Water Project- Colab
Water- a life source of our Living Planet.
As we Humans evolved, so did our relation with Water, affecting the many aspects of our lives. Is it possible to interconnect all fields of life with a common string (stream) of Water and explore Well-being for All.
Join us to Inquire, Co-create, Collaborate.
Write to us here to get involved
The Collab work will revolve around Water project and C Designing Inquiry. It is an experimental approach to interweave interdisciplinary, intercultural, intergenerational references. We are grateful to all volunteers, partners and participants thus far for enriching our projects.
We will be open for new collaborations starting Earthday 2025. Stay tuned.
Info and Events of Spring- Summer 2025 will be updated in brown boxes below.
Pictures below are a tribute to the local Waters by our friends. Find more content shared by our members below.
Weaver Park, Urbana.- Willow Cattails, pondweed. Photo by Julie Nieset
Pond- Allerton Park. Photo by Śuci
Water grasses at Champaign Park Photo by Kd VM
We are Thankful to Ms. Amy Breslin from AACC- Asian American Cultural Center for hosting the collaborative Watercolor workshops. Some snapshots below. Selective artworks from these events will be part of their art exhibit, ‘Waters of Asia’ in April 2025.
As part of the Earthday 2025 celebrations, SECS- Students for Environmental Concerns is organizing Sustainapalooza event on 12 April. More details on the flier. We are thankful to SECS for their interest in working together and for including us in this year’s celebrations.
Visit the grand event at the main Quad UIUC and be part of the celebrations in numerous ways.
The Sustainapalooza event at the Quad was well organised with several RSO’s participating with a common cause. Our display was aimed towards Zerowaste (with repurposed matrials) but a printout felt necessary for neatness and and convenience. That raised a Question about Zerowaste/ carbon footprint/ practicality.
Maybe this Inquiry can be carried further?
Enjoy the beauty of spring at Busey woods, Urbana. Join the hike lead by wetland scientist, Julie Nieset and UPD staff.
Event is free but registration is required. Link below.
The Spring Wetland Ecology hike is Apr 12, 2025, from 10-11:30 a.m. https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/urbanaparks/activity/search/detail/14233?onlineSiteId=0&from_original_cui=true
We are grateful to senior Professors of our campus for sharing their research and work stories. Some creative tributes to their works can be found at AACC’s Art exhibit on Waters that opens 4 April 2025.
Photosynthesis- Flora-Fauna-Funga
We are thankful to Professor Emeritus Govindjee and Photo-biology Scientist Rajni V Govindjee for sharing their research stories on Photosynthesis. A Creative collaborative work on FFF will be ongoing inspired by their talks on Photosynthesis.
More info will be added end of May. Stay tuned.
Storytelling- a part of holistic development
We are grateful to Dr. Tam Wei for sharing her book ‘Legends and Folklores of Vietnam’ and throwing light on the power of Storytelling as an important part of holistic development in child’s education. Dr Wei’s work on Educational Psychology will be part of our ongoing C. Designing Inquiry.
More info and links to come soon.
‘Waters of Asia’ Exhibition at Asian American Cultural Center.
Part of Boneyard Arts Festival: AACC Opening Reception 4/4
Water – a life source of this planet – supports not only biological life but also affects the socio-cultural ethos of civilizations that evolved around water bodies. Cultures have therefore revered water through their rituals, folklores, and celebrations around waters of their lands.
Water is approached through different lenses of Art. A poet can personify Water or an artist can imagine it as sheer fluid colors. This interdisciplinary exhibit attempts to explore water in storytelling and histories across Asian diasporic communities. Installations of leaves and flora/fauna/fungi honor the scientific work of Professor Emeritus Govindjee and Photobiology scientist Rajni V. Govindjee, while personal stories and memories of water are conveyed through acrylics and watercolors. As in the poem by Mohan, or Vietnamese Folklore Illustrations from Dr Wei depicting Flowers from a lake, the deep relationship between waters and Asian diasporic peoples connects our diverse communities, stories, and cultures.
Water has been compared to Yin energy. It affects our emotions. It soothes and opens our heart, speaking to us if we can hear its language. We are delighted to have a glance at these cultural aspects of Asian waters through this art exhibit – Waters of Asia.
Opening Reception: Friday, April 4, 3-5pm
Open Building Hours: Monday through Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Flora-Fauna-Funga
Work is in progress around themes of Flora-Fauna-Funga.
Creative works will be based on SECS Leaf display, Phil Nyman’s Book talks, pictures from Julie Nieset and will be Inspired by talks on Photosynthesis
Below are some pictures around the theme.
SECS leaf display at Franklin STEAM academy
Origami Fish made with up cycled fliers during Art playdates
Mushrooms at Aleerton park. Photo by Suci
Book talks by Phil Nyman
We started the year with some fun activities for Art playdates around our project themes. Thanks to all the Parents for their involvement and cooperation.
Some snap shots below.
Pictures below are some past contributions on the Water project by our members
List of Water related books shared by Phil Nyman. We plan to have discussions around the books in our Summer virtual meet.
*Water Always Wins - Gies
*Hothouse Earth - McGuire
*Beaverland - Philip
*Brave the Wild River - Sevigny
*Water: A Biography - Boccaletti
*Water - Solomon
*Bad Water - Stolz
*How to Read Water - Gooley
*Properties of Thirst - Wiggins
From Julie Nieset’s desk:
Wetlands provide important functions like flood control, water filtration, habitat for plants and wildlife as well as beauty and a calm place for humans to be in. The wetland and prairie at Weaver Park are valued in our community for all of these reasons and also serves to provide place-based STEAM learning to local schools.
Dr Sowmya Anand co-led Language and Water workshop for AACC Leadership event
Phil Nyman shares his books on Waters and related topics during zoom meets
Julie Nieset, Wetland scientist, led an educational activity at Weaver park
Naza Agassi composed a dance on Water themes
Kuldeepa VM lead a watercolor workshop for AACC wellness event
What are we doing NOW to improve our relationship with Water? Some snapshots of past events directly, indirectly related to Water’s health
School students taking.a hike at Weaver park as part of collaborative activities on Wetlands
Water display at Urbana park district Earthday
Creative entries around Waters displayed for Warthday event Urbana Park District.
Garden club volunteers clean the pollinator patch at FSA
Exhibit at the PACA as part of past projects to celebrated America recycles day- Repurposing
This is not our collaboration but were allowed to use the graphic to share about Robotics challenges around Water themes- 'Submerged' for 2024-25 academic year