Regional Conference on Permafrost 2021 and the 19th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering
Engage the Public in Science and Embrace Future Change with Human-Centric Stories, Art, and Imaginings
Publication: Permafrost 2021: Merging Permafrost Science and Cold Regions Engineering
ABSTRACT
Human-centric stories that weave in real scientific data may be able to engage the public in environmental issues that do not yet directly affect them. Science fiction and artistically rendered futuristic scenarios can unleash the imagination and act as a lens to envision technological, social, and cultural aspects of transitioning to clean energy. Cultures with strong oral traditions use stories to record history, develop a shared identity, pass on environmental lessons, and prepare for future change. Through the lenses of our non-physical science disciplines (cultural anthropology and environmental sociology), we discuss challenges to communicating science, the use of narratives to illustrate ecosystem processes, and we report on a collaborative, interdisciplinary workshop and book project that is creating narratives of hope and visions for the future through inspiring art, short stories, and essays. We explore the surprising potential of ‘cli-fi,’ humor, games, and the research behind emotion and imagination-driven engagement. We describe methods that help people visualize their future well-being and we explore opportunities to spread those methods.
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Published In
Permafrost 2021: Merging Permafrost Science and Cold Regions Engineering
Pages: 94 - 104
Editor: Jon Zufelt, Ph.D., HDR Alaska
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8358-9
Copyright
© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Published online: Oct 21, 2021
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