Interdisciplinary Day
8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | Wednesday March 5, 2025 | Hubbell II
Interdisciplinary Day is meant to show how different academic subjects work together to help us learn and solve problems. By combining ideas from multiple fields, you can uncover new perspectives on social issues and become better at finding solutions.
2025 Keynote Speakers
Ramiro Crego, lecturer in zoology/animal ecology, University College Cork, Ireland
Ramiro Crego is an ecologist from Argentina. He obtained his PhD in 2017 from the University of North Texas, USA. He holds a lecturer position at University College Cork, Ireland, and he is a Research Associate at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Conservation Ecology Center, National Zoological Park, USA. Ramiro’s research interests are primarily in the fields of applied animal ecology and conservation biology. He addresses critical research questions by integrating a combination of animal observations, information acquired by satellites, and advanced modeling techniques, with a goal of helping managers make science-based decisions to promote sustainability and conservation of species.
Nora Ward, lecturer in philosophy, University of Galway, Ireland
Nora Ward is a lecturer in the philosophy department at the University of Galway. She received her BA and MA from the University of Galway and her Ph.D. from the University of North Texas. Her research focus is on environmental ethics and philosophy, with a particular interest in ecological attention, rewilding and ecofeminism.
Full schedule
View the complete Interdisciplinary Day lecture schedule below. Find descriptions keynote presentations following the schedule.
| Time | Presentation Title | Presenter |
| 8:30 a.m. | “Why We Need Interdisciplinary Studies at a Liberal Arts College” | John Pauley, professor of philosophy, Simpson College |
| 9 a.m. | “Breaking Down Barriers: Big Ecological Data and the Biodiversity Crisis” | Ramiro Crego, lecturer in zoology/animal ecology, University College Cork, Ireland |
| 10:30 a.m. | Casting a Light on the Invisible: Chemistry of Greenhouse Gases | Derek Lyons, professor of Cchemistry, Simpson College |
| Break | ||
| 1 p.m. | “The Real World Around Us”: Ecofeminism and Eel Ethics in the Work of Rachel Carson | Nora Ward, lecturer in philosophy, University of Galway, Ireland |
| 2:30 p.m. | “Breaking the Prairie: A Natural History of Iowa” | Daryl Sasser, professor of history, Simpson College |
| 3:30 p.m. | “Biological Design as a Strategy to Achieve Sustainable Solutions” | Aswati Subramanian, associate professor of biology, Simpson College |
| 4:30 p.m. | “Landscape Ecology, Context-Dependence, and the Push-Pull System: A Case Study in Agroecology” | Tim Luttermoser, assistant professor of biology and environmental science |
| 5:30 p.m. | Close | |
More on the Keynote Presentations
Breaking down barriers: big ecological data and the biodiversity crisis
Ramiro Crego, lecturer in zoology/animal ecology, University College Cork, Ireland
In this presentation, Crego explores how freely available satellite data, combined with biodiversity records collected by citizens and conservation NGOs, is playing a crucial role in addressing the biodiversity crisis. By leveraging open-source and free software, large-scale data analysis has become accessible not only to more researchers but also to individuals and communities worldwide, empowering them to generate the information necessary for informed conservation actions. The presentation highlights novel methodological frameworks used to access and analyze data that are actively contributing to saving species from extinction. Specific examples are provided to demonstrate how citizen-collected data is aiding this process. For the first time, people around the world have an unprecedented opportunity to directly contribute to data collection efforts that are helping to tackle the biodiversity crisis. Through the democratization of data and tools, this approach is breaking down traditional barriers and fostering a more collective, global effort to prevent species from disappearing.
“The Real World Around Us”: Ecofeminism and Eel Ethics in the Work of Rachel Carson
Nora Ward, lecturer in philosophy, University of Galway, Ireland
In this presentation, Ward explores Rachel Carson’s Under the Sea-Wind through the lens of contemporary ecofeminist thought. Rather than labeling Carson as an ecofeminist, the speaker examines her work as a source of insights that can deepen and develop the ecofeminist critique of anthropocentric models, which are built on reductionistic boundaries between humans and the natural world. These boundaries, the speaker argues, are part of a larger dualism that also connects to other forms of dualistic thinking. To illustrate this, Ward draws upon Carson’s narrative of an American eel migrating back to the Sargasso Sea, which serves as a creative example of what ecofeminist philosopher Val Plumwood calls the “intentional recognition stance”—a generous acknowledgment of the lives of other beings. Carson’s subjective and rich engagement with the fictional eel, Anguilla, challenges the human-nonhuman divide while also reckoning with the radical and sometimes incomprehensible difference that the eel represents. In conclusion, Ward considers how the ethical dimensions of Carson’s work—often overlooked in contemporary environmental and philosophical discussions—can inform responses to the biodiversity crises affecting less-visible species like eels, gulls, and other so-called non-charismatic animals.
Questions? Reach out!
John Pauley
- Department Chair of Philosophy
- Director of Interdisciplinary Studies
- Professor of Philosophy
