2015 ANNUAL REPORT the SAFINA CENTER Formerly BLUE OCEAN INSTITUTE PROFILE
2015 ANNUAL REPORT THE SAFINA CENTER formerly BLUE OCEAN INSTITUTE PROFILE “Isabella is a true genius at getting a point across in totally unexpected ways; her Green Porno series is a brilliant example.” —Carl Safina ISABELLA ROSSELLINI Film and Fashion Icon, Science Communicator, Nature Lover Most of us know Isabella Rossellini from the big screen, small screen, covers of top fashion magazines and as the face of Lancôme. Lesser known, perhaps, is her lifelong love of animals and her endless fascination with science. Most recently, her award-winning series of shorts, Green Porno, combines creative storytelling with insightful lessons about animals’ sexual behaviors. Created with the goal of translating the dense science-speak of academic texts into understandable language for non-scientists, the result is fascinating, entertaining and altogether educational. Green Porno was followed by two other animal-themed television productions: Seduce Me: The Spawn of Green Porno and Mammas—a celebration of the Rossellini says, “I envied Carl’s ability to hear bird song, to maternal aspects of the animal world. identify the species, know where those birds were traveling To prepare for Green Porno, Rossellini spent time with Alan Alda, acclaimed actor from, and know which fish were followed by specific birds. He and namesake of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook understands wild nature and beautifully ‘decodes’ it for readers. University. Alda is an ambassador for communicating science to broad audiences Since he and I live near each other on Long Island, I read Lazy of all ages. Point with great attention.” Rossellini explains, “In the attempt to be absolutely precise, scientists create a While working in Boston on her new film,JOY , Isabella received language that is so enigmatic, you can’t understand it.
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