Collab Lab 72: K-12 Partnerships for Conservation and Restoration Part I

Season 10/Collab Lab 72

What’s possible when we engage K-12 students directly in conservation and restoration efforts?

The Society for Conservation Biology North America (SCBNA), in collaboration with the Midwest-Great Lakes Chapter of the Society for Ecological Restoration will co-host the North American Congress for Conservation & Restoration in Milwaukee this summer. (You can thank Collab Lab regular and Director of Operations & Programs for SCBNA Bernie Traversari for that.) In our December Collab Lab we’ll explore opportunities for K-12 students and teachers to engage directly in conservation and restoration efforts, how that work might be shared at the Congress, and how the presence of the Congress in Milwaukee might be leveraged to create new or expanded opportunities.

Agenda

5:30 to 6:00 pm Grab something to eat and meet someone new

6:00 to 6:20 pm Welcome and introductions

6:20 to 8:15 pm Let’s explore some possibilities

8:15 to 8:30 pm Wrap up and next steps

Featured Participants

Liz Sutton — Outreach Manager, UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences

The School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the largest water focused academic research institute on the Great Lakes and the only North American school of higher education solely dedicated to freshwater issues. The School trains the next generation of freshwater professionals and advances strategic science to inform policy, improve management, and promote the health and sustainability of the Great Lakes and freshwater systems worldwide. Liz has spent her career working to engage and inspire young people through STEM and environmental science education. In 2008 she transitioned into higher education, working as the Assistant Director and STEM Specialist for UWM College for Kids before developing a formal outreach department within the School of Freshwater Sciences with her at the helm.

Bernie Traversari — Director of Operations and Programs, Society for Conservation Biology North America & STEM Education Consultant

Bernie’s background includes research in developmental ecology and amphibian conservation and positions in nonprofit leadership, community outreach, and science education. Before joining SCBNA, Bernie served as the Director of Science Outreach at Edgewood College in Madison, WI, where he led the development and implementation of community-based science education programs for underrepresented communities across the state. He is also Board Vice President of the Urban Learning Collaborative, a Milwaukee-based nonprofit aimed at training the next generation of K-12 educators. Bernie is passionate about connecting scientists with community leaders, grassroots organizations, and students of all ages through his role at SCBNA, all in an effort to protect our natural world. Bernie received a B.S. in Biology from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, and an M.S. in Biology from Washington State University. Born and raised in Quito, Ecuador, he now lives and works in Milwaukee, WI with his wife and their cat.