FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9
Science and Storytelling Symposium
The Science and Storytelling Symposium will bring together inspirational National Geographic Explorers with UM scholars and local thought leaders to discuss pressing local and global issues—from the unique challenges facing Florida to those facing our planet—and the strategies you can use to help solve them.
Registration and Breakfast
Time: 9 – 10 a.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center (3rd Floor)
Opening Remarks
Michael Ulica, chief financial officer and chief operations officer of the National Geographic Society
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Keynote
Anand Varma is a science photographer and National Geographic Fellow who works to tell the story behind the science of everything, from primate behavior and hummingbird biomechanics to amphibian disease and forest ecology. Anand started photographing natural history subjects while studying integrative biology at UC Berkeley, and spent several years assisting other photographers before receiving a National Geographic Young Explorer grant to document the wetlands of Patagonia. He has since become a regular contributor to National Geographic and his first feature story, called “Mindsuckers,” was published on the November 2014 cover of the magazine. Anand grew up in Atlanta and currently resides in Berkeley.
Time: 10:10 a.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Florida in 2100
A microcosm of global trends, Florida is undergoing rapid transformation as population growth, development, pollution, and climate change put pressure on the state’s natural resources and economy. Explore the challenges and opportunities that Floridians will face in the coming decades as the conversation centers around the question: What will Florida look like in 2100?
Moderator: Robin Bachin, assistant provost for civic and community engagement; associate professor, Department of History, University of Miami
Panelists: Jenny Adler, conservation photographer, National Geographic grantee; Rachel Silverstein, executive director and waterkeeper, Miami Waterkeeper; Carlton Ward Jr., conservation photographer, National Geographic grantee; Barrington Irving, explorer and founder, Flying Classroom, National Geographic grantee
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Break
Time: 11:35 a.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Wildlife Beyond Borders
Wildlife migrate for many of the same reasons as humans, crossing borders—both real and imaginary—in search of food, shelter, and a mate. Now climate change and illegal trafficking are affecting the movement of wildlife like never before, often with violent and unexpected consequences. Panelists will discuss what should be done to protect animals and their habitats from these threats, and how we should reimagine our borders to better accommodate wildlife and their migrations.
Moderator: Rachael Bale, National Geographic Society wildlife trade investigative reporter
Panelists: Natalie Barefoot, Practitioner in Residence, Environmental Justice Clinic & Lecturer in Law, School of Law, University of Miami; Juliana Machado Ferreira, biologist, Executive Director, Freeland Brasil; Jamal Galves, Program Coordinator and Research Biologist, Sea to Shore Alliance; Krista Schlyer, conservation photographer, writer
Time: 11:55 a.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Lunch
Lunch is provided
Featuring a live performance by the highly acclaimed Frost School of Music's Laptop Ensemble
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center
Stories of Memory and Place
The United States is home to nearly 44 million immigrants, more than any other country, and a third of Miami’s population is foreign-born. Borders not only define who we are, but also reflect our values as a society. Explore how the memories of the lives and lands that migrants leave behind not only shape their identity, but also how their stories about place contribute to the creation of new and vibrant cultures in our increasingly globalized world.
Moderator: Patricia Saunders, associate professor of English, Hemispheric Caribbean Studies faculty lead, University of Miami
Panelists: Dominic Bracco II, photographer, transmedia storyteller, National Geographic grantee; Valentina Glockner, anthropologist, El Colegio de Sonora, National Geographic grantee; Erika Larsen, photographer, multidisciplinary storyteller, National Geographic Fellow
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Break
Time: 3:00 p.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Keynote
Mireya Mayor is a primatologist, author, television host, and National Geographic grantee. Hailed as a “female Indiana Jones,” this Fulbright Scholar and NSF Fellow has hosted wildlife shows, most recently the Nat Geo WILD's Wild Nights With Mireya Mayor, and starred in the History Channel's Expedition Africa. She's also a two-time Emmy Award-nominated field correspondent for the National Geographic channel. Closest to her heart is her ongoing study of the Microcebus species, or mouse lemur, which she discovered on a 2000 National Geographic-funded expedition in Madagascar. Her work with this rare primate inspired the Madagascan prime minister to establish a national park to help protect the species, conserving the 10 percent that remains of the nation’s once vast forest. In 2011 she published Pink Boots and a Machete: My Journey From NFL Cheerleader to National Geographic Explorer.
Time: 3:15 p.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Storytellers for Change
Storytellers help us make sense of our complicated world. But they can also inspire social movements and positive environmental change. Learn how storytellers are working to create a more peaceful, just, and sustainable world—and how you can use effective storytelling to amplify your mark on the planet.
Moderator: Maggie Steber, documentary photographer, National Geographic magazine contributing photographer
Panelists: Sanjeev Chatterjee, professor, School of Communication, University of Miami; Robin Hammond, documentary photographer, National Geographic magazine contributing photographer; Neil Losin, biologist, filmmaker, National Geographic grantee; Daniella Zalcman, documentary photographer, National Geographic grantee
Time: 3:40 p.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Closing Remarks
Julio Frenk, President, University of Miami
Time: 4:50 p.m.
Location: Shalala Student Center Ballroom
Explorer Meet and Greet
Continue the conversation with the National Geographic Explorers and UM faculty you heard from during the Science and Storytelling Symposium. This special networking opportunity will include food, entertainment, and opportunities to learn how you can play a vital role in protecting our planet.
Time: 5 – 7 p.m.
Location: Lakeside Patio
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10
National Geographic Explorer-Led Workshops (Available only to students. Must register for Friday’s Science and Storytelling Symposium to attend a workshop. Short application required.)
National Geographic photographers, filmmakers, writers, and educators will host hands-on workshops where you can learn or hone real-world skills in science and storytelling. These half- and full-day programs will target skills that will help you make your impact on the world. Choose from our diverse lineup of options below—attend a photography workshop, learn what it takes to be an investigative journalist, become a National Geographic Certified Educator, and more.
Students can apply to their top three choices.
Photography: Using Multiple Exposure as a Journalistic Tool
Join documentary photographer Daniella Zalcman to learn how to use composites to create layered storytelling (both literally and figuratively), and how to let the story you want to tell guide what photography methods you use. Bring your smartphone to experiment with the process of constructing multiple-exposure portraits and photographs.
Facilitator: Daniella Zalcman, documentary photographer, National Geographic grantee
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: North Activities Room (Shalala Student Center, Third Floor)
Multidisciplinary Storytelling That Addresses Personal Vision
A photograph is never taken, only given. This philosophy is at the core of photographer and multidisciplinary storyteller Erika Larsen’s work—and integral to her process of cultivating the trust and intimacy necessary to construct impactful stories that transcend technique. During this one-day workshop, you’ll learn ways of researching ideas and gaining the access you need to really live your story, and discuss various elements to creating stories such as journals, video, and audio. You’ll also review aesthetics, how to develop your story in an emotional context, and historical and modern-day photographers working in the storytelling format. The workshop will include an afternoon critique, so bring a project in progress you want to discuss.
Facilitator: Erika Larsen, photographer, multidisciplinary storyteller, National Geographic Fellow
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Vista Room (Shalala Student Center, Third Floor)
Transmedia/Multiplatform Storytelling
Storytelling is the cornerstone of culture. It is what makes us human. Over the millennia we’ve honed our storytelling skills, creating categories and rules for the way we tell stories. But...let’s rethink all of that. This workshop is about returning to the essence of what we do as storytellers, to create new ways to engage an oversaturated audience. We will review art history, propaganda, installation, photo books, clever ad campaigns, fashion, and literary movements, and workshop our own documentary and journalism projects so that they are more engaging, and most importantly shape culture in positive ways.
Facilitator: Dominic Bracco II, photographer, transmedia storyteller, National Geographic grantee
Time: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: South Activites Room (Shalala Student Center, Third Floor)
Path of the Panther
Join National Geographic Explorer Carlton Ward Jr. to learn about the Florida Wildlife Corridor and its role in wildlife conservation, and what he’s doing to bring attention to critical conservation issues in the state. Through the story of the endangered Florida panther, you’ll explore the wildlife refuge that’s providing essential panther habitat and helping to mitigate potential human conflict with the species. Carlton will also demonstrate innovative photo and video camera trap systems that are producing unprecedented images of panthers, as well as photojournalism and other storytelling approaches he’s using to bring attention to underappreciated conservation opportunities hiding in plain sight of Miami and other Floridian cities and suburbs.
NOTE: Van leaves from Miller Circle (1330 Miller Drive) at 9 a.m.
Facilitator: Carlton Ward Jr., conservation photographer, National Geographic grantee
Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Location: Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
The Nature of Citizen Science: Using iNaturalist for Discovery
It’s a wild world—right here on the UM campus, and to the farthest reaches of the planet. Join educator Anne Haywood to explore the why and how of citizen science, where the public participates and collaborates in scientific research. Today, it’s more accessible to people than ever before, with technology as the driving force. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use the iNaturalist app, a tool developed to enable both scientists and the public to access natural history data. To capture data on plant and animal species, you’ll use the power of complex but ubiquitous technologies (smartphones, image recognition) and simple technologies (a rubber band macro lens). The data you collect can become part of both a global biodiversity database and your own personal species discovery list.
Facilitator: Anne Haywood, Miami-based environmental educator, head of Mountain to Sea Education, National Geographic Fellow
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Unger 230 C-D, Abess Center
Art and Purpose in Photography
Photography, art, and the media shape how we perceive the world and, in turn, how we interact with it. So the photographs we take matter, especially now when more than ever, we are photographing ourselves and each other. Join human rights photojournalist Robin Hammond to discover how photography has been used to send a message and make an impact, and how your photos can do the same. You will explore change-centered storytelling, discuss ethical considerations in the telling of other people’s stories, inquire into the importance of collaboration, and look at different platforms for exposure and engagement. At the heart of this session will be a goal of enabling you to make compelling images that contribute to change.
Facilitator: Robin Hammond, documentary photographer, National Geographic magazine contributing photographer
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: Biscayne 1220 (Whitten University Center)
Introduction to Investigative Journalism
Investigative reporting has the power to make a real difference in the world by exposing issues and igniting change. Learn the concrete skills that underpin the field from Rachael Bale, a National Geographic investigative reporter focused on wildlife crime and exploitation. Through interactive exercises and examples, learn the strategies reporters use to break the stories that make an impact.
Facilitator: Rachael Bale, National Geographic Society wildlife trade investigative reporter
Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Location: StormSurge (Whitten University Center)
Become a National Geographic Certified Educator
Join Carley Lovorn, regional director of National Geographic’s Educator Network, to learn about National Geographic's Educator Certification Program and Educator Community. You will complete phase one of the certification process, diving into National Geographic's Learning Framework, which covers the attitudes, skills, and knowledge areas needed to transform students into explorers. This certification is a free professional development program that supports educators to become innovative leaders who teach students about the world, empowering them to succeed and to make it a better place.
Facilitator: Carley Lovorn, regional director, Educator Network at National Geographic Society
Time: 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Merrick 308, School of Education & Human Development
The Science of Storytelling for Impact
Many scientists want their work to have an impact outside academia—to accomplish this, they’re often told to become better storytellers. But impact means more than just telling a great story; it means reaching the right audience with the right message at the right time to create real change. Join scientists and visual storytellers Neil Losin and Jenny Adler to explore recent findings from the field of impact storytelling and the science of behavior change that can help provide a set of best practices to guide strategic storytelling. Scientists and storytellers of all kinds are invited to this series of discussions and collaborative exercises that will help you maximize the influence of your stories.
Facilitators: Neil Losin, biologist, filmmaker, National Geographic grantee; and Jenny Adler, conservation photographer, National Geographic grantee
Time: 2 - 5 p.m.
Location: Iron Arrow (Shalala Student Center, Third Floor)
The Art of Public Speaking
Legendary National Geographic grantees, from pioneering primatologist Jane Goodall to underwater scientist Robert Ballard, understand that being able to skillfully share stories about their work is an important aspect of being an effective explorer. Find out what tools they—and other speakers—use to create captivating presentations, from planning how to deliver a compelling talk and developing a stage presence to making the best use of visuals and other tips to help you produce and deliver an outstanding presentation.
Facilitator: Greg McGruder, vice president, Live Events, National Geographic Society
Time: 2 - 5 p.m.
Location: Senate Room (Shalala Student Center, Third Floor)
National Geographic’s Geo-Inquiry Process in Action
Geo-Inquiry is an exciting new integrated project-based process that connects real-world challenges and National Geographic Explorers to the classroom. Join Carley Lovorn, regional director of National Geographic’s Educator Network, to learn new strategies educators can use to help middle school students develop the critical thinking skills they need to ask geographic questions, collect information, use GIS to visualize, create a compelling story, and ultimately become advocates for change in their local community.
Facilitator: Carley Lovorn, regional director, Educator Network at National Geographic Society
Time: 2 - 4 p.m.
Location: Merrick 308, School of Education & Human Development
