Join BCAS for social time with light refreshments before this program! Doors open at 6:30.
This program is free, no registration required - just show up and enjoy!
NOTE: This program will be offered in-person only.
First, we will present a Lifetime Achievement Award to Ruth Carol and Glenn Cushman for their decades of contributions to Boulder County, through nature writing and much more!
After the award presentation, Ethan Cleveland will present a talk on his experiences at Hog Island Audubon Camp, “A Scholarship that Took Flight.” Ethan is a local homeschooled birder and field guide who leads trips with Denver Field Ornithologists. He also provides one-on-one birding lessons focused on identification skills, birding etiquette, and practical strategies that help clients become more confident and able to find more birds in the field. His interest in birding began with his grandfather, who first introduced him to nature photography. Through years of birding Cherry Creek State Park, Ethan has gradually honed his birding skills, developing birding into a passion and continuing to develop his skills as both a birder and photographer.
Photo of American pika from the film Speaking Eep! Directed by Jim and JinYoung Jayson, Just Float Films, 2026
After the two short presentations, we will present our main program for the evening.
SPEAKING EEP! follows a team of scientists working to conserve one of North America’s most climate-sensitive species: the American pika. Using a combination of cutting-edge AI technology and traditional research techniques, population biologist Dr. Chris Ray and PhD student Rachel Billings hope to decode the iconic “eeps” of pika language and determine how communication between subspecies might help separate populations of pikas come together to adapt in the face of a warming climate. SPEAKING EEP! highlights women-led science and calls attention to the importance of the American pika as an indicator species. Transporting viewers high into Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the film offers a message of hope that these beloved critters can adapt to an increasingly fragile environment.
Following the film we will have a discussion and Q&A with the filmmakers and researchers.
Above photos: Chris Ray and Rachel Billings. Both photos courtesy of Chris Ray.
Above photos: Jim Jayson by JinYoung Jayson, JinYoung Jayson by Jim Jayson
The filmmakers, Jim and JinYoung Jayson, have volunteered with local pika conservation initiatives for over a decade. JinYoung considers pikas the gateway mammal that drew her into wildlife and conservation work and sparked her passion for telling the stories of the tiny but mighty creatures that live right outside her home. She has experienced first hand the gate-keeping that women in science must overcome to make their voices heard, and has made it a personal goal to spotlight the work of women in science and conservation. Jim has been active in wildlife conservation for over two decades, beginning with a shift into wildlife photography and a goal (still in progress) to photograph all of Colorado's native wildlife in the wild and within state boundaries. Along the way he obtained a master's degree in biology.
Their combined passion, knowledge, unique perspectives, and long-standing commitment and connection to the pika conservation community make Jim and JinYoung the perfect team to tell this story. They started Just Float Films to create immersive wildlife experiences that engage viewers with our planet in new and exciting ways and inspire viewers’ passion for the protection of Earth and the wildlife that call it home.
Photo of American pika from the film Speaking Eep! Directed by Jim and JinYoung Jayson, Just Float Films, 2026
In-Person Gathering - BCAS welcomes everyone back to in-person programs at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Boulder. Doors open at 6:30 PM for socializing with light refreshments, and the program begins at 7:15. While the church is no longer requiring masks, we encourage you to wear your favorite high-quality mask, and we will provide free surgical masks for anyone who needs one. Please stay home if you feel sick.
An FM hearing assistive system is available in the Earth room where BCAS programs are held. The receivers and headsets for these can typically be found in a basket on the table to the right as you enter the double doors to the Earth room. There are four receivers of this type. They are fed sound directly from the sound system and the user can control the volume themselves. See this website for more information on how to use these systems.