Compassion and empathy; fundamental to successful business
Compassion and empathy are critical, often excluded and often overlooked values that define not only our relationships to each other and to this world, but our corporate culture. With the renewed commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, we explore why empathy and compassion are core business values and uplift corporate strategy.
The time to talk is now, and the time to act is yesterday
The system was designed to silence conversations about race and racism; and agriculture and science are no exception. Open Rivers Navigator’s special, 3-episode series with Dr. LaKisha Odom’s encourages us to take responsibility by listening, learning, acting and reflecting on how we as individuals and organizations can do better to support our colleagues and communities navigating oppressive systems.
Collaborations towards change: Opportunities in Indian agriculture
Agriculture in India remains a prominent industry responsible for nearly half of the country’s labor force. With the growing need to increase yields sustainably, there is increasing opportunity for innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration across the value chain. This article outlines the current state of Indian agriculture and the impact of partnerships, technology and entrepreneurship in creating the step change we need.
Lessons from invasive species
2020 has shone a light on the widespread damages from climate change and humans’ unfettered interactions with other species and ecosystems. Invasive, or introduced species, have wrought havoc for centuries. We discuss why they deserve our renewed attention and what we can learn from the extant science and research on invasive species.
How blind recruitment helped me find the right team
You can not come up with solutions to complicated and novel problems using the same techniques and tools that we have used for years; and the hiring process is no different. While many organizations are releasing diversity statements and promises to improve, it is still tough to build an inclusive team. Read about how I utilized blind recruitment at Open Rivers, ignored the resume and built my team.
Meet the team behind Open Rivers
Open Rivers wants to do things differently; this is reflected by a fully virtual team of research assistants from diverse backgrounds with a broad range of interests and expertise. Each team member brings their own unique perspectives to shape Open Rivers.
Starting college in a pandemic
Given the unique circumstances of this year, it was more important than ever for Open Rivers to be active in our goal to support students. The Open Rivers Scholarship was founded in 2017 to encourage and support women in STEM fields, and has provided scholarships to 8 remarkable women featured on our newly relaunched scholarship page. We recently caught up with two of this year’s scholarship recipients, Danielle DaSilva and Sophia Chiaia, to learn about their goals in college, what they’re passionate about, and how the pandemic and subsequent response has influenced their plans.
Our path to climate change
Shefali and One Resilient Earth co-founder, Anshul Mathar, discuss their individual paths behind their earlier post “The nexus of art and climate change”, which discusses the value of art and science in building regenerative resilience for individuals and communities in the face of environmental and climate change, and how they arrived at this point. They hope that their stories further illustrate how diverse backgrounds and skills have a significant role to play in addressing some of the major challenges that face our society.
The nexus of art and climate change
As climate change and related environmental challenges continue to mount, those closest to the work, scientists and organizations devoted to understanding the impact and developing solutions, face “eco grief”. Shefali, and One Resilient Earth co-founder, Anshul Mathar, write about how to combat this using art and photography to develop solutions and help communities adapt and thrive.
Why diversity is critical to solving problems
As one of Open Rivers five guiding principles, diversity has a large role in shaping our work. Outside of its strong societal connotation, diversity represents the strength that comes with so many varying viewpoints, and the benefits of diversity in the workplace are numerous. A focus on nurturing diverse perspectives allows teams to tackle global challenges by creating environments that encourage looking broadly for solutions and collect and bring to the table the best talent, experiences, and thoughts.
The value of community
During this time of isolation I had a chance to reflect on the value of community in my life and how to continue to build connections without the benefit of in-person interactions. Open Rivers’ business model is built on the idea of connecting communities, with communities defined quite broadly and inclusively. By viewing communities this way, the walls between “work and life” alter with connections to others evolve and flow over time. This is even more important as we face the fact that we are lonelier and more isolated than we have ever been, which leads to numerous societal issues.
Data and digitization in agriculture
At the 2020 Foster our Future event three ranchers, Aaron Ault, Dorn Cox, and Meredith Ellis, spoke about their efforts in changing the landscape of how we produce our food. The panel provided a glimpse of a broad and on-going effort to significantly shift the utilization of data to fuel decision making for farmers.
Supporting students during Covid-19
During this time of the pandemic and pandemic-induced economic crisis, many groups are facing unknown challenges and high levels of uncertainty. Graduating seniors and graduate students completing their degrees are facing a double-whammy of downward pressure. However, there is much we can all do to help.
Catching up with the first Open Rivers scholarship recipient
I had the chance to catch up with Jill Rodgers, pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, one of the first recipients of the Open Rivers scholarship, during a video call. She had abruptly returned from her study-abroad in France due to Covid.
Open Rivers version 2.0
Open Rivers re-launched at the end of 2019 after a short hiatus. We are excited to be back and have a lot to share. In time for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day 2020, our new website is up with updates on our work today.
The Twin Cities Mobile Market
Food access is a significant challenge for over 23.5 million people in the U.S. Limited access to nutritious, affordable food continues to plague many communities across the U.S.
Looking forward: discussions with a budding engineer
I had the chance to sit down with one of the first recipients of the Open Rivers Scholarship, Jill Rodgers. We explore her passions, motivation and why STEM is important to her.
The Open Rivers Scholarship
Providing opportunities and support to the next generation allows us to invest in the future and to remember the people who provided those opportunities for us in the past. In 2017, we established the Open Rivers Scholarship at my alma mater, Bethel High School.
Why compassion and empathy are core values for my business
When I decided to take a leap and start my own firm, Open Rivers, I knew that the principles that guided the business had to reflect my values as well as what I had learned over the past few decades.
Invasive Species Webinar part 2
The second installment of the Wildlife Habitat Council's Invasive Species Webinar