A team of Brock University researchers is encouraging photographers of all skill levels to get behind the lens to help generate conversations around nature and sustainability.

The call for photos is part of the Beyond Sustainability: Radical Transformation Through System Thinking research project, led by Brock University’s Liette Vasseur and co-Principal Investigator Christine Daigle.

The goal of the photo project is to develop a visual, global representation of the way people perceive the natural world around them to promote a more sustainable future where humans, plants and animals share an equal place in the world.

Members of the Brock community and broader public are invited to submit photographs that highlight different ways of reconnecting with nature. Each photo requires a brief, one- or two-sentence description that explains the image and how it represents the vision of going “beyond sustainability” for a more interconnected world.

The photos will be compiled into a public mosaic that will be showcased as part of the ongoing research project, and all perspectives and skill levels are welcome.

For privacy reasons, entrants are asked to focus their images on nature and the environment, rather than on human subjects.

Photos can be uploaded here until Dec. 31, but the deadline may be extended to ensure as many entries can be received as possible. Questions can be directed to the Beyond Sustainability research team at ebsresearch@brocku.ca

The researchers have also been holding a series of free, virtual Community Cafés. The final event of 2021 will take place Monday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. The topic of the event is “What is your first memory of nature?”

Pre-registration is required and can be online through Eventbrite. More events in the series are planned for 2022, with details to be posted to the UNESCO chair website.

The research team is also hosting ongoing conversations rooms on the Clubhouse Beyond Sustainability Hub on Wednesday mornings at 9:25 a.m. These are free to join and open to everyone.

Funded under a New Frontiers in Research Fund – Exploration grant, Beyond Sustainability: Radical Transformation Through System Thinking is a transdisciplinary research project that involves a team of researchers from across Brock University and institutions around the world.

Using a ‘systems-thinking approach,’ the research project explores new ways of thinking about the interconnectedness of the world, and the importance of transformative thinking in ensuring a sustainable future for all.

The aim of the project is to develop an international ‘think tank’ that will guide the implementation of systems and pilot projects where humans and nature can thrive together in balance.