Join DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program for a virtual Women in Science Winter Speaker Series, four free webinars which take place January 10th, 17th, February 7th and 21st, 2024. Meet and learn from scientists, researchers and environmental educators who work at the intersection of conservation and environmental justice. Topics covered during the four sessions include long-term natural resources monitoring, play and mindfulness in environmental education, causes and effects of ocean deoxygenation, and creating pathways to conservation careers for youth.

The speaker series is presented in partnership with the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve and NEIWPCC. For more information (PDF), visit DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program website.

Register here

The four webinars are:

  • January 10, 3:30 – 4:30 Connecting Long-term Monitoring with Natural Resource Management Information Needs
    Sarah Fernald, Manager of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve.
    Sarah holds a Master’s Degree in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina. She has been conducting research on Hudson River Estuary ecosystems for over twenty years, connecting climate change, habitat, and water quality research with natural resource management needs.
  • January 17, 3:30 – 4:30 Discovering the Causes and Effects of Ocean Deoxygenation
    Lauren Moseley, PhD Candidate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University.
    As climate change intensifies, the ocean is losing oxygen at an alarming rate. Learn about how ocean observations and ocean models can be integrated to provide key insight on ocean deoxygenation.
    Lauren’s PhD dissertation explores how ocean models and ocean observations combine to expand our understanding of oxygen and carbon uptake and circulation in the Atlantic Ocean. Lauren is passionate about advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the geosciences, and has served in a variety of leadership roles within her department and Columbia University at large to further this mission.
  • February 7 3:30 – 4:30 Nature’s Classroom: Integrating Play and Mindfulness in Environmental Education
    Ashawna Abbott, Education Outreach Coordinator for the Mohonk Preserve
    Explore ways environmental education programming can be used as a therapeutic modality through the use of play and mindfulness.
    Ashawna earned their Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation from Ithaca College in 2017, and loves exploring ways to incorporate art, mindfulness, and other therapeutic modalities into environmental education programming.
  • February 21, 3:30 – 4:30 Creating Conservation Pathways for Youth
    Briana Gary, Conservation Pathway Coordinator, Kingston YMCA Farm Project.
    Learn how building connections between underrepresented youth and environmental scientists and educators helps provide a pathway to work in the field of environmental conservation.
    Brianna began working with the Kingston YMCA Farm Project in 11th grade. After graduating from SUNY New Paltz with a degree in Geography, she held a 10-month Student Conservation Association position with DEC as an environmental educator. By providing exposure to a variety of environmental careers Brianna hopes to diversify these career fields and provide an entry point to meaningful work in conservation.

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