead Melinda Morgan will share the Transformation Network’s approach to convergent research, as well as its theoretical framework, Guided Transformation.
Speaker Bio: Melinda Morgan is a Regents’ Professor at the University of New Mexico in Geography and Environmental Studies. Mindy has dedicated her career to natural resource and environmental issues in the American West. Her research and scholarship focus on emerging environmental governance regimes, with a particular emphasis on how these approaches interface with existing legal and regulatory requirements. Along with Robin Craig, she is the author of The End of Sustainability: Resilience and the Future of Environmental Governance in the Anthropocene. She is currently the lead project investigator of the Intermountain West Transformation Network, a National Science Foundation funded Sustainable Regional Systems Network that represents a partnership between eight Western U.S. universities with over 80 partner organizations. Prior to academic life, she worked as an attorney, representing communities on natural resource issues.

WSU Presentation — Bridging Knowledge Systems: The Transformation Network’s Interepistemic Approach to Complex Challenges
2024-11-13 16:00 - 17:00
Join the Transformation Network’s Principal Investigator, Melinda Morgan, for a talk at Washington State University. This will be the fifth talk in a series of presentations at universities across the Western U.S. Mindy will be speaking in Lighty 405 at 3 PM on Wednesday, November 13. View the event flyer here.
Talk Abstract: The challenges facing the Intermountain West are characterized by radical complexity and enormous consequences. They include climate change and associated ecological effects, such as catastrophic wildfire and drought, and are also inextricably linked to social inequities, including freshwater availability and land conversion. A meaningful response to these challenges requires new thinking. Convergent research is designed to foster new thinking by creating novel frameworks and conceptual models that drive innovation. In this talk, team lead Melinda Morgan will share the Transformation Network’s approach to convergent research, as well as its theoretical framework, Guided Transformation.
Speaker Bio: Melinda Morgan is a Regents’ Professor at the University of New Mexico in Geography and Environmental Studies. Mindy has dedicated her career to natural resource and environmental issues in the American West. Her research and scholarship focus on emerging environmental governance regimes, with a particular emphasis on how these approaches interface with existing legal and regulatory requirements. Along with Robin Craig, she is the author of The End of Sustainability: Resilience and the Future of Environmental Governance in the Anthropocene. She is currently the lead project investigator of the Intermountain West Transformation Network, a National Science Foundation funded Sustainable Regional Systems Network that represents a partnership between eight Western U.S. universities with over 80 partner organizations. Prior to academic life, she worked as an attorney, representing communities on natural resource issues.

University of Idaho – Bridging Knowledge Systems: The Transformation Network’s Interepistemic Approach to Complex Challenges
2024-11-12 13:00 - 14:00
Join the Transformation Network’s Principal Investigator, Melinda Morgan, for a talk at The University of Idaho. This will be the fourth talk in a series of presentations at universities across the Western U.S. Mindy will be speaking in the College of Law Courtroom in Moscow from 12 – 1 PM on Tuesday, November 12. Doors open at 11:30 AM and a reception will follow this talk. View the event flyer here.
Talk Abstract: The challenges facing the Intermountain West are characterized by radical complexity and enormous consequences. They include climate change and associated ecological effects, such as catastrophic wildfire and drought, and are also inextricably linked to social inequities, including freshwater availability and land conversion. A meaningful response to these challenges requires new thinking. Convergent research is designed to foster new thinking by creating novel frameworks and conceptual models that drive innovation. In this talk, team lead Melinda Morgan will share the Transformation Network’s approach to convergent research, as well as its theoretical framework, Guided Transformation.
Speaker Bio: Melinda Morgan is a Regents’ Professor at the University of New Mexico in Geography and Environmental Studies. Mindy has dedicated her career to natural resource and environmental issues in the American West. Her research and scholarship focus on emerging environmental governance regimes, with a particular emphasis on how these approaches interface with existing legal and regulatory requirements. Along with Robin Craig, she is the author of The End of Sustainability: Resilience and the Future of Environmental Governance in the Anthropocene. She is currently the lead project investigator of the Intermountain West Transformation Network, a National Science Foundation funded Sustainable Regional Systems Network that represents a partnership between eight Western U.S. universities with over 80 partner organizations. Prior to academic life, she worked as an attorney, representing communities on natural resource issues.

USU Presentation — Bridging Knowledge Systems: The Transformation Network’s Interepistemic Approach to Complex Challenges
2024-11-08 12:30 - 13:30
Join the Transformation Network’s Principal Investigator, Melinda Morgan, for a talk at Utah State University. This will be the third talk in a series of presentations at universities across the Western U.S. Mindy will be speaking in NR 102 from 12:30 – 1:30 PM on Friday, November 8. Lunch will be provided at this presentation. View the event flyer here.
Talk Abstract: The challenges facing the Intermountain West are characterized by radical complexity and enormous consequences. They include climate change and associated ecological effects, such as catastrophic wildfire and drought, and are also inextricably linked to social inequities, including freshwater availability and land conversion. A meaningful response to these challenges requires new thinking. Convergent research is designed to foster new thinking by creating novel frameworks and conceptual models that drive innovation. In this talk, team lead Melinda Morgan will share the Transformation Network’s approach to convergent research, as well as its theoretical framework, Guided Transformation.
Speaker Bio: Melinda Morgan is a Regents’ Professor at the University of New Mexico in Geography and Environmental Studies. Mindy has dedicated her career to natural resource and environmental issues in the American West. Her research and scholarship focus on emerging environmental governance regimes, with a particular emphasis on how these approaches interface with existing legal and regulatory requirements. Along with Robin Craig, she is the author of The End of Sustainability: Resilience and the Future of Environmental Governance in the Anthropocene. She is currently the lead project investigator of the Intermountain West Transformation Network, a National Science Foundation funded Sustainable Regional Systems Network that represents a partnership between eight Western U.S. universities with over 80 partner organizations. Prior to academic life, she worked as an attorney, representing communities on natural resource issues.

University of Wyoming - Bridging Knowledge Systems: The Transformation Network’s Interepistemic Approach to Complex Challenges
2024-11-06 15:10 - 16:00
Join the Transformation Network’s Principal Investigator, Melinda Morgan, for a talk at The University of Wyoming. This will be the second talk in a series of presentations at universities across the Western U.S. Mindy will be speaking in Beta 205 from 3:10 – 4:00 PM on Wednesday, November 6. View the event flyer here.
Talk Abstract: The challenges facing the Intermountain West are characterized by radical complexity and enormous consequences. They include climate change and associated ecological effects, such as catastrophic wildfire and drought, and are also inextricably linked to social inequities, including freshwater availability and land conversion. A meaningful response to these challenges requires new thinking. Convergent research is designed to foster new thinking by creating novel frameworks and conceptual models that drive innovation. In this talk, team lead Melinda Morgan will share the Transformation Network’s approach to convergent research, as well as its theoretical framework, Guided Transformation.
Speaker Bio: Melinda Morgan is a Regents’ Professor at the University of New Mexico in Geography and Environmental Studies. Mindy has dedicated her career to natural resource and environmental issues in the American West. Her research and scholarship focus on emerging environmental governance regimes, with a particular emphasis on how these approaches interface with existing legal and regulatory requirements. Along with Robin Craig, she is the author of The End of Sustainability: Resilience and the Future of Environmental Governance in the Anthropocene. She is currently the lead project investigator of the Intermountain West Transformation Network, a National Science Foundation funded Sustainable Regional Systems Network that represents a partnership between eight Western U.S. universities with over 80 partner organizations. Prior to academic life, she worked as an attorney, representing communities on natural resource issues.

CSU Presentation - Bridging Knowledge Systems: The Transformation Network's Interepistemic Approach to Complex Challenges
2024-11-05 14:00 - 15:00
Join the Transformation Network’s Principal Investigator, Melinda Morgan, for a talk at Colorado State University. This will be the first talk in a series of presentations at universities across the Western U.S. Mindy will be speaking in WCNR 345 at 2 PM on Tuesday, November 5. View the flyer for this presentation here.
Talk Abstract: The challenges facing the Intermountain West are characterized by radical complexity and enormous consequences. They include climate change and associated ecological effects, such as catastrophic wildfire and drought, and are also inextricably linked to social inequities, including freshwater availability and land conversion. A meaningful response to these challenges requires new thinking. Convergent research is designed to foster new thinking by creating novel frameworks and conceptual models that drive innovation. In this talk, team lead Melinda Morgan will share the Transformation Network’s approach to convergent research, as well as its theoretical framework, Guided Transformation.
Speaker Bio: Melinda Morgan is a Regents’ Professor at the University of New Mexico in Geography and Environmental Studies. Mindy has dedicated her career to natural resource and environmental issues in the American West. Her research and scholarship focus on emerging environmental governance regimes, with a particular emphasis on how these approaches interface with existing legal and regulatory requirements. Along with Robin Craig, she is the author of The End of Sustainability: Resilience and the Future of Environmental Governance in the Anthropocene. She is currently the lead project investigator of the Intermountain West Transformation Network, a National Science Foundation funded Sustainable Regional Systems Network that represents a partnership between eight Western U.S. universities with over 80 partner organizations. Prior to academic life, she worked as an attorney, representing communities on natural resource issues.

IMW Synthesis CWG Meeting on Water Hazards
2024-10-29 15:00 - 16:00

Fall Speaker Series: A Relational Science Model for Indigenous Land & Data Stewardship
2024-10-23 13:00 - 14:00
Join Dr. Dominique David-Chavez, TR Headman, and Griselda Landa-Posas from Colorado State University for the Transformation Network’s October Speaker Series presentation! View the event flyer here.
The presenters will share about their ongoing, student and community-led Indigenous land and data stewardship focused efforts on the Colorado Front Range through a relational science model. This includes research and data governance processes exercising values of integrity, respect, humility, and reciprocity for upholding relational accountability in practice. They will also offer a participatory activity, including a relational model template and discussion time, for our TN community to reflect on their own relational models of practice for convergence science research.
Zoom Link: https://unm.zoom.us/j/91036334450

Water Futures Collaborative Working Group Meeting
2024-10-07 11:00 - 12:00

Transformers: Age of Adaptation
2024-10-02 17:30 - 18:30
The Transformation Network is excited to host New Mexico State Forester, Laura McCarthy, for a keynote speech after the first day of our Wildfire and Watershed Symposium. This talk will be held at 5:30 PM on Wednesday, October 2 in the Physics, Astronomy, and Interdisciplinary Science (PAIS) Building at The University of New Mexico. It is free to attend and open to the public. View the flyer for this presentation.
Abstract:
Wildfires are transforming western forests at an unprecedented pace and scale. Photo documentation of post-fire destruction of the built and natural environment make clear that adaptation is needed. There are no easy answers or comprehensive solutions, and New Mexico’s recent experiences provide initial lessons learned.
Speaker Bio:
Laura McCarthy was appointed as State Forester in New Mexico in 2019 and assumed responsibility for wildfire response and forest management on 43 million acres of state and private lands. Her goal for the State Forestry Division is to align the organization’s staff, budgets and infrastructure with the reality of managing climate change effects. Under her leadership the Division has doubled in size, modernized business systems, and taken on the challenges of post-fire recovery and reforestation of burned areas with the 2100 climate in mind.
