Lowe Connects Virtual Panel Discussion

DE-compose: Exploring the intersections between art and science  

Join Artist Donna Davis; Ecologist, Prof. Amy Zanne (University of Miami); Ecologist, Prof. Steven Allison (University of California, Irvine) talk about decomposition and the carbon cycle with reference to the ‘Wood, Termite, Fungi Project’ which inspired the exhibition Decompose; discussing the value of interdisciplinary collaborations in the face of climate change and how art can act as a catalyst for understanding and action.  

DE-compose Exhibition 

DE-compose presents creative outcomes from Davis’ long-term artist residency with the Wood, Termite, Fungi (WTF) international research project led by the University of Miami.  The project examines the role of termites and microbes in decomposing tropical wood and produces modelling that predicts related impacts of rising temperatures, contributing to global climate change models.  Davis’ artworks have evolved from field trips, research, conversations, and interactions with the research team, from which she produces multilayered works weaving project information into imaginative digital pieces that engender a wider consideration of the interconnectedness of all life.  

Speaker Bios:

Donna Davis ; Yuggera and Ugarapul Country 

Ipswich, Queensland 

Donna Davis is a multi-discipline artist intrigued with the idea of connection; her work explores intersections between art and science with a particular focus on natural and social ecosystems. Often collaborating with ecologists, botanists and mycologists, Donna explores new ways to creatively interpret ecological data; working across sculpture, assemblage, installation and digital media to create works that consider imagined futures and provide sites of environmental observation. By providing new ways of ‘seeing’, Donna aims to challenge ecological discourse and empower stewardship of our fragile ecosystems. 

Professor & Aresty Chair Amy Zanne , University of Miami

USA 

Amy Zanne works at the crossroads of plant ecology, physiology and evolutionary biology.  Amy’s research lab is currently looking at plant afterlives, the ways dead trees release stored carbon. Her team received a five-year grant to study how termites and microbes compete to break down tropical wood in Australia and how that impacts the stored carbon. 

Professor Steven Allison .University of California, Irvine 

USA 

Dr. Allison is a Professor of Ecology at the University of California, Irvine. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from Stanford University. As part of the University of California’s Carbon Neutrality Initiative, Dr. Allison was named the UC Irvine Climate Action Champion in 2016. He teaches ecosystem ecology and directs the Ridge to Reef Graduate Training Program, an interdisciplinary program focused on skills development for students pursuing careers in environmental fields. His research addresses the resilience of microbial communities to drought and the effect of rapid climate change on carbon losses from southern California ecosystems. Dr. Allison is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Editor-in-Chief at the interdisciplinary journal Elementa: Science of the Antrhopocene. Since 2021, he has served as a member of the Green Ribbon Environmental Committee for the City of Irvine and director of UC Irvine’s Newkirk Centre for Science and Society.