Climate Challenge collection, 2018-2023

Phase I was conducted Fall 2018, as part of USU HIST 6860-002 Ethnographic Methods & Oral History: Climate Scientists course. Phase II was conducted Spring 2021, as part of USU ENGL/HIST 6720-001 Oral History & Folklore Fieldwork: Climate Activism course. Phase III was conducted Spring 2023, as part of USU ENGL/HIST 6720-001 Oral History & Folklore Fieldwork: Land Restoration course. All three courses were taught by Randy Williams, folklorist and ethnographer. Student ethnographers are USU Folklore and American Studies, Public History, and Technical Communications students. All three efforts received USU Institutional Review Board Non-Human Subjects Research (NHSR) determinations: 2018: IRB 9676; 2021: IRB 11718; 2023: IRB 13246.

Phase I: The Climate Challenge: USU Climate Scientists Oral Histories (2018)

Climate science is a vital area of research today, especially as the severity of the climate, disruptions playing out across the globe are predicted to have long-term, catastrophic consequences. Yet this area of research is still highly contested. We often hear the data behind climate change science, but we rarely hear the voices of those who study it. In an attempt to learn more, six students in the Fall 2018 HIST 6860 Oral History course interviewed members of the Utah State University scientific community to hear their perspectives about climate science. During the interviews, the scientists shared information about the changing climate, including how it affects communities. They also talked about what it is like to study and teach climate science and how individuals can prioritize certain actions in order to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Phase II: Climate Activists (2021)

Climate Activists play a crucial role in educating the public on the climate challenge facing humans. From presentations to storytelling, from public demonstrations to the classroom, climate activists work to raise awareness about the global climate crisis. In an attempt to learn more, seven students in the Spring 2021 Utah State University ENGL/HIST 6720-001 Oral History and Folklore Fieldwork: Climate Activism course interviewed climate activists to learn their perspectives about the global climate crisis. During the interviews, the activists shared information about the changing climate, including how it affects local and global communities. They also talked about how they became engaged in climate activism, their specific work, and ways to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Phase III: Land Restoration (2023)

In this third and final installment of The Climate Challenge Digital Collection, the focus is on land restoration efforts. Spring 2023, six Utah State University graduate students enrolled in ENGL/HIST 6720-001 Oral History and Folklore Fieldwork: Land Restoration course interviewed people engaged in land conservation and restoration efforts to learn about their perspectives around this crucial work. During the interviews, the land restorers shared about their projects, climate crisis, and how land restoration efforts impact local communities.