206: Does Anyone Care About Saving Fossil Creek? Learn How Your Writing Can Build Trust

Today we bring you another story told live on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in September 2024. This story is by Dr. Jane Marks. Her story is called Saving Fossil Creek. What's cool about this story is how expertly the narrator weaves the personal in with the science. THAT is how a narrator builds trust. It's how listeners understand how their actions impact the greater world. It's how we, as a society, will change our behaviors because the information becomes more than just statistics. The personal draws us in so we begin to trust one scientist at a time.

Three years ago, we were hired by Dr. Jane Marks and Dr. Bruce Hungate, two famous ecologists from ECOSS Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University. at Northern Arizona University. They heard our podcast and then started taking our classes which led to the idea that their students would benefit from taking our classes. So we’ve been doing online workshops and in-person workshops to help these scientists personalize their stories. The stories are amazing. I have learned so much about science through their stories in a way that brings me in. 

This is our second year collaborating with the The scientists are so smart and they are trying to save our planet and we get to help them reach more people by personalizing their message. 

Dr. Jane Marks, is a conservation ecologist and professor of Aquatic Ecology at Northern Arizona University (NAU). She was featured as the lead scientist in the PBS documentary, A River Reborn: The Restoration of Fossil Creek, narrated by actor Ted Danson and she co-produced the video documentary Parched: The Art of Water in the Southwest. For more Jane Marks, go to https://ecoss.nau.edu/team/jane-marks/. Also, check out her previous episodes: Episode 149: "How to Make Your Writing More Personal in any Field and Episode 167: "Even Though I'm Judging You, Don't Judge Me for Being a Chopper Mom.” 

You can also watch the recording of this show on YouTube. A transcript of this episode is available on our network site

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Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.

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There’s no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?