ESE Symposium to consider social media influence in environmental efforts

The Ecological Sciences and Engineering (ESE) Interdisciplinary Graduate Program will host its annual symposium April 6-8 via Zoom.

The ESE Symposium is a student-led event that exists to provide a forum for discussion of interdisciplinary environmental issues. The symposium offers graduate and undergraduate students as well as the surrounding community an opportunity to critically examine emerging environmental issues and interact with experts in various fields.

This year, the theme of the symposium is social media and its impact on the way environmental movements form, develop and spread while considering its role in the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Symposium events include an environmental organization panel, misinformation and disinformation panel, and a TikTok competition focused on education about environmental topics.

The program features a keynote address by Peter Neff, a glaciologist and climate scientist who shares science widely via TikTok, Instagram and Twitter. Neff is an assistant research professor at the University of Minnesota. He also is director of field research and data for the Center for Oldest Ice Exploration (COLDEX), a National Science Foundation science and technology center.

More information about the events, speakers, and registration can be found on the ESE Symposium website.