Karen Karbiener - Episode 5

In this episode of The Coastal Call, Fairfield University’s Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies welcomes Karen Karbiener, PhD, clinical professor at New York University and president of the Walt Whitman Initiative, for a conversation about poetry, place, and environmental awareness. Joined by Rob Nazarian, PhD, Elizabeth Petrino, PhD, and Bryan Ripley Crandall PhD, Dr. Karbiener explores how Walt Whitman’s relationship with the Long Island Sound shaped his poetry, imagination, and understanding of the natural world. The conversation connects literature, coastal environments, K-12 education, and the power of storytelling to deepen care for the places we share. Listen to learn how poetry can help us see the Sound not only as a body of water, but as a source of reflection, creativity, and connection. Learn more about Fairfield University’s Center for Climate, Coastal, and Marine Studies.