Lianna Nixon鈥檚 lens on the natural world is changing education and environmental activism
Weeks later, Nixon boarded the massive Polarstern research vessel with nine cameras in tow as part of the Education and Outreach team for MOSAiC, the Multidisciplinary Drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate.
From images of polar bears to vibrant blue sea ice, Nixon鈥檚 breathtaking photography, savvy social media skills and educational lens on climate change taps into our shared humanity and forges bold-but-accessible conversations about humans and the environment.
鈥淧hotography and film are really great spaces to hold people,鈥� said Nixon (MEdu鈥�21). 鈥淢y goal is never to inundate people with the fear of climate change or environmental destruction. It is about inquiry and joy鈥攖o get people to fall in love with these wild spaces so that maybe they can do something to help.鈥�
鈥淧art of this activism work has been about handing over the power to the youth, the ones who are heirs to our planet and whose futures are at stake. I鈥檓 optimistic about what the future holds for education and the climate because of the passionate people who are in this community.鈥�
Nixon鈥檚 photography and activism skills developed at a young age. Her family ran a photo processing company in Jackson, Wyoming, seeding interest in nature photography. Later, she made her first film documenting rhino poaching in South Africa when she was just 19.
When Nixon researched graduate studies programs, the School of Education鈥檚 Learning Sciences and Human Development program just clicked. She found the curriculum to be transformative, flexible and complementary to her work.
She paused her studies for the expedition and then integrated her MOSAiC documentary work into her master鈥檚 capstone, where she used educational equity and social justice frameworks to examine questions of power, justice and learning in climate communications.
Despite its daunting nature, the collective work on climate action gives Nixon hope. She is inspired by today鈥檚 youth leaders, mentors young women photographers and sees a future full of possibility.
These photos are just the tip of the iceberg.
Follow on Instagram to keep up with her inspirational visual storytelling.
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