Public Events

“Parasitic Oscillations and other Reflections on Art and Science”: A Reading and Conversation with Madhur Anand

Parasitic Oscillations, a collection of innovative poems and images by the poet, memoirist, and professor of ecology Madhur Anand, is situated “on the cusp where art and science meet.” The poems, which range in form from intricate lyrics to assemblages of found material, are linked by a throughline concerning the study of birds, specifically the birds of India (some of them extinct). Anand draws on family history and scientific research to elucidate the ways the history of naturalism is interwoven with the history of colonialism, and deftly illustrates something else: no matter how much people insist science is objective and separate from the scientists who practice it, the knower shapes the knowledge.

This event is in collaboration with UCSB and the National Centre for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.

Following the launch of the website, the index team hosted an informational webinar introducing new users to the index. Watch the recording to learn more about the tool, how it works, and how it can be used.

From satellites taking images from space to your phone recording bird calls, a growing suite of technologies is changing how we study life on Earth. These tools promise faster, more comprehensive ways to understand where species occur and track changes in their populations over time. But how well do these digital tools actually work, and what's standing in the way of their full potential? In this talk, Dr. Rachel King, postdoctoral scientist at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), explored the current landscape of the digital monitoring of nature, revealed surprising gaps in what these technologies can tell us, and shared how scientists—and the public—are working to build a more complete picture of the natural world. Profs at the Pub is an event hosted by UCSB Affiliates.

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Abre’ Conner | NAACP: Utilizing a Frontline Community Framework for data center policies

Conner gave an overview of the key principles behind the NAACP’s Frontline Framework, including community-led decision-making, strategies, and playbooks for ways to approach data center policies and research moving forward. She examined how to properly integrate these principles into data center siting, energy sourcing, water usage, and regulatory processes. The NAACP Center for Environmental and Climate Justice Center’s approach is based on real world examples to illustrate both challenges and emerging best practices.

Cesar Estien | Second Nature Ecology and Design: Yesterday’s tomorrow: Exploring how societal inequities shape the ecology of cities

Estien discussed his research on how the legacies of injustice and societal inequity shape urban ecosystem health, biodiversity data, and wildlife ecology. As urbanization increases, human-wildlife interface will shrink, subjecting wildlife to the myriad social-ecological pressures of cities which underscores the need to understand the drivers of biodiversity and wildlife ecology for effective management and conservation initiatives.

Patricia Balvanera | Plural syntheses of knowledge to support more just and sustainable futures

In 2014 IPBES identified the need to recognize and integrate the diverse values of nature into decision-making processes. From 2018 to 2022 Balvanera co-chaired the IPBES Values Assessment, in collaboration with close to 100 people from 50 countries, to identify what values underpin the current environmental crises and how we can navigate towards more just and sustainable futures. In this talk, she shared some of the methodological challenges faced during the undertaking of the assessment. In particular she reflected on the 50 different research protocols used to review more than 50,000 pieces of evidence. She discussed what were the strengths and limitations in the face of integrating diverse knowledge, in consideration of geographical biases and those among types of knowledge. In closing, she discussed how syntheses effort best informs regional and global policy design when they mindfully respect and elevate all voices. This approach is crucial to foster the transformative changes needed toward a more sustainable future.

April 21, 2026: NCEAS Director Ben Halpern and Haveli Investments’ Chief Sustainability Officer Lucas Joppa debated the statement: AI will be a net benefit for the planet. Attendees voted before and after the debate on if they agreed, whoever swayed the most minds won the debate. This event was the first installment of Debates on Draft, in partnership with UCSB Affiliates and Validation Ale.

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August 25, 2026: Despite the hot evening, nearly 100 community members gathered at Validation Ale for drinks and a spirited debate over the statement: “Wildfire should be embraced as a normal part of life in California.” NCEAS Director Ben Halpern argued against the statement, while UC Cooperative Extension Wildfire Specialist, Max Moritz, argued in favor. The two explored what “normal” means when living in fire-prone landscapes, how we should approach our relationship with fire in a rapidly warming world, and more! Audience members, ranging from engaged community members to local firefighters, joined the conversation by asking thoughtful questions and voting on whether Californians should embrace the normalcy of fire. At the start of the evening, the audience largely sided with Moritz, with 87% agreeing with the statement and 13% disagreeing. By the end of the debate, however, the margin had narrowed considerably, with 55% agreeing and 45% disagreeing. While the audience ultimately sided with Moritz, Halpern swayed the most minds, earning the win for the evening. More importantly, attendees left with a deeper understanding of wildfire preparedness and what it means to coexist with wildfire.

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Want to learn more about ongoing wildfire work at NCEAS? Click the link below to explore our Wildfire Resilience Index!

Wildfire Resilience Index Website

NCEAS Research Associate Dr. Cat Fong previewed Wildfire Resilience Index a free, open-access tool to measure wildfire resilience across both people and ecosystems, for every community and landscape in the U.S. and Canadian West, at 90-meter resolution. She gave the audience background on how and why the Index was built and how it can be used. Science by the Pint is a collaboration with the UCSB Undergraduate Research Symposium Committee highlighting cutting-edge UCSB research.

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