ETSU professor Chelsea Wessels
(Contributed)

Nature speaks to people in different ways, but to ETSU professor Chelsea Wessels, that connection is more profound than what can be found on the surface.

On Feb. 5, Wessels will give a lecture titled “Ecofeminism and Industry: Women in Peripheral Film Environments” as part of the “Women on Wednesdays” series. This series has its roots beginning in spring 2012 as a platform for female faculty and staff to discuss their research and engage with audiences about it.

“I look for what people are talking about and what people want to learn more about,” Dr. Phyllis Thompson, Women’s Studies director and creator of the series, said. “Where people are wanting to engage, find ways to get involved, and very importantly, where there is an opportunity for students to meet faculty members or staff member who are doing work in areas that our students might want to get involved in.”

This talk will discuss how the oppression of women and the environment parallel each other. It will include examples of Pacific Northwestern women filmmakers such as Kelly Reichardt, Megan Griffiths and Lynn Shelton, who use ecofeminist politics within their work, both fiction and non-fiction.

“Ecofeminism is kind of the premise that if we care about equality for women, we will also care about the environment, and these two sets of issues are interconnected,” Wessels said. “What I want to talk about is the way that women making films, the way that women are able to make films – who pays for these films and where they make them has an impact on what the films look like – and then what those films are capable of doing for the audience.”

Wessels’ topic was chosen out of prior research she had already been conducting. Entering her second year as a professor at ETSU, she hopes audiences will be interested in the subject, regardless of their background.

“I actually think that, although I am not talking about anything related to Tennessee, I think the idea of how our environment is connected to our ways of being in that environment is particularly relevant to ETSU because this is a regional school, and it is a school that is really invested in the region,” Wessels said. “[Film] is an accessible topic that I hope people are interested in, even if they do not really understand or do not know what to expect going in to movies.”

According to Thompson, Wessel’s work was refreshing and new to the film world, bringing topics to light that are not as commonly discussed.

“Usually when we go to a film talk, we talk about production, lighting, casting, or we talk about critical aspects of the actual film, kind of interpretive aspects,” Thompson said. “She focuses on relationships between people and places and the way that these filmmakers are engaging with people and place. I think that is fascinating.”

The lecture will begin at noon at the Reece Museum, sponsored by the ETSU Women’s Studies program. Wessels encourages students to consider the lecture a chance to expand their knowledge while the chance is available.

“One of the best parts of working and living and going to school is all the opportunities outside the classroom and outside of our jobs to expand our understanding of the world,” Wessels said. “I think ‘Women on Wednesdays,’ because it is such a diverse selection of people and ideas, is a really cool way to do that. To engage with learning things in a sort of informal way.”