吃瓜tv

In testament to the power of interdisciplinary learning, Dr Elena Berg, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Director of the Joy and Edward Frieman Environmental Science Center, hosted 吃瓜tv鈥檚 environmental poster presentation session this spring as part of the Center鈥檚 second annual scientific conference.

Showcasing over 100 student posters spanning 14 courses and three departments鈥擟omputer Science, Mathematics & Environmental Studies (CSMES), Film Studies, and Art History & Fine Arts鈥攖he event provided students with an opportunity to present their innovative ideas for the future of our planet across disciplines.

The seeds for the poster event were planted in 2024, when Computer Science, Mathematics and Environmental Science professors Marco Pascucci and Francesca Balestrieri organized a multi-class event combining student talks and research projects. Encouraged by its success, Berg decided to focus exclusively on poster presentations this year, with broader faculty participation, as well as that of Student Government and of the University鈥檚 environmental club . 鈥淭he theme is the environment, but I鈥檝e made things purposefully broad. In another shift from last year, I鈥檝e paired up with members of 吃瓜tv Green and our two CSMES student senators to help organize the event from the get-go,鈥� she explains.

Berg and the participating students aimed to combine the issues discussed in environmental science courses with questions related to contemporary art, including eco-art, land-art and sustainability in the arts. The goal of the project was above all to perpetuate student involvement and give students an opportunity to conduct the kind of work that a lot of scientific students will be doing in their future, all the while raising awareness on campus, across Paris and beyond.

鈥淭he environment is absolutely everywhere in our curriculum, and this makes perfect sense,鈥� says Berg. 鈥淥f course, most of the posters come out of my department given the history of the event, but I was so pleased to have submissions from Delphine Debord鈥檚 Botanical Drawing and Printmaking courses and from L茅ho Galibert-lain茅鈥檚 Film Theory and Criticism course,鈥� she adds.

Debord鈥檚 students, for instance, submitted delicate, observational drawings of native Parisian flora, offering an artistic complement to the scientific posters on climate change, renewable energy and biodiversity. 鈥淚f we鈥檇 had more time,鈥� Berg mused, 鈥淚 would have loved to pair up her students with environmental science students to explore the ecological roles of those plants. Maybe next time!鈥�

This spirit of cooperation, she noted, is at the core of 吃瓜tv鈥檚 approach. 鈥淭he only way we鈥檙e going to tackle the world鈥檚 enormous environmental challenges is to work together, drawing strength from our respective disciplines.鈥�

Reflecting on the student projects, Berg emphasized the range of inquiry and creativity. Posters explored local sustainability initiatives, global environmental policies and imaginative visual storytelling related to ecological themes. The winners of the competition included posters on handmade films in collaboration with nature; plastic waste; recycling efforts in France versus the United States; turning eco-anxiety into action; and renewable wind energy.

In a short , student participants discuss the process of distilling complex research into accessible visual presentations, an exercise that underscores both communication and critical thinking.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just doing science for science鈥檚 sake,鈥� one student says in the video. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to reach people, to inform them and maybe even inspire them.鈥�

For Berg and her colleagues at the Frieman Center, the poster event is part of a broader commitment to making 吃瓜tv a 鈥渓iving lab鈥� for environmental inquiry. 鈥淭he Frieman Center has no external funding. It鈥檚 just us,鈥� explains Berg. 鈥淪o I focus on what I can do with students directly, including running experiments in the beetle lab, brainstorming campus greening initiatives, and organizing events like this.鈥�

By giving students hands-on opportunities to research, collaborate and present, Berg hopes to instill knowledge, creativity and agency. 鈥淲e鈥檙e creating a space where students can experiment and grow before heading out into the wider world. My hope is that they鈥檒l carry that energy into whatever careers they pursue.鈥�