Rocky Mountain Community Science Conference Dec. 5-6 at UW

The Rocky Mountain Community Science Conference (RMCSC), hosted by the University of Wyoming's Biodiversity Institute in collaboration with Audubon Rockies, will take place Thursday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Friday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in the Wyoming Union.

The RMCSC is a biennial conference that gathers community science practitioners, managers, participants and enthusiasts to discuss the successes and unique challenges of community science programs in the Rocky Mountain region. The conference includes oral presentations, workshops, networking opportunities and a poster session.

The cost for in-person registration is $75 for the public and $50 for UW students. Virtual registration costs $50. To register, go here. Registration closes Friday, Nov. 22.

"The Rocky Mountain Community Science Conference always leads to great connections and collaborations," says Mason Lee, senior project coordinator for UW's Biodiversity Institute. "It is a productive and worthwhile gathering of community science colleagues in the region."

Julia Kumari Drapkin, CEO of ISeeChange, will be the conference's keynote speaker. She founded her award-winning climate change tech company after more than a decade of reporting natural disasters and climate change across the globe and in her own backyard on the Gulf Coast.

Drapkin connects the stories to the data and produces unprecedented information related to climate change for use across numerous industries and communities. Under her leadership, ISeeChange has received national and international recognition from the Obama White House Climate Data Initiative, NASA, MIT Solve, Echoing Green, TechStars, the United Nations, Grist.org, the American Geophysical Union and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Kayla Clark, an assistant professor of visual and literary arts in UW's Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, will lead attendees through a skill-building presentation on graphic design basics. Before academia, Clark owned a design and marketing studio, where she built an international professional practice. Clark's expertise is in graphic design with a focus on archetypal print and digital design as well as exhibition installation and industrial design. She works closely with natural and social scientists on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) collaborations and provides creative strategies to scientific communication.

Lee says more conference speakers will be announced in November.

Abstract submissions for those wishing to make an oral or poster presentation at the conference will be accepted through Friday, Nov. 8. To submit an abstract, go here.

For more information about the RMCSC, call Lee at (307) 766-6240 or email [email protected].

About the University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute

The UW Biodiversity Institute fosters conservation of biodiversity through scientific discovery, creative dissemination, education and public engagement. In this setting, scientists, citizens, students and educators come together to share a wealth of perspectives on the study and appreciation of biodiversity -- from microbes to poetry and ecosystems to economics.

For more information, visit the website at www.wyomingbiodiversity.org.