"Scientists Serving Communities" was the focus of a recent workshop attended by a contingent from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The workshop, sponsored by the Climate Resilience Network, was held at the University of Maryland, College Park. Representing SMCM were Parisa Rinaldi, assistant professor of environmental studies; Caroline King, director of community outreach and engagement and Michael Wade ‘25, an environmental studies major.
The workshop provided a forum for community members, regional stakeholders and university/college researchers to engage in informal moderated discussions. Topics ranged from tidal flooding and sea level rise to communicating with policymakers and co-producing climate resilience projects with community partners. The workshop's goal was to catalyze collaborative efforts that move research science into applied science and result in on-the-ground projects that enhance communities’ resilience to climate change.
“It was so refreshing to participate in a space where science was clearly being driven by values of service, humility and collaboration,” said Rinaldi. “The open discussion format created an atmosphere that nurtured shared learning and allowed practitioners and academics to synergize interests. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with others interested in community-engaged pedagogy and research; it gave me many ideas for developing my own community-based learning course, ‘Coastal Community Resilience.’”
Wade added, “I had a great time learning from and connecting with Maryland scientists. The collaborative conference style was very neat to participate in, and I hope to attend similar events in the future.”
You can learn more about the Climate Resilience Network at https://climate.umd.edu/.
Faculty interested in working with community partners or developing community-based learning courses should contact the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at community@smcm.edu or Caroline King directly at clking@smcm.edu.
Photo: Wade, Rinaldi and King with Allison Burnett, executive director of Southern Maryland Resource Conservation & Development.
