The Frog Barn: Engineering for Wildlife Conservation

We live in a world in which technology is prolific and extraordinary — from artificial intelligence, to space exploration, to the sheer ubiquity of contemporary smartphones. And yet despite this technological revolution, we are witnessing a changing climate, collapsing ecosystems, and the sixth mass species extinction. Personally, this juxtaposition has been deeply heartbreaking for me and difficult to comprehend. Surely our technological expertise and capabilities can be used not just for consumer products, but also to support a flourishing diversity of life on our planet?

In that light, seeing the work of my colleagues at the Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology has brought me persistent hope and a deep conviction that individuals can bring positive change, ultimately inspiring this film. I hope that the film can give our community a look into a curious barn in the quiet woods of upstate New York, and into the stories of the skillful engineers who work there. The acoustic recording hardware built here enables scientists to listen to birds, whales, elephants, frogs, and bats around the world — from the ocean depths to the forest canopy, from the tropics to the arctic — providing invaluable data to support informed conservation efforts.

As Dr. Jane Goodall has said, “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Technology too inevitably makes a difference, and it is our responsibility to choose what future we build. My final hope for this film is to encourage engineers — from the passionate student to the seasoned expert — to consider dedicating their knowledge, time, and care towards building a better world for people and wildlife alike.