Artist Conversation: August 22nd, 6:30-8pm

Using a format developed by PlatteForum, this talk will allow youth to interview Eileen along with activists and experts who will bring cross-sector topics to the forefront such as environmentalism, racial equity, and mental health. The event will hold space for youth, artists, activists, and experts to have engaging and formative conversations about the present and futures of our communities and our world.

Joining Catie in her conversation will be Sarah Gonzalez Coffin (she/her). Sarah is a PhD Candidate at the University of Colorado Boulder, studying climate change decision-making and technology adoption. Originally from the mountains of Northern California, Sarah draws on her experiences as an Indigenous scientist (Chiricahua Apache) from a rural area to inform her research in environmental psychology. Before returning to graduate school to pursue her doctorate, Sarah researched the human dimensions of ocean conservation at the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife and Monterey Bay Aquarium, and worked as a data analyst in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her current research in decision-making and technology adoption examines how naturalness — or how “nature-like” sustainable solutions are perceived to be — can shape public endorsement of renewable energy, carbon dioxide removal methods, residential building upgrades, and alternative proteins. For her work, Sarah was awarded the Emerging Scholar Award (2023) from the Association for Psychological Science. Mentorship is a core value to Sarah, and she is currently mentoring undergraduate students with the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and the Environment, Decision, Judgment, and Identity (EDJI) laboratory at CU Boulder. While doing her PhD, she has helped match 56 undergraduate students with STEM research labs and received the Figueroa Family Foundation Award for her commitment to reducing barriers to research access on campus. Sarah encourages any interns who are interested in learning more about research or how to apply to graduate school to reach out.