Insights from the Choose Clean Water Conference

Last month, Sidney Anderson, Ann Foo, and Nathan Miller attended the Choose Clean Water Conference in Ellicott City, Maryland. Each year, representatives from riverkeeper organizations, universities, environmental advocacy non-profits, and government agencies from around the Chesapeake gather to share new research, network, and exchange ideas over how everyone’s collective work can improve both the ecology of the Bay and the communities that live in its watershed. Plus it’s a chance for everyone to collect really cool swag! Sidney, Ann, and Nathan attended as the IAN contingent of the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative, which helps citizen scientists collect quality freshwater data in the Chesapeake tributaries. Their presentation, “Masters of Translation: Best Practices in Science Communication,” covered general principles of science communication and how to co-develop science communication products via stakeholder engagement. Attendees got the chance to practice their science communication skills during the presentation, as well through activities like “Conceptionary” and “Title Pursuit.”