Stories from a scientific life, on a snowy Ottawa morning.

The International Day of Disabled Persons (IDPD) promotes people with disabilities being a part of life in all areas, including in science, which is everything all around us and involves everyone. This week on Outlook we hear from Lawrence Gunther, a storyteller with a love of being by or on the water. He got a degree in Environmental Studies and his perspective as a blind person means he’s had to adapt the activities he’s done ever since, with guide dog by his side and without.

we’re speaking with Lawrence Gunther of the podcast Outdoors With Lawrence Gunther and hearing dispatches from his outdoors accessible life on everything from an early childhood out in and exposed to nature, converting boats and navigation, and his perspective on the tactility of fishing which means sight ceases to be a requirement.

He offers tips to blind people on how to find others with similar interests (not necessarily blindness) to spend time outside with and how we have just as much to bring to the experience as anyone else.

Gunther offers lessons, through example, on how there are so many non visual ways to explore, work and play, in the outdoors so hopefully on another international day for disability in the future, scientists with disabilities won’t be such a needed and longed for visible minority.

Lawrence does work to promote the natural world and the environment through multiple forms of media, all of which he provides in a laid back, easy to digest way. Check out some of that, including his podcast, and read more on his website below:

https://lawrencegunther.com