Join us on Thursday, Dec 12 from 6:30-7:30 for two fascinating lectures. Please continue reading below for more information and we look forward to welcoming Lopez’s own Fletcher Moore back to the island!
Fletcher Moore
Island Hopping: A Lopezian’s work with birds and forests across the pacific
Bio: Fletcher grew up on Lopez Island and was a graduating member of the 2014 class. He went on to receive his B.S. in Environmental Science and Wildlife Conservation at the University of Washington in 2019. With his academic background and diverse field experiences, Fletcher has pursued a career in wildlife biology and forest ecology, focusing on conservation ecology and public outreach. His work has spanned the Pacific, from Alaska to Hawaii, and most recently, the Mariana Islands. Currently, Fletcher is working towards a Master of Science Degree in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences at UW. His current work aims to understand how to regrow the disturbed forests of Tinian and the ways that forest restoration intersects with wildlife and cultural conservation.
Talk description: Growing up on Lopez, Fletcher gained a deep appreciation for the natural world and went on to pursue a career in conservation ecology at the University of Washington. Join Fletcher as he discusses his life path to becoming a conservation biologist and his experience working in unique, and remote field settings. He will share life working with migratory birds and sled dogs in the backcountry of Denali National Park as well as camping for months on the uninhabited island of Johnston Atoll where he studied tropical seabirds and invasive insects. Finally, he will discuss his current research in the Mariana Islands where he studies rare birds and plants and works to restore their unique habitats.
Dr. Kaeli Swift
Something to crow about: Exploring the deep connections of corvids and humans
Bio: Dr. Swift earned her PhD in avian behavioral ecology from the University of Washington. While there, she studied American crows, with a special emphasis on behaviors around death. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington, where her work has taken her to the remote Pacific island of Tinian. For the past four years, she has lived and worked on Tinian studying a small songbird endemic to this island, called the Tinian monarch. You can read her popular science articles on her blog, corvidresearch.blog. You can also find her on Instagram and TikTok at the @corvidresearch handle. Video, audio, and print reports of her research have been featured by: National Geographic, PBS, the New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Ologies podcast.
Talk description: Corvids are everywhere: they are found on nearly every continent and many species thrive in human dominated environments. They have influenced art and literature throughout history, and whether they inspire love or hate, they have certainly impacted the hearts and minds of the humans who share their space. But being “common” isn’t enough to earn this level of connection. So what is it about corvids that positions them to take such a prominent role in culture and story-telling traditions? And how does that relationship impact the birds themselves? Join Dr. Kaeli Swift as she explores the unique features of corvids that make them so appealing to watch and study, how they have influenced our cultures across time and space, and how human attention towards these birds has shaped their own ecology and culture.