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Deep Dive into Biomimicry

Deep Dive into Biomimicry
August 10-16, 2024 | Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

After more than 20 years of teaching immersion workshops in some of the most fantastic landscapes around the world, we’re trying something new and heading to an oceanscape!

Join Biomimicry 3.8 co-founder Dayna Baumeister and Biomimicry Professional and marine naturalist Andrew Meador for an unforgettable scuba diving experience, exploring majestic coral reefs and reconnecting with marine life in the tropical waters of Bonaire in the Dutch Caribbean.

Why Attend

Bring your organization’s toughest challenge and discover how biological intelligence can drive cutting-edge social innovation solutions. Through six days of experience-driven and science-based discovery and leadership practice, you’ll work with interdisciplinary teams to discover how nature’s genius can foster better collaboration, create successful systems, and navigate change in complex conditions or in times of disturbance. These lessons from nature will help you lead the way to a more adaptable, resilient, cooperative, and networked world.

Who Is It For

Regardless of your familiarity with biomimicry, the workshop is for anyone who wants to re-imagine solutions to social and organizational challenges. Executive, business, non-profit, education, public policy, faith, and government leaders have used this course to change they way they tackle challenges. If you want to learn from nature to inspire new ways of doing business and begin gathering the biomimicry tools you need to elevate the way you think, work, and lead–this workshop is for you.

Where Is It

The workshop will be held at the 8,000-acre Blacktail Ranch, where Montana’s Rocky Mountains meet the prairies in a dramatic convergence of rocky cliffs and grassy hills. You’ll be inspired by the beauty and ruggedness, as well as one of the most biologically rich regions in the entire country. Accommodations include the historical lodge and cabins, and fantastic local, organic food.

What To Expect

Join us on the beautiful tropical island of Bonaire, where you will discover biomimicry through scuba diving. Surround yourself with the incredible biodiversity of Caribbean coral reefs and deepen your connection to the natural world as you learn biomimicry’s essential practices and principles. We will be staying at a private dive resort where we will build community, engage in learning sessions, and explore the ocean together through a series of daily boat dives/snorkeling.

Not scuba-certified? Here are some links to the most popular scuba programs that can help you find a dive shop near you so that you can begin your scuba diving journey with us! You should reach out to your local dive shop to work out the details of your training before arriving in Bonaire.

PREVIEW AGENDA

DEEP DIVE INTO BIOMIMICRY

Here’s a preview of what each day will include:

You can choose to prepare some or all of your own meals in your room’s fully equipped kitchen or explore one of the many local restaurants within walking distance. There are several grocery stores within walking distance for easy access.

8:00 | Group gathers to set the tone for the day’s diving and biomimicry explorations.
9:30 | We’ll enjoy two dives each morning. Some days will be interspersed with a learning session on the boat or beach.
1:00 | Break / Lunch break
2:00-5:30 | We’ll gather to share reflections and observations from the morning’s dives, engage in biomimicry training, and participate in activities and lessons tailored to reconnecting with nature.
6:00 | Head off to dinner as a group or back to your room to prepare your own meal and get ready to repeat tomorrow!

We will also go out one evening for a night dive.

Why are we going underwater?

In addition to the joys of floating weightless in the water, being immersed in beautiful above-and-below wave landscapes, and eye witnessing incredible marine life, it’s more important than ever to establish and maintain a strong connection with our more-than-human neighbors. Whether you live on a coastline or in a landlocked area, humanity depends upon the ocean’s health and vibrancy.

Coral reefs comprise less than 1% of the seafloor’s surface area yet are home to over 25% of their biodiversity. Sharks have helped scientists reimagine antimicrobial surfaces, mantis shrimp have inspired innovative additive manufacturing and 3D printing strategies, and whales have become mentors for building more efficient wind turbine blades. These marine ecosystems are overflowing with natural inspiration for the challenges we are facing as a species and offer a unique and exciting environment for us to (re)connect with Nature.

Together, we’ll be exploring and observing the rich interconnected relationships of this ecosystem, exercising gratitude as a transformative practice, cultivating an intentional practice of reconnecting to nature, and deepening our understanding of Biomimicry Thinking in the context of tropical marine environments. As we observe more of these champion species and their unique strategies in-person, we will apply all three elements of authentic biomimicry [Ethos, (Re)Connect, Emulate] in meaningful and contextually relevant ways.

Location

DiveHut Resort will be our home base for the week on Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands. Due to its location, Bonaire Island is buffered from most Atlantic hurricanes.

Pricing

Workshop fees*
Included in the workshop fees are tuition and course materials, all scuba diving costs (equipment, air, boat, etc), lodging for 6 nights, transportation from the Bonaire airport, and administrative costs. Costs vary depending on the rooming type selected. All room types have a full kitchen and an ensuite bathroom.**

Private accommodations | $4,550
Semi-private (private room in shared apartment) | $4,390
Shared accommodations | $4,270

What’s not included?
To allow for flexibility in pricing and tastes, you’re on your own for meals. Each room has a fully equipped kitchen where you can prepare your own breakfast, lunch or dinner. Or walk to one of the many local restaurants.

Participants are responsible for the cost of travel to and from the Bonaire International Airport (BON) and any needed lodging and transportation before and after the workshop.

*Unlike our standard immersion workshop offerings, this package encompasses a comprehensive week of a fully outfitted scuba adventure coupled with immersive biomimicry training. It’s important to note that the pricing aligns with industry standards for weeklong scuba trips.

**There may be an opportunity to welcome a snorkeling guest, please email us if you’re interested, workshops@biomimicry.net

Discounts

All discounts have limited availability, are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, and may not be combined.

Student Discounts:

Student discount: Enrolled university students save $250.
ASU Students: Enrolled ASU students save $500.

Registration

Regular Registration ends June 1, 2024.

All instructions and pricing information are included within the form. Late registration will be accepted pending availability. Late registrants will incur a $500 late fee. We expect this workshop to sell out so please register early to guarantee your seat in the workshop and preferred rooming choice!

Instructors

Dr. Dayna Baumeister | With a devotion to applied natural history and a passion for sharing the genius of nature, Dr. Dayna Baumeister has worked in the field of biomimicry with business partner Janine Benyus since 1998, traveling the world as a biomimicry thought-leader, business consultant, and professor. Together they founded the Biomimicry Guild consulting practice, The Biomimicry Institute 501c3, and Biomimicry 3.8, a B-Corp social enterprise that helps clients find innovation inspired by nature and offers the highest level of biomimicry training to professionals worldwide.

Dayna’s foundational work has been critical to the biomimicry movement, establishing it as a fresh and innovative practice, as well as a philosophy to meet the world’s sustainability challenges. As an educator, researcher, and design consultant, Dayna has helped more than 100 companies consult the natural world for elegant and sustainable design solutions, as diverse as Nike, Interface, General Mills, Boeing, Google, Natura, Herman-Miller, Kohler, Seventh Generation and Procter & Gamble. Dayna is a natural systems thinker and brings a unique perspective to her work to help others see nature as model, measure, and mentor. She designed and teaches the world’s first MSc in Biomimicry as a Professor of Practice at ASU, co-founded, is director of The Biomimicry Center at ASU. She compiled more than 20 years of experience in the practice of biomimicry into the world’s only textbook for the field: Biomimicry Resource Handbook: A Seed Bank of Knowledge and Best Practices (2014).

Andrew Meador | Andrew is a scientist and educator with a passion for facilitating reconnection to nature. He graduated from Purdue University with a BS Interdisciplinary Chemistry, earned his MS Biomimicry from Arizona State University, and is also a member of the current Biomimicry Professional cohort. He has been a professional scientist in the fields of nanotechnology, molecular biology, water quality assurance, and marine biology (where he is currently studying an incredibly fast shrimp species that can be found in Bonaire), and has worked as an independent contractor for both The Biomimicry Institute and Biomimicry 3.8. He is a recent transplant to Washington state, and while formerly living in Tennessee he was a board member of the Chattanooga Audubon Society, a scuba diver for the Tennessee Aquarium, and gave a TEDx talk entitled “Birds and Biomimicry”. He is PADI Rescue-certified and holds a Science of Diving accreditation from Scuba Schools International. When not engaging with his scientific interests, he can be found hiking, enjoying the outdoors, and skateboarding.

Check out this video created by Andrew Meador.

Questions?

Email us at workshops@biomimicry.net

Check out our frequently asked questions.

FAQ

When we begin to see the Earth and its biodiversity as models and mentors, then we will have the right motivation and the right perspective to fit in—to survive and to thrive.

— Dr. Dayna Baumeister, Biomimicry 3.8 Co-Founder

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Deep Dive into Biomimicry