Woods Hole Research Center and Highfield Hall Partner for Exhibition

original paintings done by Zhigansk student.

Original paintings done by Zhigansk student to appear in art exhibition.

From September 4 to October 31, the Woods Hole Research Center and Highfield Hall will be partners in an exhibition of artwork done by schoolchildren in a remote Siberian village that showcases the impact of climate change on that area as well as the importance of environmental stewardship.

The artwork was given to Max Holmes, an associate scientist at the Center, as a result of a research and educational collaboration he has developed in Zhigansk, Siberia, a small community along the banks of the Lena River. There, students have become key partners in a scientific research initiative exploring the impacts of climate change on the Arctic. Now known as the Student Partners Project, the program was begun in 2002, when a 13-year-old girl named Anya, the daughter of a boat captain, just happened to be along for a research expedition along the Lena that included Max Holmes, an earth system scientist with the Woods Hole Research Center. Dr. Holmes noticed her interest in the scientific sampling work, and communicating through a little English, a little Russian, and a lot of hand signals, she quickly mastered the basic sampling protocols.

Anya’s participation quickly grew to include fellow students and teachers at her school in Zhigansk, and in other communities throughout the Arctic. This initiative, funded by the National Science Foundation, is not only advancing scientific understanding of a part of the world already experiencing climate change, but is also creating the next generation of scientists and scientifically-literate citizens.

The exhibition will showcase original paintings done by Zhigansk fifth through tenth graders. The artwork depicts the children’s environment and their perceptions of the environmental changes going on around them. The collection, which demonstrates a remarkable skill level and an awareness of their world, gives a glimpse of a remote world many know very little about. Complementing the student drawings will be photographs of the artists and the Siberian region, maps, and native textiles, many of which are intricately beaded and embellished.

The Woods Hole Research Center is dedicated to science, education and public policy for a habitable Earth, seeking to conserve and sustain forests, soils, water, and energy by demonstrating their value to human health and economic prosperity. The Center has initiatives in the Amazon, the Arctic, Africa, Russia, Asia, Boreal North America, the Mid-Atlantic, and New England including Cape Cod. Center programs focus on the global carbon cycle, forest function, landcover/land use, water cycles and chemicals in the environment, science in public affairs, and education.

Highfield Hall – a community cultural center -- is located at 56 Highfield Drive in Falmouth. Highfield Drive is a continuation of Depot Avenue, which is located one mile past the hospital lights on the road to Woods Hole. For more information please contact Highfield Hall at 508-495-1878. A complete listing of upcoming events and activities can be found on their website calendar.

 

The Woods Hole Research Center is dedicated to science, education, and public policy for a habitable Earth, seeking to conserve and sustain forests, soils, water, and energy by demonstrating their value to human health and economic prosperity. The Center sponsors initiatives in the Amazon, the Arctic, Africa, Russia, and North America, including the Mid-Atlantic, New England, and Cape Cod. Center programs focus on the carbon cycle, forest function, landcover/land use, water cycles and chemicals in the environment, as well as policy.