Dragonfly’s eleventh Diversity Cafe features Kayla Cranston. Dr. Kayla Cranston is Director of Co-design Science and Innovation at Antioch University New England where she leads environmental professionals and surrounding communities through co-design processes to collaboratively create conservation programming with the humans who will be impacted by that programming the most. She designs and implements science-based strategies to increase long-term engagement in conservation programming with an eye for inclusive evaluation practices to promote a sustainable relationship between a diverse population of humans and nature. Visit www.kaylacranston.com for more on the framework Dr. Cranston created to integrate the science of human behavior into the development of capacity for biodiversity conservation.

A growing number of environmental professionals are realizing that equitable and meaningful engagement of local community members in the development of programming is essential for catalyzing the durable, long-term action needed to conserve biodiversity. Many who attempt to co-design programs with (not for) communities find that choosing the most effective strategies to accomplish this task is crucial and can oftentimes feel daunting. In this webinar, we will identify 5 psychological principles professionals can use as guideposts and describe how participatory research strategies have been effectively implemented by organizations to engage their surrounding communities in the co-design of locally relevant conservation programming. 

• “ Co-Designing Conservation With (not for) Communities ”
• Thursday, October 27, 2022 7:30-8:30 p.m. ET
• Note: This talk may be recorded.

This Dragonfly Diversity Cafe is part of a developing series of virtual talks focusing on international conservation, urban and rural ecology, inquiry-based education, nature connections, and other relevant topics. Our Diversity Cafes aim to elevate marginalized perspectives on diversity, equality, and inclusion-related topics in an environmental and conservation setting. The invited speakers explore topical ideas, research, and experience in the first half of the Cafe hour. In the latter half, the Cafe will open up for discussion and audience participation to engage with the speaker(s) and their ideas.

Register for this Dragonfly Cafe here!