"Adaptation and Resiliency in a Changing World" - Organization of Biological Field Stations Virtual Meeting Hosted by Flathead Lake Biological Station
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“Adaptation and Resiliency in a Changing World”
Organization of Biological Field Stations
55 Annual Meeting
th
September 14-21, 2020
Virtual Meeting
Hosted by Flathead Lake
Biological Station
1Code of Conduct ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….….3
President’s Welcome ……….…………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
Program Schedule ………………………………………………………….………….……………………………………….…..6
Appendices ……………………………………………………………..................................................................11
Appendix I: Workshop Descriptions ……………………………………….………………………………………..……11
Appendix II: Plenary Descriptions And Presenter Biographies ….……………….…..……………….....…17
Appendix III: Concurrent Session Descriptions …………………………………………...……………………......17
Appendix IV: Lightning Talk Abstracts …………………………………………………………………………..……...21
Appendix V: Auction Information ………………………………………………………………..…………………….....27
Appendix VI: Attendees by Name …………………………………………………………….…………………..……..28
2OBFS Expectations
OBFS is committed to a safe and supportive environment free from all forms of discrimination, harassment and
assault. Responsible and respectful conduct is expected while participating in all OBFS annual meeting
activities.
The OBFS Board has recently adopted an interim code of conduct which was modified from the American
Geophysical Union code of conduct. We hope to finalize this with input from the membership and through
online discussions.
OBFS Code of Conduct
OBFS is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants.
All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, OBFS board
members, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this OBFS Code of Conduct. This Code of
Conduct applies to all OBFS meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than
OBFS but held in conjunction with OBFS events, in public or private facilities.
Expected Behavior
● All participants, attendees, and vendors are treated with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity
of views and opinions.
● Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
● Communicate openly with respect for others, critiquing ideas rather than individuals.
● Avoid personal attacks directed toward other attendees, participants, and suppliers/vendors.
● Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert OBFS board members or host
staff if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.
● Respect the rules and policies of the meeting venue, lodging, hosts, or any other venue (in-person or
virtual) associated with the meeting.
Unacceptable Behavior
● Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form will not be tolerated.
● Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, OBFS board member, service
provider, or other meeting guest.
● Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender,
sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin,
inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or
stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, OBFS board member, service provider, or other
meeting guest.
● Disruption of presentations during the meeting, or at other events organized by OBFS at the meeting
venue, hotels, or other associated facilities.
3Consequences
● Anyone requested to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.
● The OBFS board, meeting hosts, or security may take any action deemed necessary and appropriate,
including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund.
● OBFS may report misconduct to the violator’s home institution.
● OBFS reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting.
Reporting Unacceptable Behavior
● If you are the subject of unacceptable behavior or have witnessed any such behavior, please
immediately notify an OBFS board member, an OBFS volunteer in a leadership position, site host staff,
or local authorities.
● Board members and their contact information are indicated in BOLD in the meeting participant roster
4President’s Welcome
Welcome to the 2020 annual meeting of OBFS, hosted by Flathead Lake Biological Station. A
special thanks to the Planning Committee Chair, Brett Biebuyck, and to Tom Banksak, Associate
Director, FLBS, along with the rest of the planning committee: Anne Kelly, Lesley Knoll, Art
McKee, Stacy McNulty, and Jason Wallace. With a quick pivot from a conventional face-to-face
meeting to our first-ever virtual meeting, these folks embody this year’s meeting theme,
“Adaptation and resiliency in a changing world." Their flexibility, ingenuity and hard work are
much appreciated and reflected in the rich and diverse slate of sessions throughout the meeting.
In many ways, the entire program reflects the adaptability and resiliency of the OBFS community.
From the workshops to the concurrent sessions; the plenary speakers to the lightning talks, the
annual meeting showcases the numerous ways in which stations are managing to offer effective
programs in a virtual world.
Even the online auction promises to offer opportunities to showcase our creativity and provide
some levity, as we support the Organization and acquire favorite mementos from our fellow
stations. A special thanks goes to the Auction Committee: Elizabeth Long, Brian Kloeppel, Sarah
Oktay, Jenn Seavey, Vanessa Trujillo, and Shane Waddell, for developing our first-ever virtual
auction.
Although the beloved field trips and in-person interactions will have to wait until 2021 when
we’re back together, face-to-face, at Flathead Lake Biological Station, we are excited about the
possibilities that this virtual format brings. Without the constraints of travel, we are looking
forward to engaging and interacting with members throughout the world and are excited about
the possibilities of bringing a new audience to our annual meeting, as we welcome our new
members, exchange ideas, and advance the mission of OBFS. The Board is also eager to share
updates on the progress towards the new 2021-2026 Strategic Plan.
Knowing all of you, we are confident that the 2020 meeting will be informative, engaging, and
effective in helping to enhance your field station and the OBFS community. Thank you for your
participation in the annual meeting and for your many valuable contributions to OBFS throughout
the entire year.
Chris Lorentz, OBFS President 2020-2022
5Primary Meeting Contacts:
Tom Bansak, Flathead Lake Biological Station, tom.bansak@umontana.edu (406) 872-4503
Brett Biebuyck, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, brett@rmbl.org (907) 750-9844
Program Schedule
Theme: “Adaptation and resiliency in a changing world." Host: Flathead Lake Biological Station
ALL TIMES EASTERN
Monday, September 14th
WORKSHOP DAY #1
Please see Appendix I for descriptions
11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Workshop #1: UFERN 1
Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN) Framework
to Improve Field Program Design and Evaluation
Hosts: Kari O’Connell, Kelly Hoke, Mike Giamellaro, Alan Berkowitz
Workshop #2: EDI 1
Data Cleaning and Archival Bootcamp
Hosts: Jason Tallant, Kristin Vanderbilt, Suzanne Grosseman-Clark, Aaron
Ellison
3:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Workshop #3: EDI 2
Data Cleaning and Archival Bootcamp
Hosts: Jason Tallant, Kristin Vanderbilt, Suzanne Grosseman-Clark, Aaron
Ellison
Workshop #4: UFERN 2
Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN)
Understanding and Evaluating Outcomes of Undergraduate Field Learning
Experiences
Hosts: Erin E. Shortlidge, Stephanie Shaulskiy, Kari Bisbee O’Connell,
Alison Jolley, Chris Lorentz, Emily Geraghty Ward
6Tuesday, September 15th
WORKSHOP DAY #2
Please see Appendix I for descriptions
11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Workshop #5: Improving Field Station Climate: Responding to Harassment
Hosts: Anne Kelly, Elizabeth Long, AdvanceGEO Team
3:00pm - 6:00pm EDT
Workshop #6: The Virtual Field: How to Create an Ecosystem Exploration Video from
Conception to Post Production
Hosts: Claudia Luke, Hillary Swain, Kari O’Connell, Sarah Oktay
Wednesday, September 16th WORKSHOPS AND SESSIONS
11:00am - 2:00pm EDT
Workshop #7: Partnership agreements for University Field Stations on US Federal Lands
Hosts: Russell Bradley, Jeffrey Clary
2:30pm - 4:00 pm EDT
OBFS Board of Directors Meeting Session I (open to all)
4:30pm - 6:00pm EDT
Opening Reception/New Member/Ice Breaker
Hosts: OBFS Outreach Committee and Member Services Group
6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT
Open Forum / Social Hour
Hosts: Jason Wallace and David Maneli
Thursday, September 17th MEETING - SESSIONS
11:00am - 11:15 am EDT
Opening Remarks
Chris Lorentz, OBFS President
Jim Elser, FLBS Director
711:15am - 12:00 pm EDT
Plenary Session
Introduction: Stacy McNulty
Plenary talk: Nia Morales
Title: Field studies for the 21st century: Re-imagining a rite of passage in
a changing world
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm EDT
Plenary Discussions
Goal 1: Establish OBFS-wide policies and procedures that promote
diversity, equity, and inclusion in OBFS and at member stations
Hosts: Elizabeth Long, Sara Syswerda
Goal 2: Improve and expand relationships with diverse user groups
Hosts: Stacy McNulty, Amy Whipple
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Concurrent Session 1: Outreach at Biological Field Stations: Opportunities and
Impacts
Hosts: Rhonda Struminger, Jill Zarestky, Michelle Lawing, Rachel Short,
and Lauren Vilen
Concurrent Session 2: Gender-inclusive Facilities at Field Stations
Hosts: Gretchen Gerrish, Cora Johnston, Anne Kelly, Stefanie Whitmire
Concurrent Session 3: Friend-Raising and Fund-Raising at Biological Field
Stations
Hosts: Brian Kloeppel, Sarah Oktay, Paul Foster, Tom Bansak
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm EDT
Lightning Talks
Hosts: Jason Wallace
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm EDT
Open Forum / Social Hour
Hosts: Jason Wallace
8Friday, September 18th MEETING - SESSIONS
11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Concurrent Session 4: Women of The Wild: Leadership at Field-Based
Institutions
Hosts: Victoria McDermott, Jennifer Gee, Elizabeth Long, Lisa Busch
Concurrent Session 5: The Virtual Field Project: A Panel Discussion
Hosts: Claudia Luke, Hilary Swain, Kari O’Connell, and Sarah Oktay
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm EDT
Human Diversity Award Presentation, OBFS Business Meeting, and Strategic
Plan Discussion
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT: Human Diversity Award Presentation
1:30 pm - 2:15 pm EDT: OBFS Business Meeting (Open to All!)
- President’s report (Chris Lorentz)
- Secretary’s report (Lesley Knoll)
- Treasurer’s report (Paul Wetzel)
- Congressional Visits Day report (Lisa Busch and attendees)
- Committee Reports (Committee Chairs)
- Short Presentation about 2021 Annual Meeting Host
- 2022 Annual Meeting Host
- Other business
2:15 pm-3:30 pm: Strategic Plan Discussion (Open to All!)
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm EDT
OBFS Group Photo on Zoom
Host: Philippe Cohen
3:45 pm - 4:30 pm EDT
Plenary Session
Plenary talk: Peter McCartney
Title: Updates from the National Science Foundation Field Stations and
Marine Labs (FSML) Program
94:30 pm - 4:45 pm EDT
Concluding Remarks
Chris Lorentz, OBFS President
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm EDT
Auction and Social Time
LIVE Auction items on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoLXz1ikyS0JArkTEmQ9IrzxmlHYW4Sv8
Forms link for SILENT Auction items:
https://sites.google.com/umich.edu/obfs-silent-auction/home?authuser=0
Monday, September 21st
11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
OBFS Board of Directors Meeting Session II (Open to All!)
- Finalization of the Board’s budget
- Unfinished business
- New business
- Comments by OBFS members
- Nomination period close
10Appendix I: Workshop Descriptions
Workshop #1: UFERN 1
Name: Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN) Framework to Improve
Field Program Design and Evaluation
Hosts: Kari O’Connell, Kelly Hoke, Mike Giamellaro and Alan Berkowitz
Contact person: Kari O'Connell; kari.oconnell@oregonstate.edu
Date/Time: Monday, September 14 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT
Participants: Min 10, Max 30
Description:
Undergraduate field learning experiences have a long history of preparing students for careers
in field-based sciences, yet what constitutes an effective field learning experience is not clearly
defined. Field learning experiences vary from short field “labs” integrated into university
courses, weeks or months-long courses at field stations and marine labs, traveling geology
courses, to weeks-long research opportunities.
The Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN) is building an interdisciplinary
network of researchers and practitioners focused on improving undergraduate field learning
experiences. UFERN has developed a framework that highlights the suites of factors that
influence student outcomes of field learning experiences. The framework can be a resource to
help design more inclusive learning experiences, guide research about field learning, or
evaluate student outcomes.
During the workshop, we will introduce the framework, and participants will apply it to an
undergraduate field program (e.g., research experience for undergraduates, field course, field
trip) using the elements of the framework, Design Factors, Student Context Factors, and
Student Outcomes. Individually or in pairs, participants will map their own undergraduate field
programs onto the framework and identify what elements of the framework they see in their
current program, and what elements in their programs they are motivated to change based on
working with the framework. This interactive workshop will emphasize improving student
experiences and outcomes, with a particular focus on access and inclusion. The workshop will
also give UFERN valuable feedback on the usefulness of the framework in a diversity of settings.
Workshops #2 and #3: EDI 1 and EDI 2
Name: Environmental Data Initiative: Data Cleaning and Archival Bootcamp (EDI 1 and EDI 2)
Hosts: Jason Tallant, Kristin Vanderbilt, Suzanne Grosseman-Clark, Aaron Ellison
Contact person: Jason Tallant; jtallant@umich.edu
11Time: Monday, September 14 from 11:00 am-2:00 pm (EDI 1) and 3:00 pm -6:00 pm EDT (EDI 2)
Participants: Min 6, Max 12
Description:
Modern science has mandated the curation and re‐use of environmental data. The
Environmental Data Initiative (EDI) was funded by NSF to accelerate curation, archiving, and
publishing of environmental data. EDI and its partners assist researchers from field stations,
individual laboratories, and research projects of all sizes to archive and publish their
environmental data. EDI provides a secure data repository and data curation support for
ecological research projects with emphasis on NSF funded programs such as OBFS and member
stations.
EDI, LTER, and OBFS partners are offering a workshop with two sections. Participants may
choose to attend one or both parts of the workshop. The target audience for the first day are
personnel who need to understand the process of data archiving, but will not be engaged in the
technical aspects of processing data for archive. The second part is appropriate for personnel
who intend to publish data themselves in the future.
The topics to be covered in the workshop are:
1. Organizing data into publishable units (What is a dataset, raw vs. processed data?)
2. Creating clean data for archiving (What are publishable data? Concepts of a single table and
clean data)
3. Describing data with metadata (Metadata content and scope, the Ecological Metadata
Language EML)
4. Descriptive metadata, version control, and provenance ‐ similarities and differences
5. Your data in the EDI repository (video)
6. Citing your data (data catalog on website)
EDI 1 (Monday, September 14, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm) offers a high level overview of data
management and a description of the data publishing process (data documentation, data
formatting, data repositories).
EDI 2 (Monday, September 14, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm) we delve into the details of publishing a
dataset in the EDI Data Repository. Several example datasets with metadata will be available so
that participants can work through the data publishing process themselves. Participants will
understand what they need to do to obtain support from EDI to publish their data.
12Workshop #4: UFERN 2
Name: Undergraduate Field Experiences Research Network (UFERN): Understanding and
Evaluating Outcomes of Undergraduate Field Learning Experiences
Hosts: Erin E. Shortlidge, Stephanie Shaulskiy, Kari Bisbee O’Connell, Alison Jolley, Chris
Lorentz, Emily Geraghty Ward
Contact person: Erin Shortlidge; eshortlidge@pdx.edu
Date/Time: Monday, September 14 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm EDT
Participants: Min 10, Max 40
Description:
Learning in a field setting can be a transformative experience for students that promotes the
development of skills, concepts, interests, and scientific literacy. Thus, undergraduate field
experiences (UFEs) have the potential to reach new generations of scientists. UFEs range from
short field labs embedded in on-campus university courses to residential months-long research-
focused experiences, and all are thought to enhance student outcomes. However, the
differences among UFEs make it challenging to document generalizable outcomes. Evidence
suggests that UFEs play a valuable role in undergraduate STEM education, yet, little empirical
data exists on the outcomes of many specific field experiences.
This workshop will present a tailored model for anyone interested in investigating student
outcomes from undergraduate field experiences (UFE). The model is geared towards
individuals, groups and/or organizations wanting to evaluate, assess and/or conduct research
about their UFE. We will help participants consider the critical alignment of UFE activities to the
actual and intended outcomes for students and practitioners. This model is meant to be used
both as a guide and a mechanism for reflection, allowing stakeholders to iterate and refine an
undergraduate field experience to better serve the students, meet the intended outcomes, or
change and build upon data collection methods or tools already in place.
In order to illustrate the utility of the model in a variety of settings, we provide practical
examples of evaluating UFEs in several settings, from a summer undergraduate research
experience at a field station to an accessible field course for geoscience students with
disabilities. We will also connect workshop participants to an online resource of published
assessment tools for practitioners to use when assessing UFE outcomes. Additionally, we will
identify and present opportunities where the ecological community may strengthen
assessment efforts based upon the existing pool of published assessment tools.
Workshop #5: Advance GEO
Name: Improving Field Station Climate: Responding to Harassment
Hosts: Anne Kelly, Elizabeth Long
13Contact person: Elizabeth Long; elong@mohonkpreserve.org
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT
Participants: Min 10, Max 30
Description:
Field research experiences can be defining moments in people's careers. For geology
undergraduate majors they are also required; 99% of the 300 geology undergraduate majors at
U.S. institutions surveyed in 2008 required a field course (Drummond and Markin 2008). Time
in the field can inspire students to pursue a career in research. On the other hand, unsafe field
environments can have devastating personal and professional consequences. Identifiable
conditions contribute to unsafe field environments where harassment, bullying and
discrimination can occur.
Field environments pose unique challenges:
· new, unfamiliar, unknown or nonexistent rules of conduct and reporting
mechanisms;
· reduced independence for access to transportation, food, medical resources,
etc.;
· distance from personal support networks at home;
· unfamiliar cultural norms or language;
· long days with physically strenuous work and exhaustion;
· exposure to harsh environmental conditions and potential greater risk of
environmental hazards, or unfamiliar risks compared to the home base
location.
In many disciplines, there is also a culture of ‘Vegas Rules’ (What happens in the field, stays in
the field), where people behave differently than would be acceptable at home. Existing power
dynamics that are clearly defined on campus or in the office can become blurred in the field.
The common practice of shared living accommodations may also afford little privacy and
remove the clear boundaries between work and personal lives. Power dynamics can also
become more stark, with one person holding access to the keys to the vehicle or satellite
phone.
On top of this, enduring harsh, rugged conditions is often considered a rite of passage, to the
exclusion of anybody who does not fit the image of what a "real field scientist" looks like. While
to many, camping and hiking are fond childhood memories, field experiences can be
intimidating and stressful to people with limited exposure to the outdoors, whether for
cultural, economic, accessibility or many other reasons. These factors and cultural norms
14contribute to the persistent low diversity in field oriented disciplines like the geosciences. In
many geographic areas, people of color also experience racial and life-threatening harassment
from members of communities where they are doing fieldwork. In this context, harassment,
bullying and discrimination create an unsafe environment and hence become a safety concern.
This interactive session will describe academic practices and institutional structures that allow
for sexual harassment and other hostile behaviors to persist, discuss initiatives to address
harassment as research misconduct, and provide training in personal intervention strategies to
protect and support targets of harassment. As a result of this session, participants will be able
to identify: (1) different ways in which sexual and other types of harassment can manifest in
research environments; (2) strategies for bystander intervention; and (3) resources for cultural
change in academic institutions and professional societies. This workshop is specially geared
towards practitioners at field stations, performing fieldwork, and doing education and research
in remote/isolated locations.
Workshop #6: Virtual Field
Name: The Virtual Field Project: A Mitigation Strategy for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Hosts: Claudia Luke, Hillary Swain, Kari O’Connell, Sarah Oktay
Contact person: Claudia Luke; lukec@sonoma.edu
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 15 from 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm EDT
Participants: Min 5, Max 40
Description:
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing massive disruptions in higher education. Faculty across
disciplines are struggling to quickly transition to virtual classrooms. Nowhere has this been
more difficult than in the field sciences, where first-hand experience with the complexity of the
natural world is essential for learning identification, observation, and research skills. In
response to research and educational land closures, a FSML coalition has begun working
together to develop digital experiences at these sites that boost observation and research skills.
Supported by a National Science Foundation RAPID grant (NSF # 2031815), a team of 50 field
sites in 26 states and 6 countries launched the “Virtual Field Project” this past summer to:
1. Create ecosystem exploration videos to teach students to find and observe evidence of key
ecological concepts.
2. Host live-streaming cross-site events with researchers to discuss the process of field research
with students.
3. Share existing virtual materials and events with faculty at universities across the U.S.
produced by a variety of organizations. A virtual field portal will act as a signpost, catalog, and
calendar for faculty, students, and community.
154. Evaluate the efficacy of virtual field materials to set the stage for further cross-site virtual
field learning initiatives
In this workshop we will share techniques and best practices for creating a field exploration
video that can be used for classes with tips on equipment, editing videos, and incorporating
Ecological Society of America’s Four Dimension Ecological Education Framework. Bring your
smartphone or Go Pro or video camera, we will have time during the workshop to go outside
and film your neighborhood using the advice presented.
Workshop #7: Federal Partnerships
Name: Partnership agreements for University Field Stations on US Federal Lands
Hosts: Russell Bradley, Jeffrey Clary
Contact person: Russell Bradley; russell.bradley@csuci.edu
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 16 from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT
Participants: Min 8, Max 30
Description:
Some field station sites are operated by universities in partnership with federal agencies on US
federal lands. There is massive variation between the nature of agreements across these field
stations on federal lands. Increased communication and transparency on this issue would help
stations plan their strategic long‐term agreements with federal partners. Both university and
agency partners could greatly benefit from lessons learned at sites across the US. This could
greatly benefit long term strategic planning for these sites.
This workshop will bring station directors, management staff, faculty leaders, and their agency
counterparts together to focus on the range of contracts, cooperative agreements and MOUs
that exist between universities and land management agencies. We will examine challenges
and opportunities, and find synergies where different stations can learn from each other. The
program will involve presentations from multiple sites, followed by facilitated discussion.
Deliverables include a summary of agreements across relevant OBFS member stations and
identification of key challenges and opportunities regarding these arrangements.
16Appendix II: Plenary Description And Presenter Biography
Plenary talk: Nia Morales
Title: Field studies for the 21st century: Re-imagining a rite of passage in a changing world
Timing: Thursday 11:15 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Description:
This plenary will be an interactive session focused on understanding how demographic changes
(primarily in the US) affect the conservation profession and exploring how we can re-imagine
field studies to be more inclusive and reflect our 21st century society. We will start with a
presentation to give some background and context on changing value orientations and barriers
associated with traditional field studies then we will have facilitated breakout discussions to
brainstorm ways to create more inclusive experiences.
Presenter Biography:
Dr. Nia Morales is the new assistant professor of human dimensions of wildlife in the University
of Florida's Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department where her teaching and research will
generally focus on the role of social science in the conservation of fish and wildlife. Dr. Morales
received her Bachelor’s and PhD from the University of Florida in WEC. Her dissertation
research focused on barriers and opportunities for minorities in conservation careers and she
has continued to research and publish studies related to diversity and inclusion within
environmental and conservation fields. Dr. Morales plans to incorporate this work in her new
role as faculty. She also has a Masters of Environmental Education from Florida Atlantic
University, where she worked to create and evaluate inquiry-based environmental programs for
youth and adults in Palm Beach County. Previous to her new faculty role, Dr. Morales was head
of the Center for Conservation Social Science Research within the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission’s (FWC) research institute where she led a team of social scientists
that provided support for the development and implementation of social science inquiry that
helped FWC better understand the complex relationships between humans and the
management of natural resources. In her spare time, Dr. Morales is an avid equestrian, and
spends time riding and showing her horse. She also enjoys traveling and spending time
outdoors with her husband.
Appendix III: Concurrent Session Descriptions
Concurrent Session 1: Outreach at Biological Field Stations: Opportunities and Impacts
Date/Time: Thursday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Coordinators: Rhonda Struminger1, Jill Zarestky 2, Michelle Lawing1, Rachel Short13, Lauren
Vilen2
171Dept of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
2School of Education, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
3School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
Description:
Since 2017 this team has studied biological field stations (BFSs) as informal learning institutions
that provide valuable education experiences to the public through their outreach programs.
During this 90-minute concurrent session, we will present new findings from our NSF-funded
research and discuss associated topics of interest to the audience.
The first part of the session will focus on results to be published in Science Advances in
October. This paper, Spatial inequalities leave micropolitan areas and Indigenous populations
underserved by informal STEM learning institutions, looks at where BFSs fit into the broader
informal education landscape that includes museums, zoos, and aquaria. We show where there
are gaps in the geographic placement of informal learning institutions, and identify where there
are opportunities for BFSs to expand their offerings.
The second set of results we will present comes from the Outreach Survey that we
administered to 223 BFSs between 2017 and 2019. We have compiled and analyzed survey data
profiling 319 outreach programs – 78% of which encourage conservation or environmental
stewardship and 74% of which teach about the environment generally. We will look at how
these programs engage participants of all ages, as well as adults in particular, and promote
science literacy. The impact of these programs as reported by BFSs will be discussed along with
opportunities for enhancing the learning experience for outreach audiences.
Concurrent Session 2: Gender-inclusive Facilities at Field Stations
Date/Time: Thursday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Coordinators: Anne Kelly, Gretchen Gerrish, Cora Johnson, Stefanie Whitmire
Field experiences are formative for students: good experiences propel underrepresented
students into STEM careers, while bad experiences push them out. This session will explore
strategies for making our field stations more gender-inclusive so we can better serve our entire
community. Dr. Jason Garvey will present on building gender-inclusive facilities and practices.
We will have breakout sessions to discuss practical strategies for addressing field station
culture, facilities, institutional buy-in, and related topics.
Concurrent Session 3: Friend-Raising and Fund-Raising at Biological Field Stations
Date/Time: Thursday, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm EDT
Coordinators: Brian Kloeppel, Sarah Oktay, and Paul Foster
18Our concurrent session on Field Station Friend and Fund Raising is geared toward helping
participants to plan and complete the next step in their development pathway by our next
OBFS annual meeting in September 2021. We all have a different starting point and we are
encouraging and expecting you to move forward on your development journey. We will present
subtopics on identifying and communicating with your field station audience, empowering
friends to become donors, finding funding sources for international field stations, and closing
the deal with donors at a variety of events. We will also include new information on fundraising
in the time of COVID-19. Our small group of concurrent session leaders is from a variety of field
stations across the Americas and we will connect with you. We will each present a short
summary on our individual topic, but our goal is to facilitate a group discussion to provide you
with immediate feedback and direction to empower you to take the next step.
Concurrent Session 4: Women of The Wild: Leadership at Field-Based Institutions
Date/Time: Friday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
1
Coordinators: Jennifer Gee & Victoria McDermott2,3
1James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve, UC Riverside, UC Natural Reserve System, Idyllwild, CA
2Department of Communication, University of Maryland, Washington, DC, USA
3Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
USA
For decades people from around the world have been calling for changes to the current
scientific community in regards to women and minorities in science (Hulman et al., 2018; Leslie,
McClure, & Oaxaca, 1998; Lucena, 2000; Shannon et al., 2019). As a result, the number of
women and minority participants in research communities has increased in recent years, and
institutions of higher learning have been challenged to adapt and to serve this changing
community. Although the number of women in science has been increasing, women are still
experiencing barriers to leadership. As the gender ratio has begun to even out in specific fields,
the number of women and minorities in positions of power still remains startlingly low (NSF,
2018; NSF, 2015). Findings indicate that women make up only 15% of department chairs and
16% of deans (Nichols, 2018). These low numbers of women in power present a problematic
narrative for furthering equality in the sciences and for women trying to obtain leadership
positions.
Through an NSF funded project we have worked to:
1) Explore the current Field Station and Marine Lab (FSML) organizational culture,
2) Identify barriers women face in attempting to obtain leadership positions in FSMLs,
3) Explore strategies, programs, and interventions for supporting women’s leadership roles, as
well as to develop best practices for policy, resource allocation, and field station design to
better support and increase women’s leadership roles in FSMLs.
19During this 90-minute session, we will offer an update on our project, pilot some of the
leadership activities, and finally, end with an open discussion on the project moving forward.
Project background and update (10 minutes)
Pilot leadership activity (50 minutes)
Discussion (20 minutes)
References
Holamn, L., Stuart-Fox, D., & Hauser, C. E. (2018). The gender gap in science: How long until women are equally
represented? Plos Biology, 16(4): e2004956. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.2004956
Leslie, L. L., McClure, G. T., & Oaxaca, R. L. (1998). Women and minorities in science and engineering: A life
sequence. The Journal of Higher Education, 69(3), 239-276.
Lucena, J. C. (2000). Making women and minorities in science and engineering for national purposes in the United
States. Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering, 6(1), 1-32.
Nichols, G. (2018, April 2). Why aren’t there more women leaders in science?. Scientific American.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/voices/why-arent-there-more-women-leaders-in-science/
NSF. (2015). Women, Minorities, and persons with disabilities in science and engineering: 2015.
https://ngcproject.org/statistics
NSF. (2018). Science and engineering indicators 2018. https://nsf.gov/statistics/2018/nsb20181/
Shannon, G., Jansen, M., Williams, K., Cáceres, C., Motta, A., Odhiambo, A., Eleveld, A., & Mannell, J. (2019).
Gender equality in science, medicine, and global health: where are we at and why does it matter. The
Lancet, 393(10171), 9-15.
Concurrent Session 5: The Virtual Field: How to Create an Ecosystem Exploration Video from
Conception to Post Production
Date/Time: Friday, 11:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Coordinators: Claudia Luke, Hilary Swain, Kari O’Connell, Sarah Oktay
Join us for a panel discussion that will include a presentation on the Virtual Field Project, how
you can get involved, what the web portal does and a demonstration of “Live from the Field”
and other methods to live stream field science.
20Appendix IV: Lightning Talk Abstracts
1. Three things that can improve your on-line field course
Stephanie Shaulskiy, Alicia Farmer
University of Michigan Biological Station, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Due to coronavirus lock-down, the University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) ran nine of
its usual field classes as remote/on-line classes in the spring and summer 2020. UMBS staff
conducted qualitative and quantitative assessments of these classes, with both instructors and
students, that included surveys, focus groups, interviews and syllabus reviews. Students and
faculty repeatedly mentioned some kinds of assignments or class strategies as particularly
helpful. We have distilled these into some quick take-away points for instructors designing or
adapting field courses to the virtual environment.
2. Using the 4DEE Framework in the Field
George Middendorf1, Alan Berkowitz2, Luanna Prevost3
1Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA
2Education, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook, NY, USA
3Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
Field learning experiences for undergraduate students generally serve several purposes by
introducing students to habitats and ecosystems, teaching quantitative methods and skills,
connecting to place, and providing opportunities to engage in ‘real’ science. The Ecological
Society of America’s recently endorsed Four-Dimensional Ecology Education (4DEE) Framework
is designed to guide the construction of multidimensional curricula by including core ecological
concepts, ecology practices, human-environment interactions, and cross-cutting themes that
promote broader and deeper student learning outcomes. The 4DEE approach also can be used
effectively in the development of field exercises that move beyond introductions to habitats
and skills by integrating connections to environmental policy, management and justice, as well
as illustrating how discipline-spanning themes of structure & function, pathways &
transformations of matter and energy, systems, and spatial & temporal scales and processes
(including evolution) apply. Integration across the dimensions in field learning experiences is an
opportunity to illustrate to students that these exercises have application well beyond their
class—and more importantly to help them understand how science can be used in effective
policy decision-making.
3. NKU REFS – Nature Adventure Day
Richard D. Durtsche
Research and Education Field Station (REFS), Northern Kentucky University, Melbourne, KY, USA
21On the last Saturday in September, from 1-5 p.m., the Northern Kentucky University (NKU)
Research and Education Field Station (REFS) invites you, your family, and the community to join
us for the annual REFS Nature Adventure Day. This event will have activities including: guided
wetlands nature tours and scavenger hunts (with prizes) through the St. Anne Wetlands (bring
rain boots for wetland nature tours). We also hold competitive turtle races for all ages. Nature
stations with activities such as plant pressing, invasive species intruders, wetland herps and
how to identify them, DIY nature print t-shirts, what’s in your pond? incredible insects, and
others will take place throughout the event. The REFS Nature Adventure Day is also part of the
international “Take Your Child Outside” or TACO week and the Northern Kentucky and Greater
Cincinnati Green Umbrella “Great Outdoor Weekend.” Spend this afternoon getting outside
and learning more about the flora and fauna in northern Kentucky that call these wetlands their
home. The NKU REFS facility will also be open for display of student research activities, and for
restroom availability. The St. Anne Woods and Wetlands natural areas adjacent to and used by
NKU REFS are owned by the Campbell County Conservation District. The NKU Research and
Education Field Station is located at 99 Harrison Court, in Melbourne, KY
(https://inside.nku.edu/artsci/centers/refs.html). We hope you can join us for an afternoon of
fun and adventure!
4. Research Use of Field Station Data
Erica Krimmel 1, Cat Chapman 2, David Jennings 2, Gil Nelson 2
1iDigBio, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
2iDigBio, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
The discovery and use of digital field station data for place-based biodiversity research as well
as species discovery within a station’s boundaries and service area are essential contributions.
Although many field stations curate their own biological collections, at least some of which
have been digitized and made available online, field stations have traditionally served as
important specimen collecting localities for a variety of researchers across taxonomies,
resulting in a potential plethora of station-relevant digital data curated by non-station
universities and museums. The rapidly expanding online availability of these data, motivated in
large part by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity
Collections program, has made these data readily available to station scientists. As the U.S.
center for enabling and facilitating specimen data digitization and mobilization, iDigBio’s portal
(http://portal.idigbio.org/) serves approximately 124 million transcribed specimen records and
25 million associated images. This lightning talk will demonstrate how to find records that are
relevant to a specific field station and its surroundings as well as how these records might be
used to augment existing station data. Participants are also invited to attend a free, more
extensive session on how to find field station data at a virtual mini-workshop to be held at 1:00
p.m. Eastern, 29 September. All OBFS members are invited to sign up at: http://bit.ly/obfs-
idigbio-2020.
225. A Shift to a Project-Based, Geospatial Management System at the Virginia Coast
Reserve LTER
Jonah Morreale1,2, Cora Johnston1,2, John Porter2,3
1 Anheuser-Busch Coastal Research Center, University of Virginia, VA, USA
2 Virginia Coast Reserve LTER, VA, USA
3 Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, VA, USA
The Virginia Coast Reserve Long-Term Ecological Research site (VCR-LTER) has a comprehensive
collection of marine and coastal data detailing more than thirty years of research on barrier
island, shallow bay, intertidal marsh, and coastal forest systems encompassing more than 100
kilometers of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The VCR is undergoing an effort to restructure our data
management system from its historical dataset-centric model to a new project-based system.
Going forward, a newly expanded project database will contain research descriptions,
personnel, methodology, geospatial data, and related datasets, all under the umbrella of
individual projects. This system will also contain a research mapping portal integrated with the
Coastal Research Center’s trip reservation system. The planned benefits of this are twofold.
Access to a multi-layered searchable geodatabase will allow researchers operating in the VCR to
plan field sites around constraints of overlap, as well as to easily access existing long-term
datasets within their zone of interest. Furthermore, integration with the reservation system will
afford station research personnel and boat captains a more detailed understanding of
researcher needs when planning requested research outings. The new database system is
currently under development, with initial rollout expected winter 2020/2021.
6. Repository services for field stations in the DataONE network
Matthew B. Jones1
1 DataONE, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California Santa
Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
DataONE federates earth and environmental science datasets from 45 member repositories
from around the globe to improve discovery, access, and reuse of those data. Field stations and
marine labs can utilize the DataONE Plus service that provides integrated data portals for
collections of data that span many repositories. Portals can focus on a specific field station or
location (e.g., Toolik Field Station), on scientific themes (e.g., salmon biology), and on
collaborative projects and programs. Data displayed in a portal can span DataONE repositories
(e.g, data in LTER, Dryad, EDI, and KNB are all accessible), and custom data filters can be
included that are specific to disciplines, projects, and sites. In addition, field stations can use the
DataONE Hosted Repository service to easily create a dedicated repository for their site that is a
member of DataONE, hosted on our hardware, and accessible through DataONE search.
DataONE provides the repository platform, which can be custom branded, and is an extremely
cost-effective means of preserving the data from a field station and making it accessible to the
23broader community. Data usage reporting, citation reporting, and metadata assessment tools
are valuable parts of both DataONE Plus portals and Hosted Repositories.
7. Managing a field station in a time of rapid environmental change: How do we keep
with a runaway train?
Stuart K. Allison
Knox College, Biology Department and Green Oaks Field Research Center, Galesburg, IL, USA
One of the greatest challenges facing the field station managers in the 21 st Century is the rapid
pace and global scale of current and projected environmental change. There are many sources
for these changes to the environment – conversion of ecosystems to other types and uses,
habitat fragmentation, declines in species populations, extinctions of species, the human
assisted movement of species from their original ecosystem to new ecosystems on a global
scale, pollution, and global climate change. Almost all of these changes are either directly or
indirectly related to continuing growth and movement of the human population.
Environmental managers have been aware of these changes for many years but only recently
have fully grasped the rapidity and scale of environmental changes. Given our current
understanding of the rapidity and ubiquity of environmental change, it becomes obvious that
the goals and practice of environmental management must change in order to accommodate
the shifting conditions on the ground. Management must be conducted with an eye to the
future, planning for ways for the site to adapt as the environment around it changes. Good
management can help us keep up with accelerating rates of change if we: 1) maintain
biodiversity, ecosystem structure, composition and function; 2) reduce the effects of
disturbance and environmental stress; and 3) nurture or create refugia, redundancy and
connectivity among ecosystems. Broad-based, forward looking management will be a vital tool
as we respond to environmental change.
8. SHIELD -- a study of biodiversity across multiple sites
Rosemary Gillespie1, Nancy Lowe2, Stacy McNulty3, Sarah Oktay4, and John Pickering5
1University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
2Art + Science In the Field: AS IF, Bakersville, NC
3SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY
4University of California - Davis, Natural Reserve System, CA
5University of Georgia (retired), DiscoverLife.org, Athens, GA
Recent advances in technology now enable us to overcome identification bottlenecks and
understand ecosystem biodiversity, species interactions, and functions in ways that could
24greatly advance
ecological theory, conservation, and land management. SHIELD (Species, Health, Interactions of
Ecosystems Linked to Drivers) will comprehensively study diverse taxa and their trophic
interactions within ecosystems across North and Central America. A large and diverse team of
researchers is developing a multi-year proposal to the National Science Foundation’s
Infrastructure Capacity for Biology program. The project will include a network of two dozen or
more biological field station sites. Additional sampling locations will include Smithsonian Forest
GEO sites, National Ecological Observatory Network sites, and nature center locations.
Participating sites will have a robust history of data collection and be able to provide lodging for
2-3 workers during peak fieldwork seasons. Data collecting protocols will include Malaise traps,
bee bowls, soil samples, plant monitoring, eDNA, photographs, and acoustic recordings. A
major deliverable will be to build a DNA library that will aid with rapid identification of species.
A “Broader Impacts” component will provide artist residencies at biological field stations,
continue to develop the network of arts at biological field stations, and strengthen best
practices for art-science projects that convey biodiversity science to the public. For more
information please see https://www.discoverlife.org/shield . Find out how your field station
may be able to take part in this developing network.
9. Upham Woods as a Living Lab of UW-Madison
Dr. R. Justin Hougham, Zoë Goodrow
Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Dells, WI,
USA
Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center has been a field station of the University of
Wisconsin-Madison since 1941, but is a new member of the Organization of Biological Field
Stations. We are using our Lightning Talk to introduce ourselves to the organization,
highlighting our history, fields of research, and important partnerships. Our partnerships span
the country and include other members of OBFS as well. Our fields of research include
environmental education and the natural sciences – our station as the site of the first
hyperspectral imaging study by NASA. Our environmental education research informs our eco-
pedagogical approach in our programming that reaches over 12,000 students annually. We will
also discuss our commitment to disrupt systemic racism in the field of environmental education
in our operations, research, and programming as a field station of a university.
10. Finca Las Piedras - A new site for long-term research and learning in the Peruvian
Amazon
Geoffrey Gallice1,2,3
1 Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon-Hanover, MD, USA
252 Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida-Gainesville, FL, USA
3 Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Católica Pontificia del Perú-Lima, Perú
The Alliance for a Sustainable Amazon (ASA) works to conserve biodiversity and promote the
sustainable use of natural resources in southeastern Peru, one of the world’s most biodiverse
regions that is also under growing threat. An expansive regional conservation estate holds great
potential to preserve this diversity, yet knowledge of the biology of most species is lacking,
especially outside of protected areas where research facilities are essentially nonexistent. In
2017, therefore, the ASA established Finca Las Piedras Research Station as a base research,
education, and conservation action within the ‘Brazil Nut Corridor’, an approximately 1 million
ha area of natural forest designated for the sustainable harvest of Brazil nuts that forms part of
a biological corridor connecting major regional conservation units. The ASA maintains rigorous
long-term research projects at Finca Las Piedras that address important current problems in
tropical biology and global change for the first time in the region. Key projects aim to document
the abundance, distribution, and natural history of the region’s nearly unmatched biodiversity,
and to examine the responses of species and populations to climate change. In the near future
we plan to leverage emerging technologies such as cheap solar electricity and portable DNA
sequencing to build the first natural history museum equipped with a simple yet modern
molecular lab in the Amazon to boost the in situ study of biodiversity, which will also serve as a
much-needed educational space in the region.
11. Murals integrate science and art in rural Mexico
Rhonda Struminger, Gil Rosenthal, and Gabriela Vázquez Adame
CICHAZ, CICHAZ, and ASPAC
In 2018 the CICHAZ field station worked with long-time partner Asesoría Social Productiva, A.C.
(ASPAC) and the Fundación Siqueiros Sinfronteras, A.C to bring muralists from México,
Argentina, Peru, and Chile to the rural Mexican town of Calnali where CICHAZ is located. The
neighbors of Aguazarca welcomed the artists and agreed to have 15 of their homes and
establishments painted along the main road and committed to taking care of the murals for a
period of 10 years. For1 km visitors and residents can today enjoy what is called the Mural
Corridor (Corredor Muralistico). When the muralists first arrived in Calnali they met with ASPAC
leadership who gave them a crash course in the natural history of the area, focusing on the
flora and fauna most prevalent in daily life. The artists then met with the owners of the homes
and businesses that agreed to participate so they could learn about the family histories and
interests of the inhabitants. The challenge presented to the muralists was to create a vision
honoring the community’s culture, nature, and stories. From the field station’s perspective,
balancing artistic license and scientific accuracy was one of the biggest obstacles. What
emerged through the process reflects the artists’ origins and points of view, and exciting images
of the real and imagined.
2612. Wilderness Suite
Ruby Fulton1, Benjamin James2, Teresa Cavazos-Cohn3
1University of Idaho, Lionel Hampton School of Music, Moscow, ID, USA
2 Universityof Idaho, English Department, Moscow, ID, USA
3University of Idaho, Taylor Wilderness Research Station, McCall, ID, USA
Wilderness Suite is a nine-movement musical composition -- recorded by the icarus Quartet (iQ)
-- and an accompanying film based on research conducted from the University of Idaho’s
remote Taylor Wilderness Research Station. Focused on, and inspired by, Idaho’s Big Creek
Drainage in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness, this multi-modal project conveys
the landscape’s dramatic topography and extreme disturbance through a variety of lenses. This
piece brings together faculty from three departments in an interdisciplinary collaboration of
geography, music, and film to explore themes of environmental change in this remote location.
Wilderness Suite builds on a rephotography project called “Human and Ecological Change in the
Frank Church River of No Return,” which explores environmental change along Big Creek
through 56 historical photographs paired with current photographs retaken in summer 2019,
and related interviews of Big Creek stakeholders sharing their perspectives of environmental
change. Wilderness Suite adds additional dimension to this project, using music and film to
explore human-environmental relationships, and change, in tactile, sensory ways. Our unique
collaboration between geography and the arts engages both rational and emotional processing
systems, maximizing meaning-making and integrating public perceptions and stories of change
to a common experience of place.
Appendix V: Auction Information
What is the OBFS Auction? For new folks, the auction is our biggest social extravaganza AND
fundraising event of the year. In the Before Times, we gathered on the last full day of the
meeting for some goofy fun and serious bidding. This year we're setting up both a silent
auction and live auction event. The silent auction will be open Wednesday morning and close
Friday just before the live auction fun starts via zoom. Our theme is "Get Happy" and you're
encouraged to wear something that exudes happiness, set up something appropriate for your
zoom background, and in any other way spread some joy around.
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