Listening To Puerto Rico
October 15, 2018
OSU Union, Buckeye Room, Third Floor

This event brought together faculty and students at OSU from several different departments to consider the cultural and social impacts of environmental change in the case of Hurricane Maria and Puerto Rico. The event was co-sponsored by the Latina/o Studies Program, the Puerto Rican Student Association, and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanic and Native American in Science at OSU. Over fifty people attended the event, including many Puerto Rican students who were eager to learn more about this research. Associate Professor Alvaro Montenegro from the Geography Department at OSU discussed his research on Atlantic hurricanes in a warming world, explaining how climate change is linked to the increase in the severity of hurricanes in this area. Associate Professor Marisel Moreno and Professor Tom Anderson discussed the unusual research they undertook in the summer of 2018 to discover the impacts and consequences of Hurricane María on life and arts on the island of Puerto Rico. Both Moreno and Anderson are scholars of literature, however, in their 2018 research, they traversed the island to videotape interviews with individuals and communities affected by the Hurricane, documenting not only the impacts of this environmental disaster but also the varied kinds of community responses and coalitions it prompted. Moreno and Anderson working closely with an alum of their university on this project, as well as their Office of Digital Learning and the University of Michigan on an innovative "Teach-Out" which is an online web course now available to the public titled "Listening to Puerto Rico."  A reception followed the event where audience members and speakers enjoyed informal conversation. 
OSU students expressed an interest in joining in collaborations to contribute to rebuilding Puerto Rico. 

Photo credit: Theresa Delgadillo