SFS Annual Meeting

5/21/2018  |   11:00 - 11:15   |  320

WHILE THE RIVER SINGS In this film we are co-creating an Indigenous community-based science program on ancestral waterways of vested and interested party participation through cross-cultural collaboration to identify relevant ‘coming to know’ (research) questions grounded in Critical Indigenous Research Methodologies (CIRM) Cross-Cultural Digital Storywork (CCDS) Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Decolonizing Methodologies and scientific methods. Our primary audience here is college undergraduates from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. We are also working with tribal knowledge keepers, natural resource departments, and University of Idaho faculty and graduate students. We are facilitating equitable learning opportunities blending land, water, people across disciplines of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), law, and education by supporting Indigenous Knowledge, Pedagogy and reconnection through song, storytelling, data collection, film CCDS as Indigenous contributions in ecology. In the future pilot activities will be conducted to train STEM educators (graduate students and faculty) through Indigenous/DM modules using inclusive CIRM methods and materials as well. The STEM tools are in the form of a discrete set of digital observation technology (DOTS) kits that will assist in observing and collecting e.g. water quality data corresponded with native freshwater mussel as First Foods and TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge). waterfirstfoods.org

Sammy Matsaw (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Idaho, matssamm@isu.edu;


Adam Wicks-Arshack (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Idaho, adamwicksarshack@gmail.com;


He-Myong Woo (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), he-myongwoo.com, woohemyong@gmail.com;


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5/21/2018  |   11:15 - 11:30   |  

BIOLOGICAL REGIONALISM SERIES: MAKING SCIENCE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH ART For the past 20 years, I have working on a body of work entitled the Biological Regionalism Series which was influenced by the Hudson River School Movement of the 19th century. During this movement, artists worked closely with biologists and geologists as they surveyed the American wilderness. These artists then presented their documentation through drawings and paintings to the general public in urban centers who had little exposure to their new environment. The same type of disconnection to nature is occurring today as most of our social and economic reliance has moved to urban centers. This Series uses paintings, videos, drawings, historical and scientific publications to document these specific environmental issues. When a viewer experiences these installations the viewer can begin to create an informed long-term connection between them and their environment and between local and global issues. By doing so, I hope to also create an opportunity to use art and science to spur curiosity and begin conversations in aesthetics, social development, urban migration, economics and environmental policy. The presentation will explore the evolution of the series and recent projects in western New York and Nepal.

Alberto Rey (Primary Presenter/Author,Co-Presenter/Co-Author), State University of New York at Fredonia, alberto.rey@fredonia.edu;


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5/21/2018  |   11:30 - 11:45   |  320

FOR THE LOVE OF RIVERS: CROSSING BOUNDARIES TO REACH DIVERSE AUDIENCES THROUGH NARRATIVE NONFICTION LINKED WITH VIDEO Aquatic ecologists typically communicate through papers in professional journals, which reach professional colleagues and policy makers. Building on the successful documentary film RiverWebs, which highlights the life and work of Shigeru Nakano, we sought to reach a diverse public audience with a detailed story of a scientific career, coupled with short “book trailer” videos to highlight key messages. Finding a suitable publisher for the book was challenging, because it is neither science for the professional nor the lay person. Nevertheless, engaging a public audience via a story proved highly effective, and the book was honored with a national-level literary award for nature writing. This book is considered too “sciency” by some, but achieved the right balance of story and scientific information for others. Determining the most effective avenues to promote the book (e.g., presentations, website, short videos, email, social media) proved challenging, and in the end we focused on the first three. Book sales exceeded publisher expectations, and the “book trailers” have been viewed by thousands, but presentations to public and professional audiences have probably had the most lasting impact by drawing people to the work and influencing their views.

Kurt D. Fausch (Primary Presenter/Author), Colorado State University, Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Fort Collins, CO 80523, Kurt.Fausch@colostate.edu;


Jeremy Monroe (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Freshwaters Illustrated, jeremy@freshwatersillustrated.org;


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5/21/2018  |   11:45 - 12:00   |  320

WRITING ABOUT SCIENCE FOR CHILDREN: THE TEAM IT TOOK TO WRITE OUR BOOKS To share the wonders of their work with lay audiences scientists often seek new ways of writing. In our children’s books Ellie’s Log; Exploring the forest where the great tree fell and Ricky’s Atlas; Mapping a land on fire, we needed both easily understood language, and an appreciation for the cultural and educational environment of today’s kids. The author chose a fictional story format, grounded in real science about specific environments, then collaborated with many as the books moved toward production. From the beginning reviews by k-12 teachers and students were essential to finding an appropriate voice for children. Words came to life through the illustrator’s drawings and the whimsy of cartooned journals; creative layout by editors brought text and images together. Reports from children and families confirm how the interaction between words and art captured their attention and enriched their outside experiences. Elementary educators and academics were important partners in evaluating supplementary teaching materials, guidelines to national teaching standards, website content and short videos. The power of a book reaching a national audience has made these many collaborations a most worthwhile endeavor.

Judy Li (Primary Presenter/Author), Oregon State University, judyli@comcast.net;


M. L. Herring (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oregon State University, peg.herring@oregonstae.edu;


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5/21/2018  |   12:00 - 12:15   |  320

ENCOURAGING YOUR INNER COUSTEAU – STORYTELLING APPROACHES FOR AQUATIC SCIENTISTS As many of the world’s freshwater ecosystems face increasing threats and uncertainty amidst population growth, climate change, and competing social wills, there remains a general under-appreciation for the life, values, and beauty of these ecosystems and their potential. The freshwater science community contains a wealth of passion for these ecosystems and has built a body of knowledge that can aid in sharing their nature and values. And yet, the scientist’s expression is often confined by some systemic and coincidental inhibitors within our scientific cultural norms and institutions. I will share some lessons taken from my educational filmmaking work, which focuses on freshwater ecosystems and science communication, and point to some models and tendencies that can guide our communication efforts as scientists.

Jeremy Monroe (Primary Presenter/Author), Freshwaters Illustrated, jeremy@freshwatersillustrated.org;


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5/21/2018  |   12:15 - 12:30   |  320

RAISING WATER AWARENESS THROUGH SCIENCE, MUSIC, AND DANCE A collaborative project was initiated by faculty from different departments within Grand Valley State University to increase citizen awareness of the issues surrounding water. We are integrating science, music, and dance to create a performance piece. This educational approach breaks new ground by combining scientific narrative with artistic interpretation through dance and music, with the goal of inspiring citizens to become better informed, and more proactive, in the protection of our water resources. The final product will be a 1-hour long performance; for SFS, we will present one of the six movements.

Alan Steinman (Primary Presenter/Author), Annis Water Resources Institute-Grand Valley State University, steinmaa@gvsu.edu;


Sookkyung Cho (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Grand Valley State University, choso@gvsu.edu;


Hannah Seidel (Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Grand Valley State University, seidelh@gvsu.edu;


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