Kimberly Boustead

Partner Spotlight: Conversational Reflections on Rambles and Art-Science Engagements

People sitting around a table sewing and talking.

July 25, 2026

A conversation with former MSP LTER artists-in-residence Jessie Merriam, now the MSP LTER Community-Engaged Research Coordinator, and Kimberly Boustead, local artist in the Twin Cities

The MSP LTER's Community Engagement Assessment team studies how inclusive research shapes both scientists and the communities where they do their work. From 2023 to 2025, artists-in-residence Kim Boustead and Jessie Merriam helped bring that work to life, fostering reciprocal relationships between researchers and the Twin Cities community through art and facilitated conversations. In this interview, Kim and Jessie reflect on their work with the MSP LTER over the past two years, the pitfalls and triumphs of community-engaged research, and look to what’s ahead.

Kimberly Boustead

Biography

Kimberly Boustead is a Minneapolis-based multi-disciplinary artist, graphic designer, and Master Naturalist with a focus on environment and education. She often works within local landscapes, using natural materials to begin conversations about the environment and ecosystems. She served as MSP LTER Artist-in-Residence from 2023-2025.

Connect with Kim:

Person making an art print with a dead fish.
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