Jerry Vaske, professor of human dimensions of natural resources at Colorado State University, will present “Communicating Human Dimensions Findings to Non-technical Audiences: The Potential for Conflict Index” at 2:30 p.m., Oct. 28 in the Hardin Hall Auditorium (Room 107). The seminar is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

A primary goal of human dimensions research is to provide information that can inform and improve decision-making. The Potential for Conflict Index (PCI) and associated graphical display were developed to facilitate understanding and applicability of human dimensions findings to managerial concerns and to non-technical audiences. The approach requires little statistical training to understand results, minimizes effort required to process information, and improves comprehension. This seminar will introduce the second generation of the PCI (PCI2) and demonstrate how to calculate, graph and statistically compare PCI2 values.

Vaske is a professor of the human dimensions of natural resources at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. He completed both a bachelor’s in sociology and psychology with an emphasis in statistics and a master’s in sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Maryland.

His areas of specialty are quantitative analysis, human dimensions of wildlife and tourism-recreation. He is the editor of the journal Human Dimensions of Wildlife. Vaske received the Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Award for Excellence from the National Recreation and Park Association in 2014, the CSU Warner College of Natural Resources Outstanding Teacher-Advisor Award in 2007, and was the CSU Warner College of Natural Resources Professor of the Year in 2003. He is the author of many books, book chapters and journal articles.