Katherine (Rin) Ball

Pronouns: she/he

PhD Student, Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology

Rin's research engages across STS and feminist geographies to explore the implementation of federal ocean governance practices in Alaska. He emphasizes how communities are included and excluded from governance practices as well as the role of individuals employed by institutions in engagement practices and physical outcomes. This includes developing innovative tools for education and engagement. Rin received a BS in Oceanography from University of Washington before arriving at ASU for grad school. She completed a Masters in Science and Technology Policy before beginning her current PhD program. When not working Rin can be found exploring her local area, rock climbing, or learning to sew.

Rin is a 2021 NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the Department of Energy's Wind Energy Technologies Office working as a Social Impacts and Stakeholder Engagement specialist focused on offshore wind development.

Rin plans to complete a case study of Pebble Mine, Alaska and contestation related to the projects environmental impact assessment for her dissertation.

Research Interests:

Public engagement in science
Marine/Arctic governance
Imaginaries of place
Situated knowledges
Feminist geographies
More-than-wet ontologies
Social networks

Find publications on google scholar.

Past Projects

Helium Futures

Helium Futures is a collaborative, co-developed board game about potential futures of helium extraction in Arizona, US. Meaningful play is generated for players through scenarios that require difficult decisions and allow players to observe long term impacts through a boom-bust play cycle. Helium Futures received an honorable mention at the 4S 2019 Making & Doing session in New Orleans.

Learn more here.

m-PARR

m-PARR was Rin's first foray into developing tools for public engagement in science and policy. The prototype sensor for sampling ocean micro-plastics was her undergraduate thesis and driven by design criteria to barriers to public participation in research. This project continues to influence Rin's approach relations between tool development, participation, and impact.

m-PARR continues in new forms with UW Ocean Technology students.

Geodesic Radio

Geodesic Radio was a collaborative storytelling activity developed for ASU Emerge 2019. Participants interacted with a 'clue board' containing images and notes captured from a fictional future of a plastic-filled ocean and were asked to string (literally) together stories g in this future. These stories were used to lower barriers of entry for discussions about present day environmental challenges and debates.

Learn more here.

Page updated

Report abuse