Resources That Inspired and Influenced Us
Christine Lawson:
An admittedly unconventional resource that inspires my work would be Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus series. Although she is a fictional character, her flair for the dramatic and obvious love of science drew me to the series as a child and I’ve been happily exploring the scientific world ever since. “The Frizz” constantly reminds me to step out of my comfort zone and to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!
Ben Jett:
The world is too interesting to narrow it down, but I am often inspired to dig deeper into stories by blackpast.org, NPR’s Throughline, and 99% Invisible podcast. Stories unfold perpetually as does our understanding of our world history, and ourselves—looking again and changing vantages is part of interpreting newly or more completely.
Donn Paul Werling, PhD:
I was first inspired by the professional interpreters from Purdue University who led a 4-H Conservation Camp at Indiana Dunes State Park, as well as the dunes themselves. But also Gib Mouser and Julian Smith, working in outdoor education at Michigan State University, who led me to Bill Stapp, working in environmental education at the University of Michigan. At present, I’m deeply inspired by the work of Richard Rohr at the Center for Action and Contemplation.
Kyle Bagnall:
The essay “Observation of Nature,” by John Burroughs, appeared in the July 1887 edition of The Chautauquan. His words are joyful and inspiring, flowery, rambling, and infused with unbridled passion. I dare anyone to read it and not run outside to seek vital communication with all living things. He wrote, “you must have the bird in your heart before you can find it in the bush, and when you once have it in your heart, the finding of it in the bush is but a secondary matter.”
Kevin Philip Williams:
I am consistently blown away by the dynamic world building of the Meow Wolf art collective in their interactive museums. The vibe that they create through immersive storytelling is a great reminder of the power of experiential understanding.
Erin Rowekamp:
I recently was inspired by the book The Secret Lives of Bats by Merlin Tuttle and of course by his bat conservation work. I find his philosophy on the power of “winning friends, not battles” inspiring. In his bat conservation efforts, he doesn’t shame people for their feelings toward bats, try to convince people that they are wrong, or fight people that catch and kill bats. Instead, Tuttle recognized early in his career that getting into arguments accomplishes nothing. Instead, there is power in listening to and understanding the roots of people’s concerns and fears, then sharing the benefits of bats and his own experiences. I think this is a powerful lesson when it comes to engaging with those who have differing opinions from our own.
