PCC 2022 Winter Welcome: Together Again
After two years, the PCC Winter Welcome finally made its in-person return on March 1st, 2022! In fact, this was the first large-scale in-person event for many community members in years, hopefully signifying the beginning of a trend towards the revitalization of face-to-face interactions as we continue working to overcome the crisis posed by COVID-19. With around 70 climate-minded scientists, educators, students, and staff in attendance from across the UW and beyond joining us in the Fisheries Sciences Building, the PCC community truly came together to celebrate everything the PCC and its members have achieved during the past year. We have welcomed so many new faces, made incredible accomplishments at every level, and most importantly of all, persevered in spite of the immense adversity facing us all, which is truly worth celebrating.
It has been amazing to see the brilliant things members of the PCC have done this year. In an amazing feat considering the circumstances, 6 students earned Graduate Certificates in Climate Science in 2021:
- James Lee (SMEA): Communicating the Benefits of Novel Restoration Techniques to Promote Climate Change Literacy and Action
- Amanda Arnold (SMEA), Katie Byrnes (SMEA), & Lizzy Matteri (SMEA): Ocean Acidification in Nearshore Ecosystems Curriculum
- Amy Olsen (SMEA): Lightning Talks: Sea Otters!
- Kathyrn Bland (SMEA): Linking climate change to harmful algal blooms and the Dungeness crab fishery through an interactive webpage
The PCC Graduate Steering Committee (P-GraSC) has continued to head a diverse array of projects, including the Actionable Community-Oriented Research eNgagement (ACORN) Program, which has worked to address climate and energy related community priorities while expanding student networks, training opportunities and experiences. Work done by P-GraSC has also paved the way for undergraduate opportunities to flourish, through the establishment of an Undergraduate Cohort focused on giving climate-minded undergrads the opportunity to connect with each other, learn more about how to get involved with current climate science, and grow as leaders in the world of climate science.
The Climate Justice Workshop, a program co-sponsored by the PCC, POE, and COE and led by Dr. Heather Price (North Seattle College) and Dr. Alex Turner (ATM S), has seen ongoing success in providing a space for faculty to focus on integrating climate and environmental justice into their courses with interactive, results-driven training happening across the previous two Winter Quarters.
As per tradition, new postdocs were given the stage next for speedtalks, and we were treated to excellent presentations by 4 postdocs introducing themselves and their research:
- Hannah Warren (CICOES)
- Nils Hutter (ATM S)
- Michalea King (APL, Polar Science Center)
- Monica Sheffer (BIOL)
Meanwhile, we have welcomed several significant people into the PCC community, including Maya Tolstoy, incoming Maggie Walker Dean of the UW College of the Environment, Professor Brad Lipovsky (ESS), and Dr. Zackery Thill (CIG). Notably, Dr. LuAnne Thompson was announced as Interim Director for 2022-2023. Additionally, 6 PCC Fellows were announced this year, Matt Hendrickson, Katherine Leigh, Amy Liu, Rachel Liu, Ben Sullender, and Chris Wright. Countless other members joined the PCC this year, and we want to welcome each and every one of you! It has been so fulfilling to see so many people come together in the name of advancing climate science, and we hope to continue advancing this goal for the foreseeable future as an interdisciplinary community of passionate climate-scientists.
After hours of socializing, eating, and bonding, only one thing remained to be resolved: the theme of the 2022 Summer Institute. In a dramatic reveal, “Pathways to Net Zero (Science and Policy)” was announced as the theme, and there is truly no better time for such a topic, given how crucial it is for these pathways to be secured in the very near future. We are truly facing a dire moment in the fight for a sustainable future, and every second counts in securing a livable, equitable world for future generations. The accomplishments and initiatives made by the PCC community this year will be instrumental towards this end, but they are by no means the limit of our potential. As we move forward into a new year, and perhaps a new era of the PCC, continued innovation, connection, and progress will be made, and we are ecstatic that you all will be able to join us on this journey.
Written by Isaac Olson