Social media can do a lot more for the environment than just saving paper. In this discussion we explore how social media has been used and can used as an effective outlet for environmental and scientific causes and advocacy.
Featuring:
- Moderator: Dr. Jamie Vernon, Science Advocate (@jlvernonPHD) - Dr. Vernon is a highly-motivated and creative leader with broad skills and knowledge in molecular biology, science communication and policy. He has more than a decade of training and experience in academia performing cell and molecular biology discovery research and project management. He has developed gene-targeting systems using ribozymes and adeno-associated virus. He is currently developing a vaccine to protect against HIV infection. He has published articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and he is co-author of a gene-targeting technology patent. He is also an award-winning science educator. Jamie is deeply involved in science policy and science communication. He has two years of freelance and volunteer experience in state and national science policy efforts. He is NSF-trained to communicate science to the public. He is creator of multiple organizations focused on science policy and public engagement for science, including Austin-based "Science in the Pub". He is also author of a popular science blog. He is currently a Science Policy Fellow with Scientists and Engineers for America. As a policy Fellow, he seeks to engage the scientific community in the policy process. In 2010, he co-led a focus group of policy interns on science communication. He has organized educational and networking opportunities with major policy players including Andy Reynolds, Science Adviser to the Secretary of State. Jamie also consults teachers, scientists, non-profit organizations, businesses and academic institutions on ways to effectively communicate their science to target audiences.
- Stacy Baker, Staten Island Academy (@stacycbaker) - Stacy Baker is the Biology Teacher and Social Outreach Coordinator at Staten Island Academy in NYC. She is a pioneer in the integration of technology into the classroom. She has won awards for both her classroom teaching and online outreach. She received her B.S. in Zoology at Washington State University. Baker's students maintain a class blog, Extreme Biology, where they blog about current research in science. Students write articles and create podcasts, animations, and videos. Several of her students have been chosen to blog for Nature Publishing Group because of their work on Extreme Biology.
- Kelly Barrett, Spectrum Science (@kellyalysia) - Kelly Barrett. Digital Associate at Spectrum Science Communications. Kelly currently works as the sole digital accounts associate at Spectrum, assisting the health and science-focused PR agency's digital accounts through overall digital strategy, web design, copywriting, and analytics, earned and paid media outreach and social media asset management. During her senior year at American University in 2010, Kelly focused on courses related to environmentalism and pursued an independent study on food sustainability, which she explored through a blog that incorporated her personal attempts at eating locally with her professional research and interviews conducted for her health columns at The Eagle. Kelly has guest blogged on Greenfudge.com, her blogs have both been featured on 'Top Green Blogs for Students' and she was awarded SOC's Best in Visual Strategy upon graduation for her original concept and design for "Growing Relationships Between Farmers and Consumers."
- Danielle Brigida, Digital Marketing Manager, National Wildlife Federation (@starfocus) - Danielle Brigida works as the Digital Marketing Manager for the National Wildlife Federation. She actively engages a wide range of constituents using a mixture of online tools and social networking sites. An early adopter of social media with creative, engaging campaigns, Danielle has been recognized as: 10 Green Women We Love by Greenopia; one of the 75 Environmentalists to follow by Mashable; Top 50 green people to follow on Twitter by Greenopolis; A featured Changemaker by Change.org; A Measurement Maven of the Month by Katie Paine.
- Chris O'Brien, Director of Sustainability, American University (@GreenAU) - Chris O'Brien joined American University in 2009 as the university's first Director of Sustainability. Previously, he directed the Responsible Purchasing Network at the Center for a New American Dream, and earlier served as Managing Director of the Green Business Network and the Fair Trade Federation. He is Treasurer of the Fair Trade Resource Network, and co-owns the Seven Bridges Organic Brewing Supply Cooperative. In 2006, Chris authored the award-winning book Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save the World (New Society Publishers, 2006). He blogs about his passion for all things related to sustainability and beer at www.BeerActivist.com, and twitters about greening the American dream at twitter.com/GreenAU.
- Margaret Rubega, University of Connecticut (@ProfRubega) - Margaret Rubega is an Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut, and serves as the Connecticut State Ornithologist. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation, a family foundation driving positive environmental change by recognizing and fostering a diverse network of *environmental leaders. *Dr. Rubega studies how birds are built, and how that limits their ability to adjust to environmental degradation. She has used biomechanics and behavior to understand the effect on birds of oil spills, water diversions, and light pollution, in addition to publishing work on their ecology and evolution. Recent work in her lab includes projects to determine whether birds spread invasive plants around, and how to keep Monk Parakeets from nesting on power poles. As a 2005 Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow she was trained to communicate science to the press, policy makers and the public. She frequently consults with, lectures to, and advises all three. She teaches science communication to colleagues and graduate students in the Life Sciences, while also teaching journalism majors how to effectively extract stories from scientists. An early adopter, she pioneered the use of Twitter as a way to engage college students in the wonders of bird biology (at #birdclass) before the irony of tweeting in a bird class became clear. She also briefly blogged on the intersection of parenting and biology at Momecology, until she realized she was too busy being a mom and a biologist to keep up her posting rate.
