The Online Conference Program

Special Pre-Conference Greeting
Viewable On-demand
G. Wayne Clough
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution

In this special video message, Secretary G. Wayne Clough greets online conference participants, talks about the Smithsonian’s involvement in studying climate change, and shares insights from his recent field visit to Wyoming to examine evidence of climate change found in plant fossils.

Climate Change: Carbon Dioxide, Context and Certainties

Evidence Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:00 – 11:50 am EDT Bert Drake, Plant Physiologist, Senior Scientist Smithsonian Environmental Research Center What do we know about the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and what is the evidence of the relationships between carbon and climate? Join Bert Drake, the principal scientific investigator of the longest-running experiment measuring the impact of rising atmospheric CO2 on land ecosystems, as he outlines the big picture and takes participants’ questions. Bert’s presentation will also provide a fascinating historical context: the Smithsonian’s long involvement in studying climate change.

Biodiversity and Climate Change

Impact Tuesday, September 29, 2009 12:00 – 12:50 pm EDT Francisco Dallmeier Director, Center for Conservation Education and Sustainability Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute National Zoological Park How is climate change affecting biodiversity on Earth? In his interactive talk, Dallmeier will highlight some of the animal species around the world that have been impacted by shifting climates. Pointing toward the future, he will also discuss new initiatives for studying biodiversity and climate change.

From Impact to Action: Wildlife Experts Share Data, Stories, and Responses from Young People

Response Tuesday, September 29, 2009 2:00 – 2:50 pm EDT Don Moore Associate Director for Animal Care National Zoological Park Joe Sacco Associate Director of Education, Friends of the National Zoo National Zoological Park Along with this panel of experts from the National Zoo, you’ll be part of a discussion about how climate change, wildlife, and what some young people are doing to make a difference. The Zoo team will give you an overview of the issue while delving deeply into the specific impact of global warming on one specific population -- Arctic polar bears. On a positive note, they’ll discuss the work of empowered youth taking small and large steps to protect our planet’s wildlife.

A Virtual Field Trip to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Special Session Tuesday, September 29, 2009 3:00 – 3:50 pm EDT Mark Haddon Director of Education Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Finding climate change to be a complicated topic to bring into the classroom? Let Mark Haddon help you make sense of the subject! Haddon designs environmental education programs that integrate research methods and data collecting at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), the world's leading research center for environmental studies of the coastal zone. Take a virtual fieldtrip to the center from the comfort of your computer and interact with Haddon as he describes approaches to teaching climate change using Smithsonian resources.

Looking Forward by Looking Back: What Does the Fossil Record Say About Climate Change?

Evidence Wednesday, September 30, 2009 11:00 – 11:50 am EDT Scott Wing Curator of Fossil Plants, Department of Paleobiology National Museum of Natural History What does the fossil record tell us about past changes in climate and the effects on plants and animals? Back from his most recent fieldwork in Wyoming, Scott Wing will share with us the exciting story of his discoveries about the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, a period over 55 million years ago when the average temperature of Earth warmed nine degrees in a geological instant. Wing’s work on plant fossils shows that the rapid warming was accompanied by decreasing rainfall and a radical shift in where plants lived. We will discuss the many parallels between this ancient episode and predicted future climate change.

Changing Cultures and Environment in the Arctic: Prehistory to Modern Times

Impact Wednesday, September 30, 2009 12:00 – 12:50 pm EDT Bill Fitzhugh Curator of Archaeology; Director, Arctic Studies Center National Museum of Natural History How have peoples in the past dealt with changing climate and environment? Is the Arctic a “bell-weather”—the proverbial “canary in the mine”—for climate impacts on the wider world? Studying long-term historical change has profound application to modern issues today. Fitzhugh will lead you on an exploration of the impact of climate change on northern peoples, both ancient and modern. Using case studies of groups like the Vikings, the ancient Mongolians, Eskimos, and modern residents of arctic regions, he’ll discuss with you the range of human interactions with the environment in the frozen north—a frontline of studies of climate change.

Indigenous Geography and Native Science

Response Wednesday, September 30, 2009 2:00 – 2:50 pm EDT Doug Herman Senior Geographer National Museum of the American Indian What does the study of indigenous geography—which links the environment, social organization, political structures, and cultural systems—tell us about Native ways of understanding? Herman will guide us in a discussion of “Native science,” how it differs from western science, and how it might be applied to climate change studies.

Artists and Environmental Sustainability: Video Art, Ecology and the Work of Paul Ryan

Special Session Tuesday, September 29, 2009 3:00 – 3:50 pm EDT Charles Duncan Collections Specialist Archives of American Art Duncan takes us to the intersections of art, communications, and ecology. He discusses the emergence of video as a medium and how it has been heralded by artists such as Paul Ryan as a visual tool for “scoring” the environment and eliciting community participation in issues of sustainability. To conclude the last session of Day 2, Duncan will share with us documents and video clips that illustrate the rich possibilities inherent in Ryan’s groundbreaking work.

Mangroves and Seagrass Communities: Biological Studies at Galeta Island, Panama

Evidence Thursday, October 1, 2009 11:00 – 11:50 am EDT Stanley Heckadon-Moreno
Director of Communications and Public Programs; Coordinator, Galeta Point Marine Laboratory Smithsonian Tropical Research Center We will begin Day 3 at STRI's Galeta Island Marine Education Center in Panama. Galeta is adjacent to a coral reef, a mangrove forest, and seagrass beds that harbor all manner of marine life. It is the site of an intense study of the biological effects of a major oil spill, as well as ongoing environmental monitoring. Heckadon-Moreno will join us remotely from Galeta to show us the research being done there.

Coral Reefs: Impacts of Climate Change and Ocean Acidification on Aquatic Ecosystems

Impact Thursday, October 1, 2009 12:00 – 12:50 pm EDT Nancy Knowlton
Sant Chair for Marine Science National Museum of Natural History Knowlton will take our exploration of climate change underwater—to the coral reefs, home to one quarter of all the earth’s species. Drawing on her work in Jamaica and Panama, she’ll describe changes in temperature and ocean chemistry and the impact of these changes on both biodiversity and the ability of reefs to support people. She’ll conclude by offering evidence that local protection (managing fishing and pollution) can make a positive difference to the ability of these ecosystems to withstand the impacts of global change caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

Inventing Our Way Out of the Climate Change Problem? Innovative Youth Tackle the Issue

Response Thursday, October 1, 2009 2:00 – 2:50 pm EDT Tricia Edwards
Educator, Lemelson Center National Museum of American History Can new inventions help us with climate change issues? Edwards introduces us to the work of inventors concerned with sustainability issues, as well as to her own work in bringing young inventors and research scientists together on projects that address climate change. By showcasing their innovations, Edwards inspires all of us to tap into our creativity and scientific understanding in addressing issues that face us all.

Panel Discussion

Special Session Thursday, October 1, 2009 3:00 – 3:50 pm EDT Leonard P. Hirsch Senior Policy Advisor Smithsonian Institution Scott Richardson K-12 Program Coordinator, Learn and Serve America Corporation for National and Community Service Edward E. Geary Director GLOBE Program Join a panel of experts for this closing session. What open questions can anchor your future discussions, activities, and actions? The team addresses your comments and offers guidance on how you can use what you’ve learned about this significant issue.