The Mysterious Migrations of Cownose Rays
Tuesday, Sept. 19, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Matt Ogburn, SERC Fisheries Conservation Lab

Cownose rays are enigmatic, and sometimes controversial, summertime inhabitants of Chesapeake Bay. SERC’s Fisheries Conservation Lab has been tagging cownose rays and tracking their long-distance migrations since 2014. On Sept. 19 Dr. Matt Ogburn, head of the Fisheries Conservation Lab, will reveal some of the discoveries from this 9-year tracking effort. Their studies have uncovered the rays’ overwintering habitat, documented the different migration patterns of males and females, and revealed the environmental cues that help rays know when to start migrating. These findings are helping support conservation and management of this often misunderstood and overlooked stingray.

Shifting Sands: Archaeology and the Transformation of Southern Maryland
Tuesday, Aug. 15, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Jim Gibb, SERC Environmental Archaeology Lab

The landscape of southern Maryland bears little resemblance to what it was 300, 200 and even 100 years ago. Archaeology has uncovered the movement of soils and the creation of new hills and basins. Join Jim Gibb, head of the Smithsonian Environmental Archaeology Lab, for a journey across an ever-changing terrain. Starting at SERC’s historic 1735 Woodlawn House, he will narrate how a port town was buried in sediment, how garbage from Baltimore and Washington became a crucial resource for farmers, and how Eastern Europeans gradually came to reside on once-abandoned Maryland farms.

Virginia Working Landscapes: Connecting with Communities to Inform Research and Conservation
Tuesday, July 18, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Amy Johnson, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes (VWL) program aims to study and promote the conservation of native biodiversity and sustainable land management through research, education, and community engagement. In collaboration with other Smithsonian units, as well as landowners, producers, federal and state agencies, universities, and local NGO’s, VWL conducts applied research at the intersection of conservation, agriculture, and communities. In this presentation, Dr. Amy Johnson, a Conservation Biologist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and Director of their VWL program, will provide an overview of past and current research projects with case studies demonstrating how VWL is working with community partners to co-develop programs that bridge the gap between science and conservation implementation. Johnson’s current research focuses on identifying best practices to support nesting grassland birds, ecological responses to grassland restoration and management, and the human dimensions of conservation.

Breeding the Unbreedable: Assisted Reproduction in the Cheetah
Tuesday, June 20, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Adrienne Crosier, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The fastest land animal is quickly running out of time. As cheetah populations in the wild continue to decline, our zoo populations are becoming even more critical to the future of the species. In our June Earth Optimism webinar, learn about the difficulties of managing and reproducing these cats with Dr. Adrienne Crosier, a cheetah biologist with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Adrienne will also offer an inside look at some of the cutting-edge techniques scientists are using to improve genetics and cheetah cub reproduction in zoo facilities.

Plasticene Seas – What Life on Floating Plastic Means For Our Ocean
Tuesday, May 16, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Linsey Haram, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Millions of tons of plastic pollution enter the ocean each year. This global influx of plastic has devastating effects on marine life, including entanglement and plastic ingestion. In this talk, marine biologist Dr. Linsey Haram will reveal another unexpected consequence of rampant plastic pollution: the creation of artificial, floating habitat for coastal marine life in the open ocean. Dr. Haram will describe how her team studies life on these floating plastics in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (also known as the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch"), and the surprising results they’ve found to date. These discoveries raise many challenging questions about the future of our oceans in the context of the global plastic pollution crisis.

The Secret Societies of Ants
Tuesday, April 18, 7pm ET
Speaker: Sabrina Amador-Vargas, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Ant societies are fascinating examples of organization, but the coevolution of an ant society with a plant involved new task demands on the colony. In our April Earth Optimism Webinar, tropical biologist Sabrina Amador Vargas will take you inside the world of acacia ants and the acacia trees they depend on for survival. She’ll reveal how this mutualistic tree-insect relationship has shaped the behavior of acacia ants and the plant morphology. She’ll also highlight how these obligate relationships promote innovative behaviors in other organisms interacting with the ant-acacia mutualism.

Growing Climate-Resilient Gardens in the City
Tuesday, March 21, 7pm ET
Speaker: Holly Gallagher, National Wildlife Federation

Wildlife gardens attract and support important pollinators such as butterflies, birds, and bees. Pollination is essential to life on earth; most flowering plants, including fruits and vegetables, depend on pollinators to produce fruit and seeds, yet climate change is threatening the survival of many of these species. Join Holly Gallagher from National Wildlife Federation to learn what approach the non-profit organization has taken to growing climate-resilient, native plant gardens in urban environments and how to replicate that in your own backyard or community!

Saving the Darkness: How To Put A Dimmer on Light Pollution and Bring Back the Night Sky
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Kelsey Johnson, University of Virginia

How many stars can you see from your home? For many Americans, the answer is only a handful. Our ancestors once saw thousands. The growing flood of artificial light pollution, and disappearance of our night skies, are taking a toll on people and animals. But there are ways to combat it. Kelsey Johnson, University of Virginia astronomer and creator of the “Dark Skies, Bright Kids” program, has devoted her career to understanding the stars and preserving their beauty for future generations. In our February Earth Optimism lecture, she’ll reveal some of the surprising costs our 24-hour illumination takes on nature—and some surprisingly easy ways to fix it.

Mangroves and the Mangrove Finch in the Galápagos
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Candy Feller, SERC scientist emerita

Take a trip to the Galápagos Islands with mangrove ecologist Candy Feller, in the kickoff of our 2023 Earth Optimism webinars! Candy will introduce you to the mangrove finch, one of the famous “Darwin’s finches” that inspired the theory of evolution. Found only on the Galápagos, mangrove finches are on the verge of extinction, with only around 100 individuals left in the wild. In this talk, Candy will reveal the intricate connection between mangrove finches and the mangrove trees they call home. She’ll highlight how previously unknown interactions between the land and the sea on the Galápagos have created a unique environment that shaped the evolution of this endangered bird.

Robert Lee Forrest Capstone Webinar: Saving the Earth by Exploring the Stars
Tuesday, Oct. 18, 7pm ET
Speaker: Ellen Stofan, Ph.D., Smithsonian Under Secretary for Science and Research

In our finale Earth Optimism webinar of 2022, find out how going to space has helped improve live on Earth! Ellen Stofan will explore how satellite observations and other space technologies are transforming our view of Earth, and yielding new insights for keeping our home planet sustainable. Stofan is a planetary geologist who served as the first female director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and a former chief scientist for NASA. She now serves as the Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for Science and Research.

Bioluminescence to Invasions: The Fascinating World of Phytoplankton
"De la bioluminiscencia a las invasiones: el fascinante mundo del fitoplancton"
Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7pm ET
Speaker: Dr. Brenda María Soler Figueroa, Ph.D.

Bioluminescent bays and lagoons are rare ecosystems worldwide. But in Puerto Rico, you can often see this incredible spectacle. When the water gets agitated, thousands of microscopic phytoplankton produce a greenish-blue flash of light. On Sept. 20, join SERC marine ecologist Dr. Brenda María Soler Figueroa to hear about the importance of these unique ecosystems, and their current status in Puerto Rico, which she calls home. She’ll reveal how local communities are working to manage and protect the bioluminescent bays and lagoons on the island. She’ll also dive into her research at SERC, where her work with the center’s Marine Invasions Research Laboratory provides insights for reducing the introduction of potentially invasive phytoplankton. Este evento se traducirá al español! (This event will be translated into Spanish!)

Maryland's Native Bees: Where They Are, Why We Need Them
Tuesday, Aug. 16, 7pm ET
Speaker: Sam Droege, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, USGS

There are roughly 450 species of bees in Maryland. Their numbers and ranges are driven by their deep and often very specialized relationships with flowering plants. In this Earth Optimism webinar, biologist Sam Droege of the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center will decode some of the patterns to those relationships, and how they shape where, when and how abundant bees are in the wild. They will also share some of the latest discoveries about these critical pollinators, and offer suggestions for how you can support them in your backyard.

Bonus Lecture! Elevating Women in Science
"Aumentar la Participación de las Mujeres en la Ciencia"
Tuesday, July 26, 7pm ET
Speaker: Stephanie Stack, Pacific Whale Foundation

On the journey from student to scientist, there are pivotal moments where women stop pursuing STEM careers – a phenomenon that researchers have dubbed “the leaky pipeline.” Stephanie Stack, chief biologist with the Pacific Whale Foundation, has first-hand experience balancing motherhood with a fulltime career in science. In a special bonus lecture, she explains the barriers that exist to women progressing in their STEM careers and how we can work together to improve this situation. Este evento se traduce al español! (This event has Spanish translations!)

Hope for Humpbacks
Tuesday, July 19, 7pm ET
Speaker: Stephanie Stack, Pacific Whale Foundation

Humpback whales are a conservation success story, having largely recovered from the threat of commercial whaling. But they still need our help. In this webinar, biologist Stephanie Stack of the Pacific Whale Foundation will share tales from her 10 years of research on humpback whales. She will discuss the most urgent threats to whales today, why whales are critical for a healthy ocean, and the actions needed to protect these ocean giants.

Advancing Equity in Urban Greenspace
Tuesday, June 21, 7pm ET
Speaker: Atiya Wells, Backyard Basecamp

At our June Earth Optimism webinar, hear from Atiya Wells, founder of the nonprofit Backyard Basecamp in Baltimore City. Atiya will highlight the importance of equity in landscape design, creation and community cultivation. With their BLISS Meadows project, Backyard Basecamp has reclaimed 10 acres of vacant land in their neighborhood to be used for environmental education and community greenspace, and to help communities of color reconnect with nature.

Following African Mammals with the Movement of Life
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Speaker: Jared Stabach, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

For over 100 years, the Smithsonian has been a leader in wildlife tracking, using the latest technologies to better understand animal movement and conserve their populations. Today those efforts have come together under a single network: The Movement of Life Initiative. In our May Earth Optimism webinar, join wildlife ecologist Jared Stabach for a journey into the Smithsonian's animal tracking and conservation activities in Africa. He'll take you to Chad, where the Smithsonian and partners have been reintroducing scimitar-horned oryx, once extinct in the wild. He'll then move on to Kenya, where they're using artificial intelligence to more effectively count wildebeest and other large mammals in high resolution satellite and aerial imagery. Finally, Jared will pan out to reveal how giraffe populations are rebounding across the continent.

Changing the Future Landscape of a Watershed, One Policy at a Time
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Speaker: Matt Johnston, Environmental Policy Director for Anne Arundel County

The science has been clear for a long time: To protect streams—and the Chesapeake Bay—from pollution, it's imperative to reduce impervious surfaces like roads and parking lots. While science can define our problems and point us in the right direction, policy is a critical player in delivering solutions. On April 26, join us for a bonus Earth Optimism lecture with Matt Johnston, the director of environmental policy for Maryland's Anne Arundel County where the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center is based. He'll reveal several new policies Anne Arundel has pursued over the last few years to roll back the advancing impervious surfaces. Discover how one county is using science-based polices to create environmental success stories.