Students and Faculty Host Resilience: A Photo Exhibition

Resilience: A Photo Exhibition showcased the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary research, global education and sustainability. 

The exhibition highlighted the experiences of ASU students who participated in the Indigenous Sustainability in the Amazon program. Faculty from ASU’s College of Global Futures and students from the School of Sustainability and Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication collaborated to share photography from a spring 2023 global education experience in the Ecuadorean Amazon. 

The exhibition emphasized global interconnectedness and shared responsibility in sustainability efforts. The project raised awareness about ongoing conservation efforts and promoted ASU’s diverse global education opportunities. Sun Devils were encouraged to reflect on their roles in sustainability and connection to the Kichwa and Waorani Indigenous communities on the frontlines of biodiversity regeneration and conservation.

The project supported several solution-oriented projects and was supported by funds from a Sustainability Initiatives Revolving Fund grant and private donors, including the Walton Sustainability Solutions Services and ASU’s Women and Philanthropy group. More than 50 individuals participated in the exhibition, listening to featured guest speaker Elizabeth Swanson Andi, a photographer from the Ecuadorian Amazon who has since joined ASU as a master’s student in sustainability. 

The personal achievements of student photographer Donovan Johnson, who was recognized as an outstanding graduate, and the inclusion of new students like Elizabeth Swanson Andi demonstrate the exhibition’s role in fostering educational and cultural inclusion. 

The Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health permanently displays the photos.

Photo credit: Donovan Johnson and Elizabeth Virkina Swanson.