Imagine Solutions Conference

iNaturalist is making an impact in Southwest Florida! Thank you to Scott Loarie for speaking at our 2026 conference. And thank you to Gulfcoast News for sharing this good news with us.

App helps researchers track invasive species and rediscover lost wildlife App helps researchers track invasive species and rediscover lost wildlife.

Our Imagine Solutions volunteers are the heart, soul, and steady hands that make this day of big ideas possible.

We simply could not do it without them.

To every volunteer who gave their time, talent, and spirit — thank you. You are the quiet force that makes big ideas possible. 💙

Another powerful reminder today: learning isn’t reserved for the young — it’s for the curious. 😃

Seth Green, Graham School of the University of Chicago, is showing how lifelong learning fuels innovation, civic engagement, and personal growth.

Stay curious. Stay engaged. Stay learning. 🙌

Right now, Scott Loarie, co-founder of iNaturalist, is inspiring our audience with a powerful reminder:

🌎 We are all scientists.

Through iNaturalist, millions of people around the world are documenting plants, animals, insects, and ecosystems - turning simple observations into real scientific data that helps researchers track biodiversity and protect our planet.

It’s technology at its best: connecting curiosity with purpose.
It’s community science in action.
And it proves that small actions, a photo, a shared sighting, a moment of wonder, can create global impact.

In a world often focused on what’s going wrong, Scott shows us what’s possible when everyday people engage with nature and with each other.

Colleen Shogan, the first woman to serve as the 11th Archivist of the United States, took the stage and reminded us what stewardship of history truly means.

Responsible for overseeing more than 11 billion records at the National Archives until February 2025, she carried the weight of our nation’s memory, from the founding documents to the stories that continue to shape us.

Now, she’s channeling that experience into something new: In Pursuit, a free online initiative from More Perfect, led by some of the country’s most thoughtful students of history. Together, they’re examining our first 250 years and distilling timeless lessons to inspire and inform the future.

History isn’t just about the past.
It’s about who we choose to become. 🇺🇸

Kirk Johnson of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History instilled his deep passion for nature, discovery, and the power of museums in a presentation that truly inspired. 🌿🏛️ You could feel the audience leaning in and maybe even planning their next museum visit.

Historian and renowned professor Louis Masur, truly the “history professor everyone wishes they had”, took the stage first, delivering a captivating and thought-provoking look at our nation’s past and why it still matters. The perfect tone-setter for a day of big ideas.