Penn State's "Stories from the Field" conversation series is returning this fall with three new sessions. Each was designed to bring together academics and practitioners to discuss the challenges and opportunities of applied research and community engagement.
Each session will be open and conversational, with speakers giving insight about their work as a way to inspire others and prompt conversations about the practice of community engagement and applied research.
The series, which will take place via Zoom, is open to anyone interested in attending. It is free to register.
The series is hosted by Penn State's Center for Economic and Community Development, an applied research center dedicated to strengthening local and regional development in Pennsylvania and beyond. The center is housed in the College of Agricultural Sciences' Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education.
The first conversation took place Thursday and featured Lara Fowler, senior lecturer at Penn State Law, Penn State interim chief sustainability officer and interim director of Penn State's Sustainability Institute.
Fowler will discuss her approach to engaging communities in water dispute resolution -- drawing on examples from her work on the West Coast as well as recent work on water and agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay region and flood resilience for Pennsylvania communities.
Two additional sessions are planned for later in the fall.
On Oct.12, Penn State alumna Maddy Nyblade, current doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, will talk about her experience conducting research through a collaborative, tribally driven project about Wild Rice in the Great Lakes region.
Rounding out the series will be a session featuring Darren Marshall, Southern Queensland Landscape's pest and community engagement specialist. He will discuss his work using community engagement as an essential strategy for feral pig management in Australia. The date for Marshall's talk will be announced soon.
For more information or to register, visit the Center for Economic and Community Development's website at https://bit.ly/3LCpdNl.
Categories: Pennsylvania, Education