When
Where
Available in-person to watch via zoom in Harshbarger 110* or via zoom from your location -- In-person attendance is highly recommended!
*Speaker will be available by zoom only -- see email for link
Abstract
Most people do not learn about hydrology issues from researchers like those in the HAS Department. Instead, most rely on broadcast/digital meteorologists and social media science communicators to keep them informed about critical issues like flooding and droughts. But there is a shortage of graphics designed to help these communicators explain the physical science concepts behind these events. Maps and charts exist, but animated cross-sections showing what happens to water at and below the surface are missing. One of the greatest strengths of broadcast/digital meteorology is the combination of visual science communication tools with spoken explanations. Without the visual component, viewers are left wondering or potentially holding misconceptions about these important safety topics.
In 2021, a team from the University of Arizona, co-led by hydrologist Dr. Laura Condon and former TV meteorologist Sara Kobilka, teamed up with ABC15 Arizona Chief Meteorologist Amber Sullins as their first “client” to create a graphic explaining why flash floods are more likely to occur after severe wildfires. The team, called Water Whys, is part of the University of Arizona's Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program. The Water Whys team went on to create animations explaining how researchers know that the current drought in the U.S. Southwest is the most severe in 1,000 years (a collaboration with the Laboratory of Tree Ring Research), the drought's impact on Lake Mead, the source of the Colorado River's water, and the impact of heavy rain on dry soils.
In this session, Sara Kobilka will discuss the team’s design process. She’ll share lessons learned over 8 semesters spent developing graphics as part of a course for undergraduate and graduate students drawn from a variety of majors including hydrology, atmospheric science, journalism, and environmental science. There will also be a chance for attendees to practice communicating science visually (no advanced drawing skills required).
Bio
Sara Kobilka has co-led the Water Whys VIP with Dr. Laura Condon for the last 4 years. She owns Renaissance Woman Consulting and is a dedicated lifelong learner. As a Renaissance Woman, her interests cover a wider range of topics, fields and disciplines. She has a Bachelor of Journalism with a broadcast emphasis from the University of Missouri-Columbia, a Bachelor of Science in atmospheric and oceanic science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Master of Science in science education from Montana State University.
Sara specializes in STEM learning/engagement in informal and formal settings (from preschool to college and beyond) and science communication in TV/social media. At the University of Arizona, she previously worked for the Flandrau Science Center and the STEM Learning Center.
Sara’s multifaceted career path includes time as a TV meteorologist/reporter, leadership roles in multiple STEM-focused nonprofits and work in higher education institutions. Since starting Renaissance Woman Consulting in 2021, her clients have included internationally recognized organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Chemical Society (ACS), Mercy University Center for STEM Education, and the New York Academy of Sciences.
As an educator, scientist, journalist, and entrepreneur, she uses her experience to actively cross-pollinate impactful ideas across industries and disciplines and talks about this boundary spanning work on her podcast, “Connecting the Dots with The Renaissance People”. She does all this while being a busy mom/wife in the mid-Hudson Valley in New York where she is an avid gardener and cares deeply about environmental issues.