Tyler Seidel
Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
College of Biological Sciences
University of Minnesota Twin Cities

IAS Short-Term Fellow; Water, Equity, and Justice

What do you think a narrative from a 40-year resident on a pond could tell scientists about global change? My dissertation research is about how land and water ecosystems are connected through food webs in urban environments. Through this point of view, I emphasize how changes in traits of organisms are dependent on relations that may initially seem disconnected. Could including public narratives with broader scientific discourses help us make more equitable and just connections to better manage our shared aquatic and terrestrial resources? The IAS and Water Council has provided me with an opportunity to learn from other fellows about how narrative can be used to inform expression of science. As global change disproportionally impacts water, particularly small freshwater sources that vulnerable groups depend on, it is my hope that by including public narratives with scientific discourses it will help to cultivate trust and promote innovative, place-based management solutions.