A Hybrid Conference
Meeting Challenges, Facing the Future - Together!
Meeting Challenges, Facing the Future - Together!
Workshops
UMISC is excited to include three long-form workshops as part of our concurrent program this year. All workshops are included in the price of registration. However, attendees must register separately for the workshops to allow instructors a headcount. Register using the links below!
Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are Vital to Conservation Goals C. Parker McMullen Bushman, EcoInclusive Strategies, LLC Wednesday, November 4th, 10:20am - noon CST Register here! (free for UMISC registrants) Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have become buzzwords that have been placed strategically in organizational mandates, inspired the formation of DEI committees, and/or simply sparked critical dialogue around bias and organizational culture. But do we know what these words really mean and how do we put this work into action in the environmental field? In this workshop, session participants will grow to understand the relationship between culture and bias, learn about ways to incorporate DEI principles into our work, and the importance of creating welcoming spaces so that all people may become environmental stewards who will advocate for and protect our most precious public resources - our land, water, trees, open spaces and wildlife. Workshop objectives include: - A breakdown of DEI principles - Looking at changing demographics and implications for conservation work - Exploring definition of unconscious bias and the cognitive processes which enable it Bringing Divergent Views Together with Open Space Meetings
April Rust and Brian Stenquist, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Wednesday, November 4th, 1:30pm - 3:10pm CST UPDATE Nov. 1: We have close pre-registration, but UMISC attendees can access the workshop via the session page in EventMobi. It's part of the nature of Open Space meeting to be open! Open Space meetings are discussions where the participants create and manage their own agenda of concurrent working sessions around a central theme of strategic importance. This special session will introduce Open Space meetings by inviting attendees to experience a short virtual Open Space meeting first-hand. We will also share how the use of Open Space worked in Minnesota and describe the set of Open Space meetings hosted by the Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Committee in 2019. To gain deeper understanding of natural resource issues important to Minnesotans, we hosted three public events around the theme: What can we do to more effectively address the issues of promoting access to Minnesota's Lakes and Rivers, providing excellent recreational fishing, and stopping the spread of aquatic invasive species? Using an Open Space format, a combined 186 attendees set the meeting agendas, led group discussions, exchanged different perspectives, and recorded notes. Active conversations among local residents, lake associations, anglers, local governments, and other interested participants explored how communities can work together better to address shared concerns. Following the meetings, Both the DNR and the AIS Advisory Committee committed to reviewing the notes from each session and diving into the lessons learned. R Statistical Software for Invasive Species Applications
Matthew Russell, University of Minnesota Friday, November 6th, 10:30am - 12:10pm CST WORKSHOP FULL Invasive species professionals are increasingly using data in new and complex ways. This hands-on workshop will provide an introduction to R software and how it can be used to acquire, analyze, and visualize invasive species data. This workshop will encourage and empower professionals to better use data to make strategic decisions about invasive species. It will be especially valuable to graduate students who are at an early stage in their programs and professionals seeking to learn about the software and how it can be used in their work. Learning objectives include (1) being able to discuss key concepts in data analysis with application to invasive species data and (2) being able to use R to import, analyze, and visualize invasive species data. This workshop does not assume any prior experience with R. |