7. Celeste Henery and Ramya Swayamprakash on Academia and Beyond

In this episode, assistant executive editor Dr. Ramya Swakamprakash and contributor Dr. Celeste Henery discuss going beyond academia, translation of concepts, the practice of writing, and much more. Dr. Ramya Swayamprakash (she/her/Amma) is an assistant executive editor for EHN and also the editor of our Tools for Change series. She’s an Assistant Professor in Integrative, Religious, and Intercultural Studies at the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI. A transnational and interdisciplinary environmental scholar who doctoral work focused on rivers, dredging, and the place of nature in the Great Lakes, Ramya’s research has been published in academic and public-facing avenues. She takes tea and dredging (not necessarily in that order) seriously. In addition to her work on the Great Lakes, Ramya is now going back to her earlier interest in dams in post colonial India. As a survivor of domestic abuse and as a single parent, Ramya’s scholarship is driven by a commitment to social/ecological justice and equity. Dr. Celeste Henery (she/her) is a cultural anthropologist working at the intersections of race, gender, and health; specifically, what it means to feel well, individually and collectively, in these troubling times. Her broader research interests include black ecologies, feminisms, and diaspora studies. Celeste currently works as a Research Associate in the Department of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Her writing on black life across the diaspora has been published in various academic journals and frequently appears on the blog Black Perspectives. In addition to her academic endeavors, Celeste works as a mitigation specialist, conducts interviews for the Texas After Violence Project, and guides others to creatively navigate their projects and lives. Further Reading: Celeste Henery, "Walking and Writing in Unsettled Times," https://envhistnow.com/2021/09/10/problems-of-place-walking-and-writing-in-unsettled-times/ This show is produced and edited by Emma Moesswilde and Natalie Wilkinson, with music provided by Natalie Wilkinson and Christine Murphy. Special thanks to Elizabeth Hameeteman. For more on Ecotones Now, click here. Thanks for listening! A full transcript of this episode is available at: https://bit.ly/3Y5Iht7