IN PROGRESS | Highlighting Local Voices in Global Change Through Diverse Media

IGC Capstone Project | Interfaces of Global Change

Highlighting Local Voices in Global Change Through Diverse Media

Student Members:

• Carla López Lloreda, Biological Sciences
• Rebekah Riddle, School of Public and International Affairs
• Abir Jain, Fish and Wildlife Conservation 
• Casey McLaughlin, Biological Sciences
• Oluwaseyi Dasho, Geoscience

Faculty Mentors:

• Dr. Leighton Reid, School of Plant and Environmental Sciences

In Progress (Initiated March 2024)

There are many marginalized voices missing in global change research, management, and education. Especially those from places that are at the forefront of climate change, such as small islands, coastal areas, countries with lower economic resources, and places with historic environmental destruction. Importantly, these voices tend to be missing in mainstream media and in educational settings.

Initially, we want to give voice to scientists of different disciplines who work locally in their own countries and regions and have experience working on topics such as environmental justice, global change, and environmental degradation. We aim to get a sense of what their personal experience has been and hopes for improvement are. We will do this by undertaking interviews with diverse scientists that we will then turn into a popular science article with illustrations.

We hope to not only highlight these stories, but also to increase the diversity of scientists that students see in education, which increases self-confidence and interest in science and exposes others who may not have opportunities to directly interact with science research to this work.