Participate in the Bay Survey!
In partnership with The Chesapeake Bay Trust, and OpinionWorks, the University of Maryland has launched The Bay Survey. This survey helps us understand how residents and businesses throughout the Chesapeake Bay area, Western Maryland, and the Atlantic Coastal Bays handle rainwater, vegetation, and other issues on their properties. Help out IAN by filling out the survey online at www.baysurvey.org!Blog and Video Highlights
Video
- Anne Bowser's "An Overview of Citizen Science and Crowdsourcing in Federal Agencies" is now available on our seminar series page and YouTube
Blog
- Webstock 2015: One day of peace & the internet
- Reginald V. Truitt in his own words: A visit to the Maryland Room archives
- In memory of Jay Zieman, University of Virginia seagrass ecologist
- Willamette River Report Card - I can see the light at the end of the tunnel
IAN partnering with the World Wildlife Fund
IAN has begun what is planned to be a lasting relationship with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to advance our collective vision of achieving better conservation outcomes globally. Simon Costanzo, Alex Fries, and Bill Dennison travelled into the WWF US Headquarters in Washington D.C. for a brainstorming session on a global approach to environmental report cards (or scorecards) to assess rivers of the world. Currently, IAN and WWF are partnering on a report card for the Colombian tributaries of the Orinoco River, which is the platform for expansion of the partnership to some of the 273 transboundary rivers that WWF have prioritized. The combination of IAN and WWF skills and capacity appears to be a great fit for successfully achieving this goal and will be a significant step in IAN's evolution moving forward.
Workshops are Beautiful: Data visualization in NYC
Jane Thomas and Brianne Walsh traveled to New York City to participate in a one-day workshop on data visualization. The workshop was presented by David McCandless, writer, data journalist, designer, and author of the blog and book Information is Beautiful. The workshop outlined four steps of creating effective and dynamic data visualizations: concepting and generating good, interesting ideas, researching and curating juicy data, executing and selecting appropriate and effective visualizations, and designing and beautifying impactful charts and diagrams. The workshop provided a fun, hands-on, insightful introduction and approach to the development of infographics, and IAN hopes to incorporate David's tips and tricks into our own design process.
MADE CLEAR kicks off the 2015 Climate Change Academy
MADE CLEAR (Maryland and Delaware Climate Change Education Assessment and Research) welcomed 27 teachers from across Delaware and Maryland to the first session of the 2015 Climate Change Academy on April 25. The cohort, which includes middle school and high school teachers and informal science educators, will meet in five additional in-person and on-line sessions through August, and will teach about climate change in the coming year. The first session focused on teaching weather vs. climate, using regional weather and climate data, teaching about heat-trapping gases, and guiding students in supporting claims with evidence. MADE CLEAR's first team of Teacher Leaders assisted with the workshop as part of their preparation to deliver professional development in their districts and regions.
IAN Welcomes Cindy Shoemaker
Cindy Shoemaker, a graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in marine biology, started working at UMCES in 1991 as a senior FRA at CBL. She came to HPL in 2001 to work with Pat Glibert doing mass spec work and then eventually began reconciling research grants in the Horn Point business office. Cindy will be assisting with grant management through the use of IT Works (a software program specific to project expense tracking and management) until a new accountant is hired. She will be working in the bathhouse along with the rest of the Cambridge-based IAN Group. She currently lives in East New Market with her mom and her very active 160 pound harlequin Great Dane, Jake. She enjoys heading down to the Outer Banks as much as possible and wildlife watching throughout the year. In the fall, she enjoys cheering on the USC football team. Go Trojans!