Announcing Schoodic Institute’s 2025 Summer Lecture Series
Join us this season for our Summer Lecture Series at Schoodic Institute! Beginning in June, we will be offering monthly public lectures – all free and open to the public (registration is required). All public lectures will take place at Moore Auditorium on the Schoodic Institute campus in Winter Harbor, with a Zoom option as well. These lectures will be recorded and made available on our YouTube channel.
June 10: What “Maine Won’t Wait” Looks Like in Action feat. Ivan Fernandez, Ph.D (Professor Emeritus, Climate Research Scientist, and Director of the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange), Maggie Kelly-Boyd (Natural Resources Climate Policy Advisor with the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future), and Parker Gassett, Ph.D (Assistant Director of the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange). During the series opening event, you will hear about Maine’s updated 2024 climate action plan, which builds upon the award-winning 2020 “Maine Won’t Wait” climate action plan, addressing climate change impacts, building resilience, and meeting statutory emission reduction targets. More information and registration here.
July 8: No Time to Wait: Science Organizations as the New Adaptation Leaders feat. Doug Parsons (Director of America Adapts Media and host of America Adapts – The Climate Change Podcast). In this talk, Doug Parsons will explore how research institutions can lead the way in bridging the gap between science, policy, and public understanding. With real-world examples and insights from his global storytelling, Doug will highlight why now is the time for science organizations to step up, ensuring that adaptation becomes a central focus in the climate conversation. More information and registration here.
August 19: Be a Climate Muskox: Fighting Defeatism with Ice Age Resilience feat. Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (Professor of Paleoecology and the Director of the BEAST Lab at the University of Maine). In this hopeful talk, Dr. Jacquelyn Gill traces the evolution of the climate conversation—from early warnings to the emotional turning point of 2018, when public discourse began to shift toward anxiety and even doom. But what if we looked to the past to guide our response to an uncertain future? Enter the muskox: a shaggy Ice Age survivor and powerful symbol of collective, justice-driven resilience. We’ll explore why being a climate muskox can help us transition from grief and despair to action, from the world-saving impact of the Montreal Protocol to recent climate victories led by youth in the courts. More information and registration here.
September 9: Don’t Fence Us In: New Ideas to Protect Acadia’s Forests feat. Chris Nadeau, Ph.D (Schoodic Institute’s Climate Change Adaptation Scientist), Lauren Gibson (Friends of Acadia’s Wild Acadia Coordinator), Jesse Wheeler (Acadia National Park’s Vegetation Program Manager), and Lauren Knierim (Acadia National Park’s 2025 Climate Community Volunteer Ambassador). From the tiniest seedling bursting through the moss covered floors, to the chorus of birds at the tops of the tallest trees, the forests of Acadia National Park are some of the healthiest in the eastern United States. But, their exceptional health is no accident. A team of forest managers, scientists, and local communities have worked diligently for decades to reduce the negative impacts of invasive species. During the series closing event, you’ll hear four encouraging stories of the ever-evolving strategies to manage invasive species in Acadia’s forests, and learn how you too can contribute to these efforts. More information and registration here.
Did you know? Schoodic Institute is the expert in leading the response to rapid change facing parks, people, and the planet. By participating in events at Schoodic Institute, you are contributing to our mission of inspiring science, learning, and community for a changing world and helping to support vital ecosystem research and education for all ages.
Our Summer Lecture Series events are free, thanks to support from our generous sponsor, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust.
