Metcalf Institute’s 2026 Annual Public Lecture Series Concluded with an Immersive Fall Lecture in North Woods on October 14
Our annual Fall Lecture highlighted the URI Digital Writing Environments, Location, & Localization Lab (DWELL Lab)’s North Woods Field Guide project. In a two-part event, the DWELL Lab team led an interactive walk through the North Woods, followed by a conversation about the field guide and a zine-making activity.
RISD student and DWELL Lab team member Ellie Lin will led participants on a walk through the North Woods, located on URI’s Kingston campus. This walk explored the rich ecology, human history, and significance of the North Woods as a communal space. Following the Narragansett Story Walk, participants also had the opportunity to sketch, reflect, and immerse themselves in the environment.
From 6 to 7:30 p.m., join us for a conversation, reception, and zine-making at Toray Commons, The Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering, 2 East Alumni Avenue, Kingston, R.I. 02881. The conversation will focus on the creation of the first edition of the North Woods Field Guide, featuring Lin; Madison Jones, associate professor of science communication and director of the DWELL Lab; Bonnie Phillips, ecoRI News editor, North Woods Field Guide partner, and a URI alum; and Stephanie West-Puckett, URI associate professor of professional and public writing, who’s leading the creation of the guide; and moderated by Metcalf Executive Director Fara Warner.
After the discussion and audience Q&A, attendees created zines documenting their experiences, also led by Lin.
This event, as part of Metcalf’s 2026 Annual Public Lecture Series, was free and open to the public. Notebooks and writing utensils were provided for the walk, as well as materials to make the zines, from the Creative Reuse Center of Rhode island.