Inspire Session
Career Track
Adam Kay
Professor
University of St Thomas (MN)
St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
Monica Burr
Instructor
Alcorn State University
Lorman, Mississippi, United States
Eric Chapman
University of St Thomas (MN)
St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
Ray Warthen
Infinite Zion Farms
Orlando, Florida, United States
Ecological research is being conducted in a world facing an ever-intensifying range of social challenges. Because the field of ecology focuses on developing an understanding of the natural world and the impacts of human activity on nature, ecologists may often have minimal professional connection to pressing social issues in their communities and in the broader world. This distancing from social issues is reinforced through professional incentives that reward research expertise on specialized topics rather than teaching or community-oriented activities. One way that that the field has sought to reduce social inequities is by emphasizing the development of a diverse array of scholars. However, there has been less discussion about whether the professional activities of ecologists, and the reward structures that help to shape those activities, are focused enough on the structural inequities that have contributed to the lack of diversity in ecology and other academic disciplines. In the face of dire predictions about global environmental and social challenges, many professional ecologists may wonder whether they are doing enough and whether there might be additional ways for them to help build a more just and sustainable world.
In this session, we will explore various pathways by which ecologists can direct their professional activities to further positive social change and how socially embedded work can enrich careers and add vibrancy and relevance to the field. Presenters come from a range of backgrounds including two-year colleges, primary undergraduate institutions (PUIs), R1 universities, HBCUs, and community organizations and collectively have diverse experiences building community through their work. Presentation topics will include how ecology research and teaching can be used to promote urban food system development, create new public health professional opportunities for students at HBCUs, empower citizens in the research process, forward indigenous knowledge, increase engagement of a diverse array of students at two-year colleges, and build communication and collaboration across rural-urban divides. In addition, some presentations will explore ways in which ecologists can collaborate with community organizations to further organizational activities while providing vibrancy and relevance to the professional activities of ecologists. Together, these presentations will make a convincing case that more purposeful connections between academic ecologists and community well-being can help ecologists find new ways to add value to their life work in the face of ever-intensifying global challenges.
Presenting Author: Adam Kay – University of St Thomas (MN)
Presenting Author: Erin K. Arnold, Ph.D. – Jefferson State Community College
Co-author: Erin K. Arnold, Ph.D. – Jefferson State Community College
Presenting Author: Monica H. Burr – Alcorn State University
Co-author: Adam Kay – University of St Thomas (MN)
Presenting Author: Eric Chapman – University of St Thomas (MN)
Co-author: Shannon Wettstein – Morrison County Soil and Water Conservation District
Co-author: Doug Wille – Doug Wille Farms Inc.
Presenting Author: Diego Ellis-Soto – Yale University
Presenting Author: Rebecca A. Montgomery – University of Minnesota
Presenting Author: Thilina D. Surasinghe, PhD – Bridgewater State University
Presenting Author: Ray Warthen – Infinite Zion Farms