More than 30 students and faculty from Stony Brook University attended a screening of the documentary “Escape from Extinction: Rewilding,” produced by the American Humane Society. The event, held on September 24, was part of the Science + Cinema series in collaboration with Stony Brook’s Collaborative for the Earth (C4E).
Heather Lynch, director of C4E and endowed chair for ecology and evolution at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science, commented on the importance of alternative methods to communicate scientific issues. “Because climate change and other pressing environmental problems are often presented with statistics and facts and figures, movies and books provide a wholly alternative approach to communicating not only the science but also some of the exciting solutions,” Lynch said.
The film highlights efforts by experts worldwide to combat mass extinction caused by habitat loss and climate change. It focuses on “rewilding,” a conservation strategy aimed at restoring biodiversity in habitats impacted by human activity. Species featured in the film are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Dave Chan from the Lichtenstein Center, who organized Science + Cinema, said, “The film’s topic is a super important and timely one that needs to be shared. Wrapping an important subject matter such as this within the context of an engaging film is a great way to convey the message.”
Graduate anthropology student Shawna Bonilavri noted that visual storytelling offers something different compared to traditional reading assignments. “I think being visual, there’s a different component that you wouldn’t get from reading a book, and most people don’t want to read,” Bonilavri said. “We already have so many assigned readings, especially in college.”
Lynch added: “Learning about these issues shouldn’t always feel like eating your broccoli. I think it’s not only possible but imperative that we find ways of making the science engaging and even fun.”
After the screening, H. Resit Akçakaya, professor of ecology and conservation biology at Stony Brook University’s Department of Ecology and Evolution, presented his work on developing the Green Status of Species for IUCN—a new metric designed to measure species recovery alongside conservation impact—and invited questions about both his research and topics raised in the film.
Audience members discussed subjects including ecotourism, invasive species management, climate change effects on endangered animals, and possibilities for rewilding Long Island.
“We’re always looking for films that touch on the research of our faculty, and I was excited to find a film that addressed species conservation since I think Akçakaya work is really at the front lines of this battle to save endangered species and it’s a story that I think students should really know more about,” Lynch said.
Chan concluded: “My hope is that Science + Cinema will continue to bridge the arts with the sciences so that those who attend… whether they are STEM students or simply those who love film, will walk away with a new perspective on topics that matter to all of us.”
— Hadar Pepperstone
