ecoliteracy.org

Sustainability Education: Connecting Art, Science, and Design

August 16 2010

Berkeley, CA

Sorry, this seminar is now sold out.

While a brilliant inventor and designer himself, Leonardo always thought that nature's ingenuity was vastly superior to human design. He felt that we would be wise to respect nature and learn from her. It is an attitude that has reemerged today in the practice of ecological design.
— Fritjof Capra

August 16-18, 2010: How can we help students understand nature? And how can understanding nature help us design more sustainable societies?

This three-day seminar examines these vital questions at the intersection of art, science, and design. It's no accident that many great scientists have been artists. Art and science are powerful, complementary means of visualizing and communicating an understanding of nature.

The seminar will explore a range of approaches and techniques for improving science education by using art and for combining art and science to help students better express their relationship with the natural world.

Some of today's most exciting advances in design are grounded in recognizing nature as model and mentor. Seminar participants will explore design as a form of critical thinking as well as expression and creativity and investigate strategies for applying bio-inspired design to student projects.

The seminar will be led by a distinguished faculty of educators, artists, and staff from leading institutions, including the Center for Ecoliteracy, California Academy of Sciences, de Young Museum, Biomimicry Institute, and River of Words. They will engage participants in hands-on experiences using the arts to deepen understanding of the natural world.

The seminar will be offered at the David Brower Center, Berkeley's stunning new home for environmental and social activism.

It will be held August 16–18, 2010. Breakfast and lunch will be served on all three days. Art supplies and materials will also be provided.

Scholarships: A limited number of $400 scholarships are available to educators working in public schools located in low-income or underserved communities, especially in the Bay Area. If you would like to apply, please email seminars@ecoliteracy.org.

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Fee:$450

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About the Faculty

Ane Carla Rovetta

Ane Carla Rovetta is a multifaceted artist, trained as a zoologist, who combines art and natural history in lively presentations throughout the West. She has produced art for six full books and numerous publications. Her art has been displayed at Coyote Point Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua, and many other venues in California.

Carolie Sly

Carolie Sly, Ph.D., education program director of the Center for Ecoliteracy, founded ReGeneration, a high school for at-risk youth, and taught at San Francisco State University and public schools in Davis and Napa, California. She has coauthored several books, including the award-winning California State Environmental Education Guide and the Center's Big Ideas: Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment. She also coauthored CEL's discussion guide for the Oscar-nominated film Food, Inc.

Fritjof Capra

Fritjof Capra, Ph.D., is cofounder of the Center for Ecoliteracy and chair of the board of directors. His internationally acclaimed books include The Tao of Physics, The Turning Point, The Web of Life, The Hidden Connections, and The Science of Leonardo. He serves on the faculty of Schumacher College and lectures widely to lay and professional audiences around the world.

Helena Carmena

Helena Carmena is manager of teacher services at the California Academy of Sciences. A former K-8 science teacher in San Francisco, she is active in curriculum development for K-12 students and delivers numerous educational programs to children and adults at the Academy. Her most recent project addresses art, science, and literacy integration in collaboration with the de Young Fine Arts Museum and San Francisco Unified School District.

Karen Brown

Karen Brown, creative director of the Center for Ecoliteracy, is an award-winning designer whose primary area of creative interest is communicating with general audiences on issues of ecological literacy, education, and re-localization. Her work has been included in the Smithsonian Institution and Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and featured in The New York Times, Architectural Digest, and NBC's Today Show.

Louise Cadwell

Louise Cadwell, Ph.D., is cofounder of Cadwell Collaborative: Sustainability Education and School Design. She is a researcher whose work has focused on children's development through the arts and language. Her fellowship in the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy and many years as a studio teacher have inspired her work as an educator, artist, and writer. Louise is the author of Bringing Reggio Emilia Home.

Pamela Michael

Pamela Michael, executive director and cofounder of River of Words, is a writer and communications specialist. The former director of the United Nations' Task Force on Media and Education, she is the author of several books, including The Whole World is Watching: An International Inquiry into Media Involvement in Education and The Gift of Rivers: True Stories of Life on the Water. Pamela also hosts a travel show on public radio in the SF Bay Area.

Sarah Soule

Sarah Soule, teacher and student services educator at the California Academy of Sciences, has been teaching science to every age group in museum and zoo settings for six years. Her experience also includes evaluation and educational research, with a focus on evaluating methods of teaching science process skills. In her current position at Cal Academy, she provides resources, activities, and professional development opportunities for science teachers.

Tom McKeag

Tom McKeag is president and founder of BioDreamMachine, an educational nonprofit dedicated to bringing bio-inspired design education to K-12 schools. A licensed landscape architect and town planner, he teaches bio-inspired design at the University of California, Berkeley; the California College of the Arts in San Francisco; and the State of California's Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program in the Dixie school district, Marin County, California. He also serves on the Biomimicry Institute's Educational Advisory Board.

Sustainability Education: Connecting Art, Science, and Design

Sustainability Education: Connecting Art, Science, and Design

Fee:$450

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