Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster University

TONIGHT: Join us this evening from 5:30-8:30 PM at the Jewett Center for Performing Arts for Great Salt Lake Audubon's Fall Forum in collaboration with Great Salt Lake Institute. Come listen to Dr. Trish O'Kane and Dr. Bonnie Baxter discuss the passion and science that is birding, the importance of birds in local ecosystems, and the importance of conserving these vital species.

Save the date! Next Friday from 5:30-8:30 PM. Join Great Salt Lake Audubon and Great Salt Lake Institute for the 14th annual Fall Forum featuring Dr. Trish O'Kane, author of Birding to Change the World: A Memoir.

Come join us Friday, November 14th at the Jewett Center for Performing Arts. Dr. Trish O'Kane, environmental educator and human rights activist, will be reading from her memoir Birding to Change the World. She and Dr. Bonnie Baxter will discuss how birdwatching can be both a passion and a path to environmental activism, and the importance of protecting local birds.

Happy Halloween from GSLI! Brought to you by the spooky extremophiles of the Great Salt Lake!

More pictures from the Intersection of Arts and Science panel discussion with Dr. Bonnie Baxter and artists Kellie Bornhoft and Carey Campbell with the This Was Water exhibit at Dumke Arts Plaza.

On Friday, October 3rd, Dr. Bonnie Baxter and artists Kellie Bornhoft and Carey Campbell discussed the intersection between science and art, and why both are important for advocacy, progress, and change.
The piece that inspired this panel discussion was the This Was Water exhibit at the outdoor Dumke Arts Plaza. The grand sculptures, the largest one weighing almost 2000 pounds, mimic a Great Salt Lake phenomenon known as gypsum crystals.

Scan the QR code to help us name our beloved GSLI chicken!

Consumptive water use has depleted inflows to the Great Salt Lake by approximately 39%, drastically reducing the amount of water that naturally reaches the lake. Of this usage, the largest share—about 64%—is diverted for agricultural purposes, primarily to irrigate crops in the surrounding region. Municipal and industrial demands account for another 11%, supplying water to nearby cities and communities. Additionally, 13% of the diverted water supports solar evaporation ponds, which are used for mineral extraction, while the remaining 13% goes toward a variety of other uses.

✨ This Friday, October 3rd at 6pm, join us at Dumke Arts Plaza for a panel on the intersection of science and art. 🌊🎨 Artists Kellie Bornhoft and Carey Campbell, creators of the This Was Water exhibit, will be in conversation with Dr. Bonnie Baxter, Professor of Biology at Westminster University and Director of the Great Salt Lake Institute. Together, they’ll dive into how scientific research and artistic expression complement one another—revealing new ways to understand our environment, raising awareness of urgent ecological issues, and inspiring us to imagine a healthier, more sustainable future for our planet. 🌍

On Friday, October 3rd at 6 p.m., artists of the current exhibition is This Was Water, Kellie Bornhoft and Carey Campbell, will have a public discussion at the Dumke Arts Plaza with Dr. Bonnie Baxter, Professor of Biology at Westminster University and Director of the Great Salt Lake Institute.

Come celebrate art, community, and the Great Salt Lake at the Mural Party in Rose Park! Join an incredible lineup of artists and community organizations all working toward spreading awareness about the future of Great Salt lake.
This one night only event will feature the unveiling of “Watchers of the Shore,” a vibrant new mural by Trevor Dahl that blends science and imagination to inspire action to protect the lake.

This free, public event is open to all. Bring your friends and join us for an evening of creativity, reflection, and celebration!
Wed, Sept 10 | 5–7pm
936 W 1000 N, Salt Lake City

Background on the recently released Great Salt Lake License plates. Funds from these plates will go to programs in support of the Great Salt Lake.