Domestic cats, whether owned or unowned, face risks when allowed outside. Similarly, they impose novel risks on native wildlife. This talk explores the risks to and from free-roaming cats, and how it is in the best interest of animal welfare advocates and conservationists to work together to keep cats indoors. Potential local solutions are discussed.

Despite claims of "dominion over the fish of the sea...and over every living thing..." (Genesis 1:26-27), the Christian faith is tasked with protecting ecosystems and their inhabitants. This talk explores references to animals in the Christian Bible and subsequent religious texts, and identifies ways to incorporate environmental stewardship into your faith. 

Cities conjure mental images of concrete, steel, and glass. But a surprising amount of plants and animals thrive in cities and contribute to the larger urban ecosystem. This talk explores how urban ecosystems differ from non-urban systems, the species that call the city "home," and actions you can take to help conserve wild spaces in your neighborhood.

Nothing kills an otherwise great manuscript like a lackluster figure. This talk is split between two sections. The first section is a lecture-style presentation covering topics such as types of charts, color theory, accessibility, and the basics of ggplot2 (a graphing package in R). The second section is a workshop in which participants create figures, troubleshoot as needed, and have the opportunity to receive feedback from others.