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THANK YOU, FLAGSTAFF

Ecoss Sci-Art Show 2026 · September 26 · Flagstaff Festival of Science
Missed it? Walk the labs onlinethe lab dioramas from the show, open now DONATE NOW!ECOSS research needs your help
200+guests through the door
20+researchers presenting
152scenes across 10 dioramas
9exhibits in 3-D

ECOSs research came to life through art

Aquatic Ecology · Marks Lab
Uranium & Health · Rock Lab
Phenology, Carbon, and Climate · Richardson Lab
Microbial Trophic Interaction · Navarro Lab
Boreal Wildfire Ecology · Walker Lab
Permafrost & Arctic Carbon · Schuur Lab
Dryland Ecology · Bowker Lab
Genes, Microbes, & Soils · Hungate Lab
Field Study and Mentorship · Local Observable Science
The evening, and the lab dioramas it brought to life.
On September 26, Ecoss opened the NAU International Pavilion for an evening where science and art shared the room. As part of the 2026 Flagstaff Festival of Science, guests met the researchers behind the work, explored the science art that explains it, and talked it over with food and drink.
Every lab brought its art. Climate futures for the San Francisco Peaks, mammoths on the permafrost, the microbes that run the soil: each piece is a door into research happening at NAU right now. Alongside the ten-year portfolio of our director of art, Victor Leshyk, in print, on screen and in sculpture, we also featured faculty and student art, video and photography.
Thank you to everyone who came, asked, and stayed late.

What people said

Notes from people who came. Add yours.
“Having lively face-to-face interaction, combined with the immersive visuals, the unique ‘diorama’ virtual presentation stations were engaging and informative.”
Steve A
“More people need to know about the work these researchers are doing. They are working to find answers to questions that the broader community is asking.”
Gina B
“It made me believe that there really is an opportunity for people to use science and research to make positive changes in our communities, our lives, and even the world.”
Rosemary A

The evening in pictures

Researchers, artists and neighbours, and the art between them. Tap a photo to open it large, then step through them all.
A panorama of the Pavilion floor during the show
The Pavilion floor during the show: guests among the art stations, the buffet in front Andrew Richardson with two guests A silver insect sculpture on a plinth by the windows Bruce and Jane at the show Guests watching a lab diorama on a big screen Four guests together at the show Matt beside the biocrust display, with a guest A researcher walking a guest through a lab diorama on a touch screen Paul and Bruce talking with guests by the show banner A presenter with guests among the stations Jack and Josie of Sci Candy Victor talking with guests Close-up of a silver beetle sculpture Victor Leshyk with guests beside an art panel Kim welcoming guests at a table Kristin and Josie of Sci Candy Two researchers at the Microbial Trophic Interactions station Daniel and Steve at the show The Pavilion floor with the show title on the big screen
The NAU International Pavilion during the show: guests among the art stations under the big screen

Missed it? Walk the labs online

The art from the show lives on in the Ecoss lab dioramas: panoramas you walk through a stop at a time, on a phone or a laptop. Pick a lab.
Aquatic EcologyMarks LabUranium & HealthRock LabDryland EcologyBowker LabBoreal Wildfire EcologyWalker LabPhenology, Carbon, and ClimateRichardson LabPermafrost & Arctic CarbonSchuur LabGenes, Microbes, & SoilsHungate LabTerrestrial Ecosystem Carbon CyclingCarbone LabArctic & Boreal EcologyMack LabMicrobial Metabolism and EcologyDijkstra LabMicrobial Trophic InteractionNavarro LabField Study and MentorshipJack Torresdal
All the lab dioramas The show gallery

Watch the evening

Two short clips from the floor of the Pavilion, and a note from the Flagstaff Festival of Science.
The show in nine seconds

It was amazing to talk with the researchers, both students and professors, and hear about the research that informed the art. As a native of Flagstaff, I was genuinely surprised by how much I learned about the important work happening right here in our community.”

Gina Marie ByarsProgram Manager, Flagstaff Festival of Science
A walk through the room

The invitations

The three short films Ecoss ran on Facebook to invite Flagstaff to the show. Each one brings a piece of lab art to life.
Anti-Biotic
Fire Hands
Polar Bears
Ecoss on FacebookThe Ecoss YouTube channel

Were you there? Tell us about it

What stayed with you? A conversation, a piece of art, a question you took home. Leave a comment or a short review. If you walked the labs online instead, we want to hear that too.
With your OK, we may share a few comments on this page.
Guests in conversation with Victor Leshyk at the show


    How did you see the show?





    Comments go to the Ecoss team. We publish a comment only if you tick the box above.

    The people who made it

    The presenters who were there

    Michelle MackXanthe WalkerTed SchuurMichi HayerEgbert SchwartzPaul DijkstraJavier Ceja-NavarroMatthew BowkerBruce HungateJane MarksJack TorresdalMariah CarboneAndrew Richardson
    Each name links to that presenter’s team page.
    Made possible by

    The McAllister Program in Community, Culture and the Environment

    The McAllister Program, housed with Ecoss at Northern Arizona University, funded most of this evening. It exists to open new conversations about ecology and climate, build bridges between NAU and its neighbours, and create cultural moments where art, climate and science meet. The Sci-Art Show was exactly that.
    About the McAllister Program

    Thank you

    • The Flagstaff Festival of Science
    • NAU International Pavilion
    • NAU Catering
    • NAU Parking

    Thank you for your gift

    To everyone who gave at the show or since: thank you. Gifts to Ecoss support research like this, and the art that brings it to light.
    A general donationhelps where federal funding has fallen short.
    An endowmentgives Ecoss long-term stability.
    A designated giftsupports a program, a student, a research theme or a lab.
    Contribute today More ways to support Ecoss
    Gifts are received through the Northern Arizona University Foundation’s secure giving site.
    QR code for ecoss-nau.org/support-usScan to support Ecoss
    Next up

    Ecoss Sci-Art Show 2027

    Fall 2027 · with the Flagstaff Festival of Science
    NAU International Pavilion · a free community evening
    • New lab dioramas, walked with the researchers who built them
    • Science art from the Ecoss portfolio, in the room
    • Food, drink and conversation at the community mixer
    “I’m already looking forward to the next one and sincerely hope we can once again include an ECOSS exhibit in the next Flagstaff Festival of Science.”Gina Marie Byars, Flagstaff Festival of Science