Perfect Knowledge of the Ground, and a Discussion of “Soil Health”; Its Meaning in the Urban Setting

Speakers:

Panel: Perfect Knowledge of the Ground

Bridging soil science, agriculture, and art, join us to discuss the roots of the ecological crisis, the colonial extractive episteme, and ways of knowing the ground at odds with this dominant narrative

Featuring

Suzanne Pierre is the director of the Critical Ecology Lab, a nonprofit research lab uncovering the social underpinnings of global ecological change.

Kunal Palawat (they/them) is a research associate with the Critical Ecology Lab and graduate student at the University of Arizona, on occupied Tohono O'odham and Pascua Yaqui Lands.

Makalé Cullen: While I’ve worked primarily in human communities documenting occupational and expressive culture, I’ve always paid attention to the multi-species context in which our cultures exist. An attention to landscape and the botanical/agricultural world has long distinguished my work with most of my projects revolving around questions of place and identity. I still work in relationship with people but mostly, nowadays, with plants and soils whose lessons are far worthier of our attention. makale-makale.com

Blain Snipstal is a farmer, agroecologist, and activist. https://www.facebook.com/blackdirtfarmcollective/

RL (Raina) Martens (they/them) is a transdisciplinary artist. Through writing, installation, and ceramic work they dramatize entanglements between social and material worlds. RL is a founding member of the Urban Soils Institute's Art Extension Service and based in Baltimore, MD, on Piscataway land. www.rainamartens.com|

Times: Presentations: 2:15 - 2:55 pm EST, Panel Discussion 2:55 - 3:30 pm EST (New York City)

Panel: Soil Health Issues

Soil Health; Its meaning, context and importance within the urban setting. An introduction by UWI co-founder Dr. Richard Shaw and Dr. Gerd Wessolek & Dr. Jean-Louis Morel, with additions by Dr. Howard Mielke, BeCrop, and representation from Urban farming, Community urban ecology builders, finance, GI-agency sectors.

Featuring

Dr. Gerd Wessolek, In the 90s, I started combining both in my research and lectures as a soil science professor at the Technische Universität Berlin, Germany. This was more or less accepted because my department is embedded in the faculty of planning, architecture, and environment, in contrast to most soil science departments which are part of agronomy faculties. Within our faculty, disciplines of spatial design come together with disciplines of ecology and urban planning theory, offering space for more experimental ways of approaching the challenges of a changing world.

In our course, I try bridging science and art with new impulses and ideas of you, welcome!

Dr. Jean-Louis Morel, Jean Louis MOREL is professor emeritus in environmental biology at the University of Lorraine (UL). His research interests are i) the dynamics of pollutants in soil-plant systems, ii) the evolution of soils strongly affected by human activities, and iii) the remediation of polluted and degraded soils based on phytoremediation, agromining, and soil restoration.

Time: 3:45 - 4:10 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Daniel Almonacid, holds a BSc degree in clinical biochemistry (U. de Concepción) and a PhD in molecular informatics (U. of Cambridge). Dr. Almonacid has advanced our understanding of basic biological functions and numerous specific diseases, and his discoveries are the basis for a wide variety of consumer, medical and agricultural testing products as well as engineered enzymes.

Dr. Almonacid is a proud father of two kids, drumer, electronic music lover, and the third most prolific inventor in the microbiome field worldwide.

Topic: Soil Microbiome Analysis as a Tool to Assess Soil Health
Time: 4:12 - 4:22 pm EST (New York City)

Donald Parizek, Job Duties: National Cooperative Soil Survey Mapping, Technical Soil Services, Soil Interpretations, Soil Survey Database Management, Wetlands, Ecological Site Descriptions, Soil Science Training

Topic: Special on Subaqueous Soils
Time: 4:25 - 4:35 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Howard Mielke is the creator of the Lead Lab project, a not for profit initiative dedicated to helping communities with lead contamination in children's play areas. He is currently a faculty member in Tulane School of Medicine's Pharmacology Department and part of the Environmental Signaling Laboratory research effort.

Topic: Playground soils in New Orleans vs. Oslo, Norway. What happened? Why is it necessary to revitalize urban soils?
Time: 4:37 - 4:47 pm EST (New York City)

Kate Kendall, is an artist working in collaboration with her geologist father Jerry Kendall to consider the intersecting flows of time, sediment, water and humans. Together they have artistically used geoscience tools to produce sculptures, exhibitions, writing, and presentations to raise communal appreciation of the complexities in our world.

Topic: Sand Peels
Time: 4:50 - 5:00 pm EST (New York City)

Sarah Hess is a mother, and her child Josie became exposed to relatively high levels of Pb. She became an advocate for clean soils on a specific playground and that was the beginning of her actions.

Topic: The NOLA Unleaded project in New Orleans
Time: 5:02 - 5:12 pm EST (New York City)

Does it take hundreds and thousands of years for soils to develop?
Back to the future: Are engineered soils (re)building soils?
What’s in your garden?

This session will explore the creation, usage and philosophy behind engineered soils.

Speakers:

Dr. Maha Deeb-Collet, Faculty at Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement de Paris (iEES Paris—Sorbonne Université), Maha aims her work towards improving the quality of urban soils and their ecosystem services in order to improve quality of life for urban residents.

Topic: Soil Basics & Technosols
Time: 2:10 - 2:25 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Viacheslav Vasenev, Dr. Vasenev is Associate Professor in the Department of Landscape Design and Sustainable Ecosystems at RUDN Unviersity (Russia). His primary research interests and scientific expertise relate to urban soils and their functions and services, including soil organic carbon stocks, microbiological activity and green house gases emissions.

Topic: TBA
Time: 2:27 - 2:37 pm EST (New York City)

Moreen Willaredt & Thomas Nels

Moreen Willaredt, PhD Fellow - Berlin International Graduate School in Model and Simulation based Research (BIMoS)Technische Universität Berlin, Germany

Thomas Nehls, PhD, is a lecturer and scientist at the chair for Ecohydrology and he coordinates the Center for Innovation and Science on Building Greening (CIBG) at the Technische Universitaet Berlin, Germany.

Topic: Designing Soil for Greening Sealed Soil
Time: 2:40 - 2:50 pm EST (New York City)

Ms. Raqueeb Bey is an urban agriculturist, community activist and mother of six phenomenal children. She is the Garden Resource Coordinator for Grow Pittsburgh Garden Resource Center, a tool lending library in Pittsburgh's East End.

Topic: TBA
Time: 2:52 - 3:02 pm EST (New York City)

Steve Mentz, teaches English literature and the environmental humanities at St John's University in Queens. His writings explore cultural and physical connections between humans and nonhuman environments.

Topic: Soiling the Earth: The Poetics of Compost from Ovid to the Anthropocene
Time: 3:05 - 3:15 pm EST (New York City)

Kate Douglas, writer, director and performer currently based in upstate NY. Her work has been performed at The Met Cloisters, Ars Nova, Joe’s Pub and The McKittrick Hotel and developed at venues such as SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Orchard Project, New Victory Theater and The Civilians R&D Group.

Topic: Meditation on Rot - Maybe Dead is Just a Word People Say When They’re Scared
Time: 3:40 - 3:45 pm EST (New York City) - Performance during Coffee Break

Heather McMordie, is an artist and printmaker currently making prints, puzzles and paper installations informed by soil science. Her work finds balance between artistic and scientific exploration, and seeks to visualize the complex patterns and processes of soil systems.

Topic: Marsh Senses
Time: 4:10 - 4:20 pm EST (New York City)

Wendy Andringa, Registered Landscape Architect and Senior Associate at SCAPE Landscape Architecture. She has been working in the greater New York City area since 2005, where she has designed and managed the creation of green infrastructure parks, public plazas, innovative playgrounds, higher education facilities, and multi-scalar residential green spaces and amenities.

Topic: Re-Zoning: A New Urban Skin
Time: 4:23 - 4:33 pm EST (New York City)

Paige Whitehead, Founder Nyoka Design Lab, Microbiology, Environmental Studies, and Permaculture Design, data nut!

Topic: Adaptive Ecosystems: Ripping out Roads and Learning from the Soil Building Practices and Perspectives of Indigenous Cultures worldwide
Time: 4:35 - 4:45 pm EST (New York City)

Steve Godeke, Through his consulting, writing and teaching, Steven has worked at the intersection of investment and mission since 2001. His practice helps families and foundations create impact investing strategies and connects them with the right partners and resources.

Topic: TBA
Time: 4:47 - 4:57 pm EST (New York City)

Alex & Olmstead, Alex and Olmsted is an internationally acclaimed puppet theater company based in Takoma Park, Maryland. They have received two Jim Henson Foundation Grants and were recently awarded the 2020 State Independent Artist Award for Performing Arts from the Maryland State Arts Council.

Topic: Earth, Worm
Time: 5:00 - 5:10 pm EST (New York City)

Moderators:

Ryan J. Cerrato, Vice President, Product Marketing, WeCare Denali, WeCare Compost, Mulch, & Soil

Edward Landa, PhD | Extended Team Partner & Art Extension Service Co-Director, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland

Dirtball & Multi-Species Spa Part

Kosmologym (with Greg Stewart & Walker Tufts),

Join us as we make a multi-species face mask and meditate on our relationships to parent material and time. Through the face mask, games and thought experiments we will present Dirtball (both as installed at Franconia Sculpture Park and hopefully to be installed next summer on Governor’s Island with Project: Soils and Swale House) and DIY Dirtball.

Microcosmos: the wellspring of evolutionary change

This session will explore the heterogeneity, similarities, causes, and effects of the soil/root microbiome and the human gut microbiome, and the effect of their relationships on the environment and human health.

Special Feature: Meeting Ground by Susan Main & MJ Neuberger

We can’t physically connect the way we might like to at the moment but can we take a moment to embrace what we share in common?

Meeting Ground, a set of collaborations that considers the earth beneath our feet and the confluence of art, science and spirituality, invites you to join us as we touch the ground during this period of seasonal change and seismic cultural shift.

Speakers:

Dr. Donata Vercelli, MD. Donata Vercelli is a Professor of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Arizona, the Associate Director of the Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center and the Director of the Arizona Center for the Biology of Complex Diseases (ABCD).

Topic: La' ci darem la mano: How soil and gut microbiota interact to promote health or disease
Time: 2:15 - 2:35 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Mariya Korneykova, Head of Laboratory Ecology of Microorganisms, Institute of North Industrial Ecology Problems, Apatity, Murmansk region, Russia, Researcher RUDN University Moscow, Russia

Topic: TBA
Time: 2:40 - 2:50 pm EST (New York City)

Leanne Wijnsma, Yeast.computer is an Amsterdam based studio founded by Leanne Wijnsma, designing for and with the earth’s immune system. The immersive nature of her work reflects on the human condition in the 21st century, investigating the impact of new technologies on individual and collective behavior.

Topic: Soilbread
Time: 2:55 - 3:05 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Abdourahamane Tankari Dan-Badjo, Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey | UAM · Science du Sol, Docteur en Sciences Agronomiques Teacher - researcher at Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, Niger.

Topic: Impact of gold mining on soil pollution in Komabangou areas, Niger
Time: 3:10 - 3:25 pm EST (New York City)

Sandor Elix Katz, is a fermentation revivalist. His books Wild Fermentation and the Art of Fermentation, along with the hundreds of fermentation workshops he has taught around the world, have helped to catalyze a broad revival of the fermentation arts.

Topic: Fermentation for Gut Health, Soil Health, and Social Change
Time: 3:30 - 3:40 pm EST (New York City)

Kate Douglas, writer, director and performer currently based in upstate NY. Her work has been performed at The Met Cloisters, Ars Nova, Joe’s Pub and The McKittrick Hotel and developed at venues such as SPACE on Ryder Farm, The Orchard Project, New Victory Theater and The Civilians R&D Group.

Topic: Meditation on Rot
Time: 4:20 - 4:35 pm EST (New York City) - Performance during Coffee Break

Dr. Theodore Muth, is an associate professor in the Biology Department. My lab's research studies the microbial communities of urban soils and green infrastructure.

Topic: Science for All, One Microbiome at a Time: Student-Driven Characterization of the Urban Microbiome
Time: 4:35 - 4:45 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Christine Marizzi, Christine Marizzi is an award-winning scientist and educator and graduated from the University of Vienna with a Ph.D. degree in microbiology and genetics for investigating unique stem-cell mutant of the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana.

Topic: From the Laboratory to the Studio - Artistic Endeavors in Community Science
Time: 4:50 - 5:00 pm EST (New York City)

Lisa Orr, For 30 years Lisa Orr has been a professional potter and student of ceramics. She completed an MFA at the NYSCC at Alfred University in 1992 and later received grants including a Fulbright and a MAAA/NEA.

Topic: Edible Beneficial-- Nourishing Interchanges with Soil
Time: 5:05 - 5:15 pm EST (New York City)

Moderator: Alonso Cordoba, Adjunct Professor of Biology, CUNY - Brooklyn College

For more info about our speakers, follow this event link

Seasonal Stroll and Soil Dig with The Hort

Seasonal Stroll and Soil dig with The Hort

A Tour of the Gardens at the Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park with The Hort. An introduction about RSP and North River Waste water treatment plant (28 acres, processes 125 million gallons of wastewater daily). This workshop will feature soil and flora that is being cultivated at this site.

Dive into Symbiogensis with special guests, educators, growers, activists and artists to explore the beginning of life, our planet; a holistic system of parts. Soils, the foundation of diversity.

“The nature of Nature.”, “Cooperation, not Competition.”, “Becoming by living together.”

This session will explore the fabric that evolved and sustains life, and the role of soils in facilitating evolutionary change, systemic change, a change for the better!

Special Feature:

Our Land, an ongoing photography series by Cindy Qiao, portrays the fleeting layers of leaves, fruits, seeds, and twigs on the ground in the area between two steps in urban green spaces.

Speakers:

Dorian Sagan, Writer, theorist and independent scholar. Author/co-author of twenty-five books, several with biologist Lynn Margulis on planetary biology and evolution by symbiosis.

Topic: Symbiogenesis, or, Beetlemania Has Not Bitten The Dust
Time: 2:15 - 2:45 pm EST (New York City)

Dr. Paul S. Mankiewicz, Co-Founder USI, explores through research, development, design and education the interrelationship between human communities and natural systems.

Topic: TBA
Time: 2:50 - 3:05 pm EST (New York City)

Cindy Qiao, Cindy Qiao (b. China) is a visual artist who explores the human-nature relations through photography. Her images are close observations of nature in urban environments where reality verges into abstraction as they become objects for contemplation. Her works have been exhibited in Boston and New York. She has a BA in Philosophy and lives and works in Long Island City, New York.cindyqiao.com

Topic: Our Land (A Photo Series)
Time: 3:10 - 3:20 pm EST (New York City)

Marietta J. Tanner, taught and was administrator at intermediate schools in NYC, Columnist, Amsterdam News. Community Activist. Wrote "Children are the Barometers" about Bronx JHS students and drug wars, and "Driving in Second," about 1954 Supreme Court Desegregation decision and Black struggles to overcome continuous racism. She will talk about the importance of integrating soils, and ecology-hands on experience into NYC schools.

Topic: Serengeti is Not Forever
Time: 3:25 - 3:35 pm EST (New York City)

Joshua Harrison, In addition to his work as Co-Founder of green technology company, Leaf Island, Josh is co-Director of the Center for the Study of the Force Majeure, a research institution based at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Topic: In the Time of the Force Majeure
Time: 3:40 - 3:50 pm EST (New York City)

Moderator: Dr. Viacheslav Vasenev, Senior Researcher, RUDN - Faculty of Agriculture, Moscow

For more Info about our Speakers, follow this link!

Soils Alive - presented Dr. Anna Paltseva

In this workshop, Anna will teach you about the roles of organisms and the nature and functions of organic matter in soils. You will learn how to observe soil critters and indicate soil health by its aroma. To follow along with Anna's demonstrations please prepare 2 cups of topsoil or potting soil and mineral soil (several inches down in your garden), two funnels, two coffee filters, two containers to hold draining water, and water. At the end of the workshop, you will know about emerging agro-wastes that will improve your garden soil in addition to the best compost recipes that will enhance soil health and contribute to climate change mitigation.

“Soils for all, and all for soils” - the past, the present, the future. Let the soils speak.

This session will explore our fundamental human rights to our common resources, the inherent rights of our resources, and our knowledge gaps.

Speakers:

Hermine Huot, PhD, Researcher at Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC) - University of Lorraine / CNRS (French National Scientific Research Center)
Topic: Studying the Past of Anthropized Soils to Better Understand Their Present and Predict Their Future

Robert Porter, Former oil and well driller, avid surfer and birdwatcher
Topic: Experiences of an Oil Well Driller in North America and Central Africa: 1970’s to the Present

Kathryn Yusoff, PhD, Professor of Inhuman Geography in the School of Geography at at Queen Mary, University of London. Most recently, she is author of A Billion Black Anthropocenes or None, Minneapolis
Topic: Ghost Geologies

Jennifer McDonnell, is a mother, serial composter and aspirational environmental professional. Brendan Hanonn grew up in New York City where he learned to love birds, bikes, bluegrass music, trees, arthropods and bryophytes. Gil Lopez is a community organizer, urban environmental educator, socially engaged bio-artist, and doer.
Topic: Microbe Report: Cillia in the Field Edition

Jayson Maurice Porter, PhD candidate in history at Northwestern University specializing in environmental politics, science & technology studies, and black ecologies in Mexico and the Americas.
Topic: Soiled: From Agrarian Reform to Agrarian Revolution in Mexico

Dr. Derryn E. Moten, Professor and Chair of Alabama State University’s Department of History and Political Science
Topic: EJI’s Community Remembrance Project: Collecting Soil for Ottis Parham, “A Slained Negro Boy”

Soils & Energy: A Discussion About The Energy Flows of Soil and Everything It Touches
All energy flows within the environment run through this abundant, universal substance called water. Soil is the matrix that utilizes water and by extension, creates the basis for all terrestrial life. This discussion will focus on soil, plants, energy and how that energy can be utilized by humans to make cities a better places to live. This event will feature a recent case study by green technology company Leaf Island.

Featuring

Dr. Paul S. Mankiewicz, Plant Biologist, Green Infrastructure Pioneer, Founder of The Gaia Institute, Co-Founder of the NYC Urban Soils Institute, Co-Founder of green technology company Leaf Island

Igor Bronz, Geotechnical Engineer and Hydrogeologist, USI Staff Member, Co-Founder of green technology company Leaf Island (leafisland.org)

Discussions on the session topics and themes with special guests.

Speakers

Dr. Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science, Director, Carbon Management and Sequestration Center, The Ohio State University - Recipient of the World Food Prize 2020
Topic: Urbanization and Rights of Soils

Dr. Jean-Louis Morel, Professeur émérite - Université de Lorraine - Laboratoire Sols et Environnement, France
Topic: A Glimpse of Soils in Urban Areas

Natalie “Alabama” Chanin, Founder and Creative Director of Alabama Chanin
Topic: Urban Soils – Fields to Embroidery

Dr. Nikola Patzel, Environmental (soil) scientists and psychologist. Chair of German Soil Science Society's commission on "Soil in education and society" and of International Union of Soil Science's working group on "Cultural patterns of soil understanding".
Topic: Cultural Understanding of Soils" and the "Inner Soil": When looking at soil, consider what is in front of your eyes and what is behind-the-eyes. A project

Dr. Geoffrey M. Gadd, Microbiologist, Boyd Baxter Chair of Biology, University of Dundee
Topic: Geomycology: Metals and Minerals, Bioremediation, Biorecovery

Free Soil Testing Day
12 noon to 4 pm | Sunday, September 27th
Location: Swale House, Nolan Park, Governors Island, NYC

Come join USI at Swale House on Governors Island and get your soil screened for heavy metals using our state-of-the-art pXRF - completely free-of-charge!