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Human Behavior

How to get through coronavirus and climate change grief – The Mercury News

Even before the brutal murder of George Floyd unleashed global unrest and a demand for social justice, many Americans were feeling overwhelmed, anxious and full of grief.

The coronavirus pandemic shut down everything we knew as normal and quickly transformed a health crisis into an economic one. Weve lost loved ones, jobs, the rituals of life, a sense of security.

For Rene Lertzman, how weve been reacting to it was both expected and unexpected.

Its been fascinating to watch people waking up to the way that our lives, what we take to be normal day-to-day life, in reality is actually made up of all kinds of relationships and phenomena, says Lertzman, of San Anselmo. I remember that moment when the schools started to be closed and all of a sudden people realized that were many children who relied on school lunches and then another thing and another, and all of a sudden the web, the incredibly complex systems that were embedded in living, suddenly became very visible and suddenly became very real.

As a globally recognized psychologist and strategist who researches the intersection of human experience, climate and the environment, Lertzman spends a lot of time thinking about those webs and system-level collapse and change.

Getting through the pandemic at the same time that we are experiencing climate change is presenting us with two unprecedented challenges a need to explore how we got here and what kind of humans were going to be as we move forward.

It is, she admits, a cognitive leap.

Were going through a profoundly traumatic collective experience. When theres a trauma response, it is very hard to think systemically, it is hard to think in a more expansive way. Were contracted, were just trying to cope, to survive. A lot of cognitive energy is simply going into processing day-to-day life and that in itself is taking a tremendous toll, she says.

But one thing we need to recognize is that the pandemic isnt something that just happened to us its directly related to human choices, which have also contributed to climate change. We have helped to create this moment.

These things are being experienced as separate, but theyre not. Nothing is truly separate in the world. Were embedded in highly complex systems that are interrelated and mutually influencing all the time, says Lertzman, who helps companies and organizations shape their climate and sustainability initiatives. Its directly related to human encroachment on wildlife and its exactly the kind of thing that has happened and will continue to happen as human development grows and our interface with wildlife mingles. But its hard for people to go there. Its kind of a cognitive leap for people because were feeling so traumatized.

Thankfully, we dont have to experience it alone. In fact, she says, we shouldnt. That only compounds our sense of being alone in our fears for the future. But we all have them, especially now.

Instead, she says, we should be talking about it with others openly, without judgment, shame, blame or guilt. Admitting were scared, overwhelmed, angry and feeling powerlessness. Acknowledging all our losses.

Talking is what got Lertzman through her own existential crisis in 1986 after her college environmental science professor laid out a horrific gloom-and-doom view of what was ahead famines, flooding, mass extinctions, all because of human consumption.

She got really depressed. But when she went on a backpacking trip that summer as part of a environmental philosophy and religion course with 11 other people, and they started sharing their fears and anxiety about the future, she felt better. What she experienced is whats known as the talking cure, a psychological term rooted in the ideas of Freud that says talking about things that are making people anxious and depressed can help them put it in perspective.

That has driven her work ever since. And it can lead people to action, she says.

Psychoanalytic work is one of our greatest untapped resources when it comes to meeting our environmental crisis more effectively, she writes in her 2015 academic book, Environmental Melancholia: Psychoanalytic Dimensions of Engagement. This is because we must understand on the deepest levels possible the workings of human behavior, including unconscious processes such as denial, projection, splitting, disavowal and apathy.

Just as there is denial about climate change, there is also denial around the coronavirus, which is why some people are refusing to wear masks or practice social distancing. Perhaps not surprisingly, those who dont believe in climate change are also not playing along with the pandemic rules.

Its a style of refuting whats real and a profound distrust of authority and science, which comes directly out of people feeling fearful, people feeling vulnerable, feeling aggrieved, lonely, left out, says Lertzman, who helped create the Climate Psychology Alliance, a group for professionals and others interested in the intersection of psychology and climate change.

But shaming, dismissing or ostracizing people who feel that way is not the way to alleviate their fears and get them to do what science says is the right thing, she says.

Its natural to feel sad and angry but I think its really important for us to always remember that underneath the sort of irrational, destructive behavior is a lot of pain, she says. Try to tune into that, to be curious if at all possible, which is really hard when the stakes are high. Its hard to meet that with curiosity and compassion, but I dont see any other way around it. It doesnt mean condoning it, it doesnt mean fighting it, but it does mean coming from that spirit of, wow, whats going on in their lives that would lead them to behave in this way and is there anything I can do to address that?

Curiosity and compassion come in handy no matter whom youre discussing the pandemic and climate change with. Just please do discuss it, Lertzman says.

Starting with asking questions. How are you? How are you doing? What is life like for you right now? What are you scared about? What are you feeling excited about? Coming from a place of, Im curious about you. I want to know what your experience is, she says.

At a time like this, when everything has been shaken up, people who have been working on climate change for a number of years feel like, this is our moment, this is our time to finally make profound changes in our lives and the world because theres such a level of disruption. Its a trauma and an opportunity.

Just like we dont have to experience the pain were feeling from the pandemic by ourselves, we can look to people in Marin who have experience with trauma and learn from them, she says.

This is the time to dig into those resources and leverage them, so that we can recognize what it is to navigate trauma with resilience and capacity and compassion, she says. There are resources in our community, leading people in the world who have spiritual practice, who have trauma practice, who have spent a lot of time understanding human consciousness and the mind. All those things we think are so Marin, well, now we need that happening, grounded in real life and connecting the dots with inequity, privilege and elitism.

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How to get through coronavirus and climate change grief - The Mercury News

Human Behavior

Despite Recommendations, Genetic Testing Rare Among Those With Autism – Disability Scoop

Researchers say that very few people with autism are undergoing the genetic testing they should. (Dreamstime/TNS)

It is widely recommended that individuals with autism receive a battery of genetic tests, but new research finds strikingly few people on the spectrum partaking.

Just 3 percent of those with autism have received both chromosomal microarray and fragile X testing, according to findings from a study published recently in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Medical Genetics and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry all recommend both assessments in order to determine more precisely what might underlie an individuals symptoms and point to treatment options, the researchers said.

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The study looked at medical records and self-reported information from 1,280 people with autism ranging in age from 1 to 68 between 2013 and 2019. More than 16 percent of the participants said they had received some variety of genetic testing, with 13 percent having undergone fragile X testing and 4.5 percent receiving chromosomal microarray testing. But, the researchers found that only a small number of people were taking both of the recommended tests.

I had the impression that the frequency of recommended genetic testing was not going to be very high based on the patients I encounter clinically, but 3 percent is actually lower than I thought it would be, said Daniel Moreno De Luca, an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University who worked on the paper.

The study found that genetic testing is more common for those diagnosed in recent years. Among individuals diagnosed with autism between 2010 and 2014, nearly 10 percent said they had received chromosomal microarray testing, which is a more modern offering. But, adults with autism were unlikely to have had any genetic testing.

Researchers behind the study said their findings highlight a disconnect between research and professional recommendations and whats happening in clinical practice.

This paper is really about how you implement clinical genetic tests in the clinical diagnostic setting, said Eric Morrow, an associate professor of biology at Brown and an author of the study. There is rapid progress from research, and then theres the doctor and health systems that need to translate that to clinical practice.

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Despite Recommendations, Genetic Testing Rare Among Those With Autism - Disability Scoop

Human Behavior

KEEPING THE FAITH: What can be said about the virus’ origin? – Wicked Local Stoughton

For more than three months now we have been inundated with information on the corona virus. Its universal presence and its punishing effects, even unto death, is enough to lead one to ask the sobering question, Oh, God, Why?

Let me suggest that God does not take pleasure in pouring out his eternal wrath on his creation, especially humankind. There are numerous texts within our scriptures which confirm this. That the Jews were the first to hear the word of God and their continued state of being chosen reflects Gods desire for his people from the earliest days. Likewise, there are numerous texts within the New Testament which further confirm this continued reality of Gods elect. To choose one among many instances from the New Testament, I think, for example of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Lets not overlook the providence of God as likewise expressed in the Quran.

It is important to accept the reality that God did not will the present global virus upon us as some sort of His punishing wrath. Such a conclusion is simply contrary to Gods will and his universal love for each and every one of us. It might be helpful to know that while the eternal will of God is the salvation of all, His permissive will does allow for the negative consequence of human behavior, expressed in the use of ones free will. God is never the cause of sin; we, however, are. Thus, while Gods permissive will allow sin to occur, it opposes His eternal will. The origin of the coronavirus is natural, not supernatural. As Jesus wept for Lazarus, so we might say that today he weeps with and for us.

In attempting to make some sense of the cause of this pandemic, Pope Francis suggests that the current coronavirus is a revenge of nature. With regards the current ecological crisis, he believes we have failed in our responsibility to be faithful guardians and proper stewards of the earth. Moving the whole notion of the coronavirus away from the divine wrath of God, Francis suggests that the global pandemic might be one of natures responses to the man-made climate crisis. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Pope Francis calls for a global ecological conversion.

Whether the Pope is right or wrong, the consequences of this pandemic cries out for universal prayer and that response begins with each one of us. The healing power of prayer simply cannot be left out of the universal hope we must retain as we go forward filled with confidence.

Rev. Damian MacPherson, SA, is the spiritual leader of the Chapel of Our Savior in Brockton. He can be reached at damiana3134@gmail.com.

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KEEPING THE FAITH: What can be said about the virus' origin? - Wicked Local Stoughton

Human Behavior

Oxytocin study may help treat a variety of psychiatric conditions – News-Medical.Net

During the pandemic lockdown, as couples have been forced to spend days and weeks in one another's company, some have found their love renewed while others are on their way to divorce court.

Oxytocin, a peptide produced in the brain, is complicated in that way: a neuromodulator, it may bring hearts together or it can help induce aggression.

That conclusion arises from unique research led by Weizmann Institute of Science researchers in which mice living in semi-natural conditions had their oxytocin-producing brain cells manipulated in a highly precise manner.

The findings, which were published in Neuron, could shed new light on efforts to use oxytocin to treat a variety of psychiatric conditions, from social anxiety and autism to schizophrenia.

Much of what we know about the actions of neuromodulators like oxytocin comes from behavioral studies of lab animals in standard lab conditions.

These conditions are strictly controlled and artificial, in part so that researchers can limit the number of variables affecting behavior.

But a number of recent studies suggest that the actions of a mouse in a semi-natural environment can teach us much more about natural behavior, especially when we intend to apply those findings to humans.

Prof. Alon Chen's group in the Institute's Department of Neurobiology have created an experimental setup that enables them to observe mice in something approaching their natural living conditions an environment enriched with stimuli they can explore and their activity is monitored day and night with cameras and analyzed computationally.

The present study, which has been ongoing for eight years, was led by research students Sergey Anpilov and Noa Eren and staff scientist Dr. Yair Shemesh in Prof. Chen's lab.

The innovation in this experiment was to incorporate optogenetics a method that enables researchers to turn specific brain neurons on or off using light.

To create an optogenetic setup that would enable the team to study naturally behaving mice, the group developed a compact, lightweight, wireless device with which the scientists could activate nerve cells by remote control.

With the help of optogenetics expert Prof. Ofer Yizhar of the same department, the group introduced a protein he'd previously developed into the oxytocin-producing brain cells in the mice.

When light from the wireless device touched those neurons, they became more sensitized to input from the other brain cells in their network.

"Our first goal," says Anpilov, "was to reach that 'sweet spot' of experimental setups in which we track behavior in a natural environment, without relinquishing the ability to ask pointed scientific questions about brain functions."

Dr. Shemesh adds that "the classical experimental setup is not only lacking in stimuli, the measurements tend to span mere minutes, while we had the capacity to track social dynamics in a group over the course of days."

Delving into the role of oxytocin was sort of a test drive for the experimental system. It had been believed that this hormone mediates pro-social behavior, but findings have been conflicting.

Some scientists have proposed another hypothesis, termed "social salience," stating that oxytocin might be involved in amplifying the perception of diverse social cues, which could then result in pro-social or antagonistic behaviors, depending on such factors as individual character and the environment.

To test the social salience hypothesis, the team used mice in which they could gently activate the oxytocin-producing cells in the hypothalamus, after first placing them in the enriched, semi-natural lab environments. For comparison, they repeated the experiment with mice placed in the standard, sterile lab setups.

In the semi-natural environment, the oxytocin-boosted mice at first displayed heightened interest in one another, but this was soon accompanied by a rise in aggressive behavior. In contrast, increasing oxytocin production in the mice in classical lab conditions resulted in reduced aggression.

In an all-male, natural social setting, we would expect to see belligerent behavior as they compete for territory or food. That is, the social conditions are conducive to competition and aggression. In the standard lab setup, a different social situation leads to a different effect for the oxytocin."

Sergey Anpilov, Research Student, Weizmann Institute of Science

If the "love hormone" is more likely a "social hormone," what does that mean for its pharmaceutical applications? "Oxytocin is involved, as previous experiments have shown, in such social behaviors as making eye contact or feelings of closeness," says Eren,

"but our work shows it does not improve sociability across the board. Its effects depend on both context and personality." This implies that if oxytocin is to be used therapeutically, a much more nuanced view is needed in research:

"If we want to understand the complexities of behavior, we need to study behavior in a complex environment. Only then can we begin to translate our findings to human behavior," she says.

Source:

Journal reference:

Anpilov, S., et al. (2020) Wireless Optogenetic Stimulation of Oxytocin Neurons in a Semi-natural Setup Dynamically Elevates Both Pro-social and Agonistic Behaviors. Neuron. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2020.05.028.

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Oxytocin study may help treat a variety of psychiatric conditions - News-Medical.Net

Human Behavior

What Does the Love Hormone Do? Its Complicated – Newswise

Newswise During the pandemic lockdown, as couples have been forced to spend days and weeks in one anothers company, some have found their love renewed while others are on their way to divorce court. Oxytocin, a peptide produced in the brain, is complicated in that way: a neuromodulator, it may bring hearts together or it can help induce aggression. That conclusion arises from unique research led by Weizmann Institute of Science researchers in which mice living in semi-natural conditions had their oxytocin-producing brain cells manipulated in a highly precise manner. The findings, which were published in Neuron, could shed new light on efforts to use oxytocin to treat a variety of psychiatric conditions, from social anxiety and autism to schizophrenia.

Much of what we know about the actions of neuromodulators like oxytocin comes from behavioral studies of lab animals in standard lab conditions. These conditions are strictly controlled and artificial, in part so that researchers can limit the number of variables affecting behavior. But a number of recent studies suggest that the actions of a mouse in a semi-natural environment can teach us much more about natural behavior, especially when we intend to apply those findings to humans.

Prof. Alon Chens group in the Institutes Department of Neurobiology have created an experimental setup that enables them to observe mice in something approaching their natural living conditions an environment enriched with stimuli they can explore and their activity is monitored day and night with cameras and analyzed computationally. The present study, which has been ongoing for eight years, was led by research students Sergey Anpilov and Noa Eren and staff scientist Dr. Yair Shemesh in Prof. Chens lab.

The innovation in this experiment was to incorporate optogenetics a method that enables researchers to turn specific brain neurons on or off using light. To create an optogenetic setup that would enable the team to study naturally behaving mice, the group developed a compact, lightweight, wireless device with which the scientists could activate nerve cells by remote control. With the help of optogenetics expert Prof. Ofer Yizhar of the same department, the group introduced a protein hed previously developed into the oxytocin-producing brain cells in the mice. When light from the wireless device touched those neurons, they became more sensitized to input from the other brain cells in their network.

Our first goal, says Anpilov, was to reach that sweet spot of experimental setups in which we track behavior in a natural environment, without relinquishing the ability to ask pointed scientific questions about brain functions.

Dr. Shemesh adds that the classical experimental setup is not only lacking in stimuli, the measurements tend to span mere minutes, while we had the capacity to track social dynamics in a group over the course of days.

Delving into the role of oxytocin was sort of a test drive for the experimental system. It had been believed that this hormone mediates pro-social behavior, but findings have been conflicting. Some scientists have proposed another hypothesis, termed social salience, stating that oxytocin might be involved in amplifying the perception of diverse social cues, which could then result in pro-social or antagonistic behaviors, depending on such factors as individual character and the environment.

To test the social salience hypothesis, the team used mice in which they could gently activate the oxytocin-producing cells in the hypothalamus, after first placing them in the enriched, semi-natural lab environments. For comparison, they repeated the experiment with mice placed in the standard, sterile lab setups.

In the semi-natural environment, the oxytocin-boosted mice at first displayed heightened interest in one another, but this was soon accompanied by a rise in aggressive behavior. In contrast, increasing oxytocin production in the mice in classical lab conditions resulted in reduced aggression. In an all-male, natural social setting, we would expect to see belligerent behavior as they compete for territory or food, says Anpilov. That is, the social conditions are conducive to competition and aggression. In the standard lab setup, a different social situation leads to a different effect for the oxytocin.

If the love hormone is more likely a social hormone, what does that mean for its pharmaceutical applications? Oxytocin is involved, as previous experiments have shown, in such social behaviors as making eye contact or feelings of closeness, says Eren, but our work shows it does not improve sociability across the board. Its effects depend on both context and personality. This implies that if oxytocin is to be used therapeutically, a much more nuanced view is needed in research: If we want to understand the complexities of behavior, we need to study behavior in a complex environment. Only then can we begin to translate our findings to human behavior, she says.

Participating in this research were scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry in Munich, including research students Asaf Benjamin and Stoyo Karamihalev; staff scientist Dr. Julien Dine and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Oren Forkosh of the Chen lab; Prof. Shlomo Wagner and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Hala Harony-Nicolas of Haifa University; Prof. Inga Neumann and research student Vinicius Oliveira of Regensburg University, Germany; and electrical engineer Avi Dagan.

Prof. Alon Chens research is supported by the Ruhman Family Laboratory for Research in the Neurobiology of Stress; the Perlman Family Foundation, Founded by Louis L. and Anita M. Perlman; the Fondation Adelis; Bruno Licht; and Sonia T. Marschak. Prof. Chen is the incumbent of the Vera and John Schwartz Professorial Chair in Neurobiology.

Prof. Ofer Yizhars research is supported by the Ilse Katz Institute for Material Sciences and Magnetic Resonance Research; the Adelis Brain Research Award; and the Paul and Lucie Schwartz, Georges and Vera Gersen Laboratory.

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the worlds top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. The Institutes 3,800-strong scientific community engages in research addressing crucial problems in medicine and health, energy, technology, agriculture, and the environment. Outstanding young scientists from around the world pursue advanced degrees at the Weizmann Institutes Feinberg Graduate School. The discoveries and theories of Weizmann Institute scientists have had a major impact on the wider scientific community, as well as on the quality of life of millions of people worldwide.

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What Does the Love Hormone Do? Its Complicated - Newswise

Human Behavior

Speed limits to increase on state highways and interstates in Arkansas – THV11.com KTHV

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Speed limit increases are coming to some Arkansas highways and interstates this summer.

Last week, the Arkansas State Highway Commission approved increasing the speed limit from 70 to 75 miles per hour on rural interstates. The speed limit on urban interstates will increase from 60 to 65 miles per hour.

The speed limit does not change until the sign changes, ArDOT spokesperson Randy Ort said. We will not even begin the process of putting up new speed limit signs until July 1, that's per the legislation that was passed in 2019. Once we begin that in early July it's probably going to take a few months to get all the speed limit signs changed.

In 2017, the state legislature authorized ARDOT to begin raising speed limits on certain routes.

Ort said the highway commission put a lot of thought into whether speed limits should increase.

"From an engineering standpoint the highways can handle it," he said. "But from a human behavior standpoint, we can't legislate that, so we're going to watch this very carefully. If we do see a spike in serious crashes, serious injury crashes, or fatalities we have the authority to go back in and do a study and lower those speed limits again."

The change of speed limit signs and implementing the project will cost about $350,000.

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Speed limits to increase on state highways and interstates in Arkansas - THV11.com KTHV

Human Behavior

Two WCSU Professors Recognized for Teaching Passion, Dedication to Students – HamletHub

Two Western Connecticut State University professors from different disciplines have been recognized for a singular trait they share: a passion for working with students.

Dr. Neeta Connally, associate professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences, was recognized with the system-wide research award by the Board of Regents of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, of which WCSU is a part. The BOR also cited Connally with a WCSU campus research award.

Dr. Howell Williams, assistant professor of Social Sciences, was recognized by the BOR with the campus Teaching Award for WCSU.

Connally, a medical entomologist who teaches and oversees the Tickborne Disease Prevention Laboratory at WCSU, is known for her work studying blacklegged ticks, which can carry multiple disease-causing agents including the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. For the past 10 years she has spent her summers monitoring tick populations and conducting studies to better understand backyard risk for tick-borne diseases. Her studies frequently include a human behavior component, enrolling household members who live in high-tick areas of the region.

Connallys research team includes undergraduate students who learn how to collect and identify ticks, how to properly handle scientific data, and how large-scale research studies work.

Hopefully the students get a true experience of what research is really like, Connally said. In our case they may find its not glamourous or that data doesnt come to you beautifully set out and ready for analysis. Sometimes collecting quality data involves sweating in the sun or risking mosquito bites or poison ivy. She said some students realize research is not for them, while others are surprised at how excited they become about being part of the research process. Ive had students realize that you dont have to go to medical or nursing school to do work that can improve human health. Every student has something to offer our work. Every year they learn to work together as a great team, each contributing their own strengths. Each summer I think they cant get any better, and they always find a way to exceed my expectations. Im so proud of what they can accomplish, and they should be, too.

Connallys research is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Environmental Protection Agency. She and students also collaborate on Lyme disease prevention projects with the Ridgefield Health Department, the Nuvance Health hospital network, Yale Emerging Infections Program, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the TickEncounter Resource Center at the University of Rhode Island.

Dr. Patrice Boily, chair of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, lauded Connallys work with students.

I can attest that her research accomplishments are not only remarkable, but also significantly enhance the educational experience of our undergraduates by providing meaningful hands-on research opportunities, Boily said in a letter nominating Connally for the BOR award.

Williams is a political scientist who teaches on a range of topics, including American government, political institutions, political theory, and gender and sexuality politics.

His classes often use role-playing games to introduce students to historical events such as the Constitutional Convention and Supreme Court rulings.

Williams also brings in experts to discuss current events. He collaborated with the office of Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton for a course about local public administration, which allowed students to visit local government offices and get hands-on experience with the workings of city governance. He has also invited State Representatives, members of local media organizations, and sitting members of the U.S. Congress to meet students and discuss their role in Americas governing institutions.

In a spring course that Williams taught with History Professor Dr. Leslie Lindenauer, students examined what life was like for workers in the hatting industry in the early 20th century.

You can use role-playing and hearing from todays decision-makers to help students learn concepts like separation of powers and checks and balances in U.S. government, Williams said. I love research, but I was really inspired by the great teachers I had growing up. Teaching was what made me get a Ph.D.

Social Sciences Professor Dr. Averell Manes wrote in support of Williams nomination that heis the kind of scholar that you most want to see in the classroom. He involves students by using a broad range of techniques: writings in class on questions, videos, a broad range of readings, in-depth discussions, and a variety of interesting assignments.

The awards both campus-based and system-wide recognize faculty for excellence in teaching or research. The awards are given to adjunct faculty members and assistant and associate professors in tenure-track or tenured positions who have distinguished themselves as outstanding teachers, promote instructional improvements for their departments, and are doing exceptional research, scholarly, and/or creative work.

For more information, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

*photo credit WCSU/Peggy Stewart

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Two WCSU Professors Recognized for Teaching Passion, Dedication to Students - HamletHub

Human Behavior

The Importance of Black Birders Week and Its Lasting Impact – NC State News

Editors note: This is a guest piece written by Deja Perkins and Lauren Pharr, masters students in Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology in NCStates College of Natural Resources.

Deja Perkins: Black Birders Week was instrumental in highlighting not only Black birders but also Black outdoor enthusiasts, naturalists and conservationists. I was a part of a group of 20 young STEM professionals who decided enough was enough. We chose to use the incident that occurred to Christian Cooper to highlight the fact that racism is also present within science and the environmental field.

Many of us realized that what happened to Christian could have happened to any of us, whether we are working in rural or urban areas. It was important to the group that we not only highlight the fact that Black people exist in outdoor spaces, but also highlight our experiences in the outdoors and create discussion around the incident and how to move forward into the future to make the outdoors less hostile and more inviting space for people of color, specifically Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).

I have been extremely excited about the amount of people who participated in Black Birders Week and the change that it has sparked in many organizations.

#BecauseofBlackBirdersWeek, Black people have seen themselves represented in the outdoors, many individuals were able to connect and now have a broader network for support, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology posted 2 beginner birder courses for FREE, the National Wildlife Federation created internships/fellowships specifically for Black biologists, and many other wonderful opportunities and partnerships have been blossoming after the Black Birders Week social media event.

Perkins: I am happy to be a part of the team that helped spark change in the outdoor community and to have cultivated the livestream event which had over 104k views in each session. The amount of positive feedback from the weeks events was heartwarming, and I think it really brought people together.

It not only highlighted the struggle of Black people in outdoor settings and our struggle with racism in America, but also shined some positivity in an otherwise dark time. Due to this event, I was able to find a network of individuals who look like me and enjoy the outdoors. I was shocked to find out how many Black people were also birders, since prior to this event I only knew six other Black birders and only two were in my same state. Its encouraging to know that I am not alone, and reaffirms that I do belong in this field.

More importantly, this week provided visibility for those already in the space and representation for those considering joining the environmental field.

The visibility provided the larger organizations and institutions the opportunity to see that racism exists everywhere, even in science, academia, and the outdoors. It challenged those with power to not only speak up and support their employees or consumers who are Black, but also take an active role in being anti-racist and make changes within their institutions to support BIPOC and make the workplace and outdoors less hostile.

Lauren Pharr: Being a participant in the daily challenges and events, for me, Black Birders Week has hit one of two things: 1) bringing attention and awareness to Black birders about their experiences outdoors and in recreational areas while 2) showcasing not only Black people in the fields of wildlife biology, ecology, natural resources, etc., but other minorities in these fields as well.

Until this week when I heard the numerous stories and testimonies from the co-organizers of Black Birders Week and BlackAFInStem about conducting their fieldwork or birding while Black, I was oblivious to what could happen to people of color in recreational areas or how we may be perceived.

Right now, you may be wondering, But Lauren, you are a person of color? Growing up I have always been around a diverse race of people and friends, from elementary school straight through undergrad. I was aware of the issues about white supremacy and Blacks being underrepresented all my life, however, I was never really truly exposed to the real and countless issues of Black in STEM or minorities in STEM until I came to NCState University. Again, I sincerely thank Black Birders Week for truly opening my eyes. When you hear about others experiences, thats when it all becomes a reality. Now, I am more aware.

Perkins: I first got into natural resources as a part of a program called Fishin Buddies as a teen in Chicago. I always loved animals, but I had no idea that there were agencies that managed wildlife and their habitat or that I could have a career doing just that.

I originally went to Tuskegee University to start on the path to become a veterinarian, which is often the only animal-related career introduced to POC, but I shortly realized that natural resources was the path for me. I realized I was much more interested in how people impact the environment and the many issues arising from the intersection of natural resources and race.

After interning at a wildlife refuge in Minnesota and experiencing a small taste of spring migration, my eyes were opened to the world of birds. I decided to try to pursue every opportunity to make birds my focal species. Now I am studying how birds are impacted by human culture in cities (socio-ecological systems).

In the spring I conduct 10-minute surveys recording all birds I can ID by sight and sound. In the fall/winter I use GIS to map where birds are reported with eBird and systematic surveys to see if there are gaps in where birds are being reported in the city due to volunteer bias.

Aside from bird watching for my project, birding is also a way for me to de-stress from academia. I find joy in following a bird with my binoculars and observing its behavior. Birds are present in cities year-round. Its interesting to observe the changes in bird diversity not only through the seasons but also as cities change.

I hope to continue studying how human behavior impacts birds in cities as well as how to make nature in cities more sustainable, and equitable, in a way that benefits both people and wildlife.

Pharr: My uncle was your average birder. Just the enjoyment of birding in his own backyard brought him joy and peace. In my younger days, I would call him on the phone while I pulled out my field guide and would flip through it; whatever page I decided to stop at I would ask him if he had seen that particular bird in his yard that day. This was a joy for me as it was for him, and I would have never thought in a million years that today I would be such a bird fanatic.

Growing up, my goal was to become a vet. Sure I would see TV Shows like Animal Planet or the Crocodile Hunter, but I never thought that those types of experiences with wild animals could ever be a reality. It wasnt until I attended Wingate University in Undergrad that I would find my true passion for research, wildlife, and birds.

I have to credit my two undergraduate research advisors: Dr. Alison Brown, who taught me the true passion and joy in conducting research, and Dr. Edward Mills, who introduced me to ornithology as well as many other aspects of wildlife biology through the courses that he taught. I gained research experience and the opportunity to work with various species of animals including Sheep and Chinese Blue-breasted Quail. I also got the experience of presenting my work publicly at professional science conferences.

After undergrad, I made it a goal of mine to pursue my masters in the wildlife biology field. Now I am here at NCState University pursuing my Masters in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. I made it my objective to continue my passion for ornithological research in order to broaden and strengthen my knowledge in the field.

Under my research advisor Dr. Caren Cooper and partnering with Neighborhood Nestwatch out of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, I am currently researching the effects of urbanization on avian morphology to see whether urbanization has led to specific changes across an urbanization gradient, over years, or throughout species in the Washington-Maryland area.

From my time so far at NCState, I have gained tons of new research experiences and passions: learning how to mist net and band songbirds as well as diving deep into science communication. Upon completing my masters, I plan on pursuing my Ph.D. in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. My long-term goal is to one day obtain a position with either the US Fish and Wildlife Service or the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission.

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The Importance of Black Birders Week and Its Lasting Impact - NC State News

Human Behavior

Tech and Education Move Fashion Forward in the Wake of COVID-19 Sourcing Journal – Sourcing Journal

If it wasnt already apparent prior to the coronavirus pandemic that advances in fashion, retail and the modern workforce including artificial intelligence (AI), immersive technologies, automation and data science were essential to business operations, it is certainly evident today. COVID-19 is disrupting work as we know it today, but technology has been disrupting the job market for quite a while now.

To understand what that means for the trajectory of fashion career paths, Rebecca Cenni-Leventhal, CEO of Atrium, a talent acquisition and workforce solutions firm, is collaborating with curriculum expert and interim dean of Parsons School of Fashion, Jason Kass, and Whitney Cathcart, co-founder of body data platform, 3DLOOK. Together, they broached several questions not only to learn each others unique perspective, but also understand the challenges each of their respective networks face today.

Q1: As the fashion industry continues to evolve, what are the most significant changes you are seeing when it comes to a career in fashion?

Rebecca Cenni-Leventhal: The shift that has resulted from COVID-19 not only impacts how fashion and retail businesses are modernizing to safely reopen and integrate the digital and physical aspects of stores, but also what new roles are emerging and what talent exists or can be developed to meet these new demands. Coming from a talent-driven market where employers were competing for top candidates, the landscape has completely shifted. While there are many new job seekers today, they do not necessarily have the tech expertise that fashion and retail companies are depending upon to revolutionize their brands. Skill development and education are more important than ever.

Whitney Cathcart: At a high level, a successful career in fashion today will require both left brain and right brain thinking. This doesnt mean that everyone needs a degree in computer science or engineering, but certainly having some knowledge of and training in important areas such as AI, 3D, and data science will make a candidate more valuable over one with a more traditional background. As AI seeps into every area of our lives, there is an amazing opportunity to understand how a career in fashion will benefit from this technology and its subsets. Id ask yourself, with so many incredibly talented people out of jobs, what makes you stand out? A traditional fashion education wont be enough in the future, not even for the most talented.

Q2: Based on all that is changing within the fashion industry, what trends are best addressed through new educational programming, degrees and certifications?

Jason Kass: Its encouraging to see that the fashion industry is acknowledging some of its problems and taking steps to change. At Parsons School of Fashion, we approach the urgent need for sustainability and access within the industry as structural issues that can only be tackled by acknowledging and undoing the systems and policies that keep things as they are. We take our role and responsibility as an institution of higher education very seriously and understand that we too need to recognize and address what we must do to better ourselves.

The good news is that digital technologies and data science have the potential to help shape a better future. I say potential, because they are only tools and how we use them and to whose benefit will make all of the difference. Artificial intelligence, machine learning (ML), automation and data science are all areas that students are engaging with, especially within our marketing and management programs that have core courses dedicated to technology and innovation. We tend not to approach our curriculum development in terms of trends but rather based on what skills and knowledge students will need to both succeed and initiate positive change within the industry.

Q3: What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in fashion within the next 5-10 years?

Whitney Cathcart: As a 30-year veteran of the fashion industry, I have seen incredible changes and both extreme highs and lows in manufacturing and retail as consumer trends and habits have evolved over the decades. I can tell you firsthand how vital it is to be open not just to learning, but also learning how to think differently. I think people who go on to have amazing careers are willing to be uncomfortable and to be open to learning. Curiosity is always a trait I have looked to in hiring. As we leap into this new decade, which was already going to be incredibly disruptive for the fashion and retail industry, COVID-19 is already functioning as an accelerant. This means that your thinking needs to change to keep up and to allow you to find those pockets of opportunity. Disruption to traditional business models will produce new types of businesses and platforms and consumer behaviors. This is an opportunity! Leaning into this inevitable change means leaning into research and learning to upskill yourself digitally.

Q4: Jason, weve been talking a lot about data science, but how can Behavioral Science be leveraged for a successful career in fashion?

Jason Kass: As I suggested earlier, digital technology and data are tools that can be used in different ways and to different ends. Data without analysis means very little, and analysis without an understanding of aspects of human behavior based in psychology, sociology, and anthropology, for example, likewise provides limited insights. To that end, knowledge gleaned from the behavioral sciences positions graduates to make better, human-centered choices and contributions. The fashion industry can absorb a limited number of new designers every year but there are so many roles within the fashion industry that are equally as important as design and for which a firm and scientifically grounded understanding of human behavior is beneficial. Our fashion students have the advantage of access to courses across The New School and regularly investigate fashion and the industry through a behavioral lens and via fields as diverse as philosophy and political science. Understanding of data science and behavioral scienceand ideally a combination of bothwill position graduates to confront issues of the present and what lies ahead.

Q5: What steps can those who are currently working within the fashion industry take to remain competitive in the future talent market?

Rebecca Cenni-Leventhal: The new job landscape is still shifting as we prepare for less seasonal collections, fashion shows and events. The swing that has resulted from COVID-19 not only impacts the new roles that are emerging as a result, but also the availability of talent to meet the new demands. Its clear that technology, data and analytics play a key role in the evolution of fashion careers. However, its important to not lose sight of the soft skills that are unique to individual talents. Communication, persuasion and creative thinking are invaluable attributes that keep people as an essential component of this digital transformation.

Whitney Cathcart: Over the last few months I have had so many fashion designers reach out to me and ask me for advice. The one consistent piece I give them is to learn 3D design and understand how 3D will play into consumer experience over the next decade. The opportunities to express oneself and be creative are going to be fueled by immersive computing and the businesses that are built on top of these technologies. I believe these technologies will create some of the most engaging and personalized experiences for consumers that we have seen in this century. This goes back to my previous comment about left-side and right-side thinking. I have never believed that technology takes away from creativity, but rather propels it.

Jason Kass: The industry should be investing in and cultivating growth in their employees at all levels. It is beneficial to everyone involved for companies to offer training and education, and it should be viewed as a mark of success if an individual feels ready to move on to a new opportunity, taking with them what they learned. This is especially true when it comes to digital technology and data science, and I think that the brands and companies who will thrive moving forward will recognize the advantage of a more supportive environment that nourishes individuals and sets them up for continued success.

The convergence of three unique perspectives demonstrates the value of continually balancing experience with education. Remaining relevant in an ever-evolving market depends on adaptability and the ability to consistently develop and learn new things. Whether furthering your career or beginning your journey, you can harness your full potential by growing, innovating, and honing your experience now is the time to do so.

Atrium is a collaborative partner dedicated to addressing tomorrows workforce challenges. Atrium Works innovates contingent workforce programs.Atrium Staffing provides recruitment solutions. When it comes to finding and retaining talent, Atrium has the resources your business needs to succeed. WBENC-certified and honored by the Womens Presidents Organization as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies in North America, Atrium is recognized as a champion of supplier diversity and tops the lists of 2019 North America Staffing 100, Inc. 5000 and Diversity Business as a leader of Women, Diversity and Privately Held organizations. The firms devotion to people is demonstrated by recent recognition as Crains New York Business as one of 2019sBest Places to Work, Clearly Rated 2020sBest of Staffingand SIAs 2020Best Staffing Firm to Work For.

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Tech and Education Move Fashion Forward in the Wake of COVID-19 Sourcing Journal - Sourcing Journal

Human Behavior

Rules and Responsibilities for Safely Reopening Offices – Motley Fool

Greg Hilton feels a lot of responsibility as he prepares the coworking operation he cofounded in 2014 in Columbia, South Carolina, to officially reopen since it was shut down by COVID-19 in March.

In fact, Hilton would say SOCO was never really shut down. He and his team have actively stayed in touch with their 170 members through Zoom (NASDAQ: ZM) calls and other forms of digital networking and are now moving tables, putting in partitions, and ensuring other protocols are in place for the expected reopening later this month.

His approach? "Go slow, be measured, and remember that we have an obligation to support each other's work lives, but we have to do it by helping everyone stay as safe as possible. That balance of work and safety is what we seek as we follow the official guidance."

Personal responsibility toward other people will be a key to any successful reopening and to staying open while a life-threatening virus still circulates.

Corporate trainer and author Joseph Grenny touches on that in a May 20 piece in the Harvard Business Review titled "5 Tips for Safely Reopening Your Office."

"As debate rages about restarting economies," Grenny writes, "one critical element is absent from discussion. The predictor of our success or failure will have less to do with when businesses open their doors and more to do with how often people open their mouths."

Grenny doesn't mean literal open mouths, although open mouths are known spreaders of the coronavirus.

Instead, he says, "Decades of research suggest that the heart of a high-reliability culture is immediate peer accountability." In other words: See something, say something.

After all, while Hilton and millions of other office managers can mandate mask-wearing and hand-washing, it's up to the occupants to follow the rules. But there certainly are things that can be done to make the work environment as safe as human behavior will allow during a pandemic.

There are scores of resources for office-reopening protocols for property and office managers. Two good places to start are NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC.

The CDC regularly updates its exhaustive list of best practices and recommendations on this landing page: Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes

And the NAIOP last week released a report titled: Navigating a Safe Return to Work: Best Practices for U.S. Office Building Owners and Tenants.

Here's a short list of protocols culled from those two sources that will be necessary for a successful reopening:

A big caveat on that point is this from the NAIOP guidance:

"Owners may also consider screening tenants and visitors for fevers, but they should be aware that they could potentially expose themselves to additional legal liability by doing so. Federal, state and local guidelines on screening for coronavirus symptoms focus on employers, not landlords."

"Screening tenants and visitors could create a legal 'duty to care' that would not exist without the screening. Owners could expose themselves to added liability should they fail to deny an infected individual entry to a building."

Instead, the trade group says, restrict nonessential visitors from entering the building, and encourage tenants to conduct their own screenings.

Ultimately, even with all those protocols in place, it comes down to people watching out for themselves and each other.

As Grenny writes in the Harvard Business Review article: "The only way to create and sustain change is to have 200% accountability: Employees must understand that they are not simply responsible to follow safe practices themselves (the first 100%), they are also responsible to ensure everyone around them does as well (the second 100%)."

That article also recommends holding a COVID-19 "boot camp" to orient staff to the new realities and expectations, work to make the new protocols habit for everyone through repetition, make daily rounds to ensure best practices are being followed, provide leadership through example, and finally engage in some "moral messaging."

"Make the moral case for changing behavior by telling stories of affected friends, family, or clients to bring the risks of noncompliance to life," Grenny writes.

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Rules and Responsibilities for Safely Reopening Offices - Motley Fool