The interdependence between healthy aquatic ecosystems and human social, economic and cultural benefits is well recognized, and is increasingly the focus of interdisciplinary research efforts.  Research to date suggests a more detailed understanding of these interactions is necessary to maximize the benefits of ecosystem management and to more effectively address inevitable trade-offs among ecosystem services, economic benefits and human and ecosystem health.  We are particularly interested in addressing these questions in the context of aquatic invasive species, a topic that has become increasingly salient among lay and expert audiences alike.  To initiate more interdisciplinary research on this topic, we propose a symposium to allow for dialogue and interaction among researchers from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and with an interest in understanding the impact of invasive species on aquatic ecosystems and related social systems, including fisheries, tourism and recreation, economic impacts and policy implications, and risk perceptions, behavior and decision-making.  We hope that new research collaborations will emerge to allow for a better understand the interactions between aquatic ecosystems and human society, including the nature and outcomes of these interactions, the specific stakeholder and ecosystem components involved, and how these interactions affect the long-term health and sustainability of coupled natural and human systems.