On Tuesday, Sept. 9, NAU will welcome renowned author, botanist and MacArthur Fellow Robin Wall Kimmerer to campus for a free public talk and book signing. Kimmerer, best known for her celebrated book “Braiding Sweetgrass,” will speak about Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants—topics that have inspired her readers and fellow researchers across the globe.
Her visit is part of the 17th Biennial Conference of Science & Management, hosted by NAU’s Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes (CAWL), which brings together scientists, students and resource managers to address the Southwest’s most pressing environmental challenges. Founded in 1998 to support National Park Service managers, the conference now draws more than 300 participants from federal, state, tribal and academic institutions.
Kimmerer’s talk takes place at Prochnow Auditorium from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and it will be followed by a book signing hosted by Brightside Bookstore. The event is free and open to the public.
Lara Schmit, assistant director of CAWL, said bringing Kimmerer to NAU involved a cross-campus collaborative effort.
“It took a village,” Schmit said. “Many NAU units and partners stepped up to make this happen—from the College of Arts and Letters and the Department of English to the dean’s office and several endowed chairs. It was super heartening to see so much excitement and support.”
Schmit said that widespread support—including particularly meaningful support from Marcey Olajos via the Olajos-Goslow chairship—speaks to the deep alignment between Kimmerer’s work and NAU’s commitment to Indigenous communities and ecological restoration.
“The work of CAWL focuses on many of the same concerns that interest Robin Wall Kimmerer,” Schmit said. “We value traditional ecological knowledge and science as tools for healing and restoring damaged landscapes. Many of our scientists work directly with tribal communities, and so do our federal partners. Her message resonates deeply with our mission.”
Kimmerer is known worldwide for bridging Western science and Indigenous ways of knowing, offering a vision of reciprocity with and moral responsibility for the Earth. In addition to the New York Times-bestselling book “Braiding Sweetgrass,” Kimmerer has written numerous critically acclaimed books and essays, including the widely shared “What Does the Earth Ask of Us?”
“She’s a visionary,” Schmit said. “Her idea that humans can be medicine for the planet—that we can give back in return for all the Earth provides—is transformative. It changes how we see our role in the world.”
The Biennial Conference will also feature a science keynote by Park Williams, professor of geography at the University of California Los Angeles. Williams will speak earlier that day on hydroclimate extremes and wildfire impacts in the western United States.
Jill Kimball | NAU Communications
(928) 523-2282 | jill.kimball@nau.edu