Wild & Scenic Film Festival Nevada City, CA
Jim Aikman
Director
andChristine Parent
Scientist; Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences at University of Idaho College of Science
andBrant Miller
Scientist; Professor, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at University of Idaho
Snail Hunters— Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Conservation
Program Description
There has never been a more important time for Snail Hunters to reach audiences across physical and political divides. It's a story that celebrates the act and importance of science that has carried us through history, from the earliest stages of our evolution to today and even tomorrow. With light-hearted humor, cutting satire and an optimistic outlook, this film is ready to educate, inspire and entertain. By understanding the unique traits that make snails a champion of coexistence, the multi-disciplinary scientists hope to unlock a brighter future for humanity and the planet. The screening will be followed by a snail hunting excursion with the scientists in the film!
Presented At
Wild & Scenic Film Festival Nevada City, CA
Film Synopsis
What can Galápagos snails tell us about the Earth's biodiversity crisis?
A team of evolutionary biologists from the University of Idaho travels to the Galápagos Islands to solve the Earth's biodiversity crisis. The twist? They aren't studying the iconic tortoises or blue footed boobies on this storied archipelago—they are Snail Hunters, studying a more unlikely subject in the crucible of evolution. By understanding the unique traits that make snails a champion of coexistence, the multi-disciplinary scientists hope to unlock a brighter future for humanity and the planet.
Photo credit: Jim Aikman
About the Speaker
Jim Aikman has been making award-winning documentaries about adventure and growth for over twenty years. He combines a lifetime in the wilderness with a formal education in storytelling to craft films about natural history, science and social justice. Currently based in Portland, Oregon, Jim began his career in Michigan and Colorado, traveling for projects around the globe.
Christine Parent is an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at University of Idaho College of Science. Christine is known in the Galápagos Islands as the “caracolera”—the “snail hunter.” With 20 years of research on Galápagos snails, Christine has discovered and described the most diverse group of species in an island system famous for evolution—snails. When not in the field capturing elusive and undiscovered snails of all sorts, Christine supports a large group of student collaborators in research and education in the Parent Lab at the University of Idaho, and wears her title as The Caracolera with pride.
Brant Miller is a professor in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences at University of Idaho. Prior to coming to U of I, he was an eighth-grade science teacher. His work explores how local and remote contexts support students and teachers as they discover our world through authentic experiences. He’s led education and outreach initiatives in the Galápagos Islands, the Arctic, Chile, and throughout the United States, and he takes the information back to his U of I students and teaches them how to use adventure learning to teach science.