Thursday Night Nature: Introduction to Phenology, Citizen Science and Nature’s Notebook with Samantha Brewer (August 15, 2024)

As the seasons progress, we observe changes in the natural world. Phenology is the study of the patterns of these seasonal changes. Derived from the Greek word meaning “to show or make appear,” Phenology studies the first observance each year, be it the emergence of the leaves in the spring, the return of the migratory birds or when our amphibians lay their eggs. We will discuss the study and applications of phenology, how phenology data is collected and what you can do to help researchers learn more about how climate change affects the natural life cycles in the United States.

Samantha Brewer is the volunteer engagement coordinator for the USA-National Phenology Network. She has earned her master’s degree in biology from Northern Arizona University and has been an environmental educator for over 12 years. She coordinates with local phenology leaders to strengthen their programs and assist in volunteer recruitment and retention strategies. She also works to identify communities that are underrepresented in the scientific field and offers guidance for them to develop their own local phenology programs that fit the needs of their organizations and produce quality data. Brewer leads the local phenology leader certification course and supports the local phenology leader community of practice.

Program Fee: $15 (Members, enter your code at checkout to receive your 20% discount.)

All lectures will be held virtually using Zoom. They will be recorded and shared with everyone who registers for a short time.