Friday Morning Workshops
University Student Center, 800 21st St NW
Register for Workshops Here!
Session A - 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Science-in-Action Filmmaking: Increasing Public Trust in Science from the Bottom of the Ocean
Room 311
Come learn how students at Rutgers University are collaborating with world renowned scientists to make compelling science-in-action film stories for broad, public audiences as part of an innovative science communication model.
Journey with scientists in the Alvin submersible to explore the origins of deep sea ecosystems living around active underwater volcanoes (hydrothermal vents) as part of the making of National Science Foundation supported feature film Mysteries of 9° North.
This immersive learning model has been expanded to high school students through a USDA funded STEM learning through science filmmaking program which will also be shared.
Dena Seidel - Food System Scientist, award winning science filmmaker and science film storytelling mentor, Rutgers University
Dr. Xenia Morin - Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers University
Rutgers Student Storytellers:
- Colby Koutrakos - Major: Ecology
- Ben Lerner - Major: Philosophy
- Erin Quinn - Major: Plant Biology
- Shaniya Utamadata - Major: Ecology
- Or Doni - Major: Pre-Med
- Amaya Baez - Major: Marine Science
- Nicole Nikolova - Major: Marine Science
- Bella Burnworth - Major: Biology
- Zolani Kizito - Major: Pre-Med
- Javy Cortez - Major: Filmmaking
Crafting Climate Stories: Framing Questions and Inviting Curiosity
Room 307
How do we craft climate stories that foster dialogue across diverse perspectives? How do we share climate stories that open up new questions for our audiences? The frames we select influence the design choices for our stories, while the quality of our questions shapes the information with which we engage. Therefore, in this workshop we will practice 2 interconnected skills. The first is creating questions that foreground inquiry. The second is exploring the frames we use at every step of storyforming and storytelling. Ultimately, the workshop will provide participants with tools for engaging with complexity throughout the story creation process, thereby allowing for new narratives to be collaboratively imagined into the future.
Dr. Sarah Stroup - Director, Conflict Transformation Collaborative, Middlebury College
Dr. Netta Avineri - Professor and Chair, Intercultural Communication, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
Indinema: Ways to Promote Power in Storytelling
Room 308
Take a deep dive into the roots of cinema in order to break out its structured and dated rules, bringing cultural storytelling alive and in frame.
Ivey Camille Tso - Filmmaker and Ilíiaitchik: Indigenous Correspondents Program Editor
Session B - 11:45 am- 12:45 pm
Using Science to Elevate the Narrative & Draw a Crowd
Room 307
Science has data.
And data is often shared visually.
But data visuals can be difficult to understand without a close familiarity of the scientific topic and concepts.
Therefore designing visuals with an audiences-first approach can make the difference between presenting forgettable data and sharing a story that literally changes lives.
In this workshop, we will experiment with a large climate-relevant data set and Adobe design tools to create captivating science-informed visuals.
Darcy Gentleman - Education Lead, Planet Forward
Transforming Internal Conflict to Open Storytellers' Creativity
Room 311
Climate issues are often intertwined with conflict--whether stemming from disagreement over facts, strategies, or values. But what about when that conflict is internal? What self-judgments or judgments of others get in the way of clear-eyed creativity in storytelling? This workshop will draw from Nonviolent Communication to provide participants with strategies for finding the hidden meaning behind judgments. Equipped with fresh understanding of judgments, participants can open their imaginations to new approaches to highlighting what matters most in their stories.
Emily Hammond - Director of Academic Sustainability Programs and Professor of Law, George Washington University
Creating a Career in a Changing Climate
Room 301
In this interactive session, students and others looking to change their career trajectory will be invited to participate in short informational discussions with professionals who combine communication skills and their commitment to planetary health in a variety of career paths. Using a speed-networking format, participants will move around the room, selecting the professionals with whom they want to speak. Participants will leave with at least three "takeaways" from each professional they meet and a bevy of new connections.
GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future