The scientific process is about answers to questions. This Water Institute symposium was created to share the insights from that process for improving water sustainability in Florida and beyond, with the goal of aiding policy makers in their process of meeting our myriad water challenges. Florida is already a leader in water governance, but as our modern challenges reveal, there is much to be done to protect our aquifer, our aquatic ecosystems, our coastal infrastructure, and our legacy as natural resource stewards. This panel explores the pathways of scientific knowledge reaching our governance structures at all levels, the reciprocal pathways of information that help guide crucial research questions, and the best practices for ensuring open discourse between scientists, decision makers, regulators and the public.