Past Events

Thursday, May 13, 2021

hands hold scallops over a tub of water

Live from the Field: Impacts of Field Research on Society

2:00pm to 3:00pm
Online

Bring researchers into your classroom and give students a window into the process of scientific inquiry. Join us for an informal chat with researchers whose field work directly impacts community members in California, Maine, and Ohio. Find out who they are, how they got interested in their research, and the scientific questions they are asking. Instructor Guide and Event Resources available. Watch recorded event here: Live from the Field: Impacts of Field Research on Society, May 13, 2021 *If you are an instructor who used this for your class, please take this short survey

Saturday, May 8, 2021

hands hold water as it pours out into river

Deep Dive: Water & Homelessness

11:00am to 12:00pm
Online

As part of a new "Rising Waters" initiative, this event showcases student research on the challenging intersection of environmental, social and economic factors that impact water quality. Over the last semester, students have worked with faculty mentors and community partners to study the nexus of homelessness and water quality issues. Come see three student teams present and answer questions about their mapping study, case study, and knowledge map, with the hope of finding new solutions that benefit people experiencing homelessness and ensure high water quality for everyone. Watch recorded event here: Deep Dive: Water & Homelessness, May 8, 2021

Friday, April 30, 2021

a bicyclist wears a mask and holds a leaf with collection envelope / Una ciclista sostiene una hoja

Citizen Science / Ciencia Ciudadana: Bilingual Sudden Oak Death Blitz

6:00pm to 7:00pm
Online

Help control this destructive forest pathogen! Now in its 14th year, this statewide citizen science project is vital to managing Sudden Oak Death, which is widespread in Sonoma county. Join us to contribute to science while getting your own bay laurel or tanoak trees tested at no cost. This is a bilingual event (English and Spanish). Watch recorded event here: Citizen Science: Bilingual Sudden Oak Death Blitz, April 30, 2021

¡Ayuda a controlar este destructivo patógeno del bosque! Ahora en su decimocuarto año, este proyecto de ciencia comunitaria en todo el estado es vital para administrar Sudden Oak Death, que está muy extendido en el condado de Sonoma. Únase a nosotros para contribuir a la ciencia y obtener sus propios árboles de laurel o tanoak sin costo alguno Este es un evento bilingue (Inglés y Español). 

Thursday, April 29, 2021

rainbow over grassy hills

Deep Dive: Making Our Lands Resilient

1:00pm to 2:00pm
Online

Whether you’re managing an urban garden plot, ½ acre suburban backyard, 1,000 acres of parkland or a mountain range of wilderness, climate change is becoming the primary issue for most land managers. It’s encouraged many of us accustomed to ecological restoration to transition towards ecological resilience: the ability of a natural landscape to sustain necessary ecological functions and native biodiversity under multiple stressors and changes. Full restoration isn’t always possible, but managing for resilience can create a more sustainable, connected landscape. Watch recorded event here: Deep Dive: Making Our Lands Resilient, April 29, 2021

Friday, April 23, 2021

a woman wears VR goggles standing in front of sky and clouds

Immersive Technology for Virtual Field Trips

11:00am to 1:00pm
Online

Immersive reality is bringing outdoor education to a whole new level. Yet so many of us have never even put on a headset and stepped into a 360 experience. In this hands-on workshop, you will explore 360 photos and 360 videos created by faculty and field station staff to explore natural areas. You will learn how to use a virtual reality viewer, generate 360 photos using your smartphone, create educational content, and discuss best practices and methods. Bring a pair of VR goggles and be immersed! 

Monday, April 19, 2021

A person sits on rocks in a dry creek bed under trees

Local Nature: Ecology, Crisis & Mindfulness

3:00pm to 4:00pm
Online

Our planet is facing an unprecedented ecological crisis of our own doing: climate change. Catastrophe is looming, yet we seem unable to act quickly enough. What can we do? How can we become more motivated to correct our destructive behavior? This workshop explores the use of mindfulness practice to awaken a spirit of compassion and kindness for nature. We’ll provide a brief explanation of mindfulness, discuss why it is difficult for us to change our behavior, and guide participants through fun and easy mindfulness-based exercises around the theme of gratitude for nature. Watch recorded event here: Local Nature: Ecology, Crisis & Mindfulness, April 19, 2021

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

a woman stands a creek scooping a net into the water

Live from the Field: Climate Change in Our Watershed

12:30pm to 1:30pm
Online

Bring researchers into your classroom and give students a window into the process of scientific inquiry. Join us for an informal chat with scientists from Sonoma State University and Sonoma Water studying how climate change is affecting the Russian River Watershed. Come explore this fascinating topic through both an academic and applied lens while hearing about who these scientists are, how they got interested in watershed research, and their scientific goals and questions. We'll show clips of them out doing their work, followed by a chance to ask questions and discuss.

Monday, April 12, 2021

Lidar imagery of forest canopy from above

Live from the Field: Carbon Storage & Cycling

11:00am to 12:00pm
Online

Bring researchers into your classroom and give students a window into the process of scientific inquiry. Join us for an informal chat with researchers using data from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) to examine carbon storage and cycling in ecosystems within Colorado, Maryland, and Virginia. Find out who they are, how they got interested in ecological carbon research, and the research questions they are asking. NEON is a long-term, continental-scale, ecological observation facility funded by NSF and operated by Battelle that offers a variety of open ecological data that powers the most important science being done today. Instructor Guide and Event Resources available. Watch recorded event here: Live from the Field: Carbon Storage & Cycling, April 12, 2021 *If you are an instructor who used this for your class, please take this short survey

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

 firetruck and helicopter on a smoky burned hillside with firefighter hosing it down

Deep Dive: Healthy Planet, Healthy People

12:00pm to 1:00pm
Online

How does the health of the globe connect to global health? Some of the ways climate change may effect your health are obvious, smoke and heat illness to name a few. Dr. Joshua Weil, Emergency Physician at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Rosa and part of the Permanente Medical Group will explore some of the many other ways in which the planet’s health and your health intersect, often in subtle ways. He will also discuss the ways you can proactively shape healthy choices, and even potentially influence climate change within health care. Watch recorded event here: Deep Dive: Healthy Planet, Healthy People, April 6, 2021

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Live from the Field: Remote Sensing of Growth & Diversity

10:00am to 11:00am
Online

Bring researchers into your classroom and give students a window into the process of scientific inquiry. Join us for an informal chat with researchers examining how various forms of remote sensing can be used to study biodiversity and growth in California, Maine, and Pennsylvania. Find out who they are, how they got interested in this research, and the scientific questions they are asking. Instructor guide and event resources available. Watch recorded event here: Live from the Field: Remote Sensing of Growth & Diversity, April 1, 2021 *If you are an instructor who used this for your class, please take this short survey

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