Heather O’Leary, professor of anthropology at St Petersburg’s College of South Florida, units the story of Florida’s declining oyster inhabitants to music.
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
Florida’s oysters are in hassle. Overfishing and environmental components are devastating the inhabitants there, and a gaggle of scientists within the sunshine state need you to study it by making unhealthy knowledge into good music to your ears.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
HEATHER O’LEARY: I am Dr. Heather O’Leary. I am an affiliate professor on the College of South Florida within the division of anthropology.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
RASCOE: O’Leary says she’s a science ambassador.
O’LEARY: I am a water anthropologist. And so, primarily, we ask the questions on, what’s it wish to be human over house and time, however particularly, by people’ elementary relationships with their water?
RASCOE: Oysters are deeply related to northwest Florida’s cultural historical past.
O’LEARY: For many individuals, particularly people on the coast, they’ve grown up round oysters, whether or not or not they’re an intergenerational member of a household who has gone shucking and oystering way back to a household can keep in mind or in the event that they merely simply get pleasure from oysters as part of their seafood.
RASCOE: So it is smart that O’Leary, who’s primarily based in St. Pete, Florida, would pay shut consideration to oysters as a water anthropologist. And to make her knowledge extra accessible to common folks, she obtained the scholars of anthropology and music at USF to translate the numbers to music. They got here up with this jaunty tune.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
RASCOE: However why jazz?
O’LEARY: After I say the phrase oysters to lots of people, their mind goes in a few completely different instructions. A few of them take into consideration the roaring ’20s, like, dwelling to extra with numerous completely different sorts of, like, oysters and champagne and “The Nice Gatsby.”
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “THE GREAT GATSBY”)
LEONARDO DICAPRIO: (As Jay Gatsby) I am afraid I have never been an excellent host, outdated sport.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
DICAPRIO: (As Jay Gatsby) You see…
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
DICAPRIO: (As Jay Gatsby) …I am Gatsby.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
RASCOE: O’Leary says you’ll be able to truly hear the numbers they work with.
O’LEARY: When folks take heed to the MIDI file, they’ll hear that there are modifications within the pitch of the music. So the upper the worth of oysters which might be being introduced in, the upper the notes. So you may hear the melody change.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
O’LEARY: And you may as well hear some modifications to the rhythm. The sooner the rhythm goes, the extra instances individuals are going out for oyster journeys.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
RASCOE: And O’Leary needs your suggestions.
O’LEARY: I feel my dream in creating this group of interdisciplinary collaborators and communities is basically the truth that we do not need folks to simply hear. We wish them to play with the info, see the patterns and listen to the patterns in numerous methods than we have now, and assist us clarify a number of the anomalies within the knowledge. As a result of when scientists will be good listeners to the group, then we’re doing science proper.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
RASCOE: O’Leary says the composition is only a prototype proper now. The USF Symphonic Band will carry out the completed piece stay early subsequent yr.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
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