Why do we do this work?

What are the driving forces behind the enthusiasm of early-career environmental science professionals? Join us virtually on Tuesday, October 1st from 12:00pm – 1:30pm for our 2024 Acadia National Park Science Symposium opening event! Gain insight from our early-career science professionals as they share their inspirations in a series of 5-minute lightning talks.

Hosted by Schoodic Institute and the National Park Service, the Acadia National Park Science Symposium provides a forum to learn about science taking place in the region and to interact and build collaborations with scientists, educators, students, park staff, and others working in a range of fields. You can learn more about the science symposium here.

The theme of this year’s symposium is 25 Years of Impactful Research in Acadia National Park. The symposium will highlight some of the most influential science, science communication, and education that has happened in Acadia National Park since the start of the Research Learning Center (RLC) 25 years ago. In 2000, the National Park Service began working with community members to create an RLC on the campus of the former Navy Base in Winter Harbor. The goal of Schoodic Institute (Acadia’s Research Learning Center) is to help grow science in national parks and better connect science with management, education, and communication. Since the establishment of Schoodic Institute, the amount of annual research in the park has increased more than threefold. This year’s science symposium will highlight some of the most influential examples of research, education, and communication that has happened over that time.