Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Lecture

Photo courtesy Jason Cervenec

This week, I had the great pleasure of visiting Ohio State for the first time. (To all those Michigan fans, no, I am not speaking sarcastically.) I got to meet a very friendly community of researchers engaged in inspiring and dynamic projects at both the Byrd Center and the Anthropology department. I also shared my dissertation research at both venues and got great feedback from many generous attendees (and you can watch the video from the Byrd Center from the comfort of your own home!). The best part about sharing your research with new people is getting questions that you may never have considered. This was definitely the case for me this week, and the questions and ideas that were shared with me has led me to think about my next steps in research and service a little differently.

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What really energized me during my visit was the commitment to outreach throughout OSU's research community. Jason Cervenec and his team at the Byrd Center are pursuing a range of new technologies and platforms to translate cutting-edge climate science to all ages. Meanwhile, Mark Hubbe and the anthropology department are setting up mobile kits that volunteers use to explore evolution and human origins across Ohio. Both projects have been established in cooperation with other universities across the country and will impact the way future generations think about humans and our environment. I've made many small efforts to share my research with those outside my department, particularly in collaboration with the Museum of Natural History here at Michigan, but it's inspiring to see that larger efforts are building to bridge the gap between experts and the public. I look forward to working more on projects similar to those in development at OSU and I am so grateful for the time and generosity that everyone at OSU shared with me.