Curating the Narrative Arc

In many ways, we are defined by our stories. Who we are, what we love to do, our passions, dreams, hopes, and actions can all be distilled down into narratives told by and about us.

Institutions are also defined by stories; mission statements, the vision of leadership, the stories of the day-to-day actions, relationships, and hard work of dedicated individuals who make it all possible. These stories are part of the glue that holds organizations together and these stories champion institutional accomplishments to the world. 

For over a decade, Constance Walter has led the storytelling efforts at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF). The narrative arc she helped craft has followed the incredible advancements made in every aspect of America’s Underground Lab in the last 11 years.

“Since I've been here, there has been so much positive growth,” Walter said. “I've been fortunate to have worked with some incredibly amazing people in every department at SURF. It's incredible what can happen in nearly 11 years when you have a dedicated team of very talented people who work hard every day to see things progress.”

Walter covered all aspects of the science at SURF. This included physics such as the dark matter experiments, LUX and LZ; the compact particle accelerator CASPAR; the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR’s investigation of the imbalance of matter and antimatter in the universe; and the ramp up to the massive undertaking that is DUNE. She also covered biology at SURF including the efforts to explore microbial life that thrives in extreme environments underground. Furthermore, Walter followed the pioneering work on geothermal energy at SURF that could revolutionize electricity generation.

“I loved the excitement of being able to talk about these experiments, to go out to the public and talk about them, and to write stories about all the wonderful things happening here,” says Walter.

Her colleagues credit Walter for humanizing scientific pursuits and the wide range work happening across all aspects of SURF.

"Constance values human-centric storytelling, and has always encouraged her team to find the details -- a joke at the end of a quote, a researcher's favorite science fiction novel, an anecdote about a long-standing friendship that made a research project a success -- that showcase the human beings who are making SURF's mission a reality each day,” said Erin Woodward who worked as a communications specialist and science writer on Walter’s team. “Her storytelling captures the day-to-day lives, conversations, and relationships that make SURF larger than the sum of its parts."

Walter’s storytelling included a focus on the expansion of SURF’s Education and Outreach team. Today the team reaches 16-20,000 K-12 students with hands-on STEM education activities and curriculum each year while inspiring and empowering hundreds of teaching professionals annually. This effort is in fulfillment of the vision of those who created the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority (SDSTA) 20 years ago to see the organization nuture future generations of STEM professionals.

“We worked hard to tell these stories and to support the work happening to build STEM capacity for future generations. I worked with a great group of people. Matt Kapust is such an integral part of the team. Erin Woodward just really took the writing to another level. She became our go-to science writer and told wonderful stories about the science,” Walter said.

"Constance gave me the encouragement, the mentorship, and the freedom I needed to grow into the writer I am today, and I couldn't be more grateful. She has certainly left a mark on this institution, as a leader of the communications team, a mentor to a score of summer interns and countless students over the years, and a friend to everyone she worked with,” said Woodward.

Walter enjoyed covering operations at SURF as much as science. She covered the construction of the state-of-the-art engineering and maintenance facility in the Rounds Operation Center (ROC). She touted SURF’s success in putting safety first as the organization ramped up to a million hours without a lost-time injury. 

“You can't do the science without the operations behind it and there's no reason to have an operations team if you don't have the science right. So, this is a very synergistic relationship, and the thing that I have found amazing over the years is the way these the scientists and the operations folks recognize the value of each one,” says Walter. 

Touting the value of operations is also about touting the long history of workers whose efforts to construct the largest underground gold mine on this continent made America’s Underground Lab possible.

“The past Homestake workers have been instrumental in helping me understand this history. Sitting down to talk with any of them about their work during Homestake days is so valuable,” Walter said. “I don't like to say I had favorites, but Charlie Roth was one of my favorites. He worked in the in the Yates Shaft for a while, before he became a motorman underground. Charlie retired a few years ago, and I got to write a story about him, and it was one of the most enjoyable articles to write.”

Walter also managed hundreds of local, national, and global press visits to SURF and helped coordinate coverage and logistics when dignitaries like Buzz Aldrin or Mark Zukerberg dropped in for underground tours—sometimes in the middle of SURF’s biggest event of the year, Neutrino Day, which she was also instrumental in organizing over the past decade. 

“Neutrino Day is our signature event. And when I started here, I think we had about 600 people attending, and now we're up to 2,000 so seeing that grow over the years has been just fantastic,” Walter said. 

Mike Headley agrees. He is the executive director of the SDSTA and laboratory director at SURF.  

“The growth of our overall outreach efforts and our annual Neutrino Day event at SURF is largely thanks to the work Constance has done over the last 11 years. Her work set the stage for our communications efforts going forward,” said Headley.

“I want to thank Mike Headley and the SDSTA board for their leadership and support in helping to bring the mission and vision of SURF to life,” Walter said.

Walter is looking forward to her retirement when she will get to travel to spend more time with her family including her children and grandchildren.

“I will miss people most,” she said. “At SURF you work with so many different people, from custodians to scientists to hoist operators, electricians, administrators, admin professionals, communicators, educators. Working at a place where you rub shoulders won a regular basis, with incredible people every day, that's unbelievable."

After more than a decade of telling the stories of the people at SURF, Walter leaves excited to see the future unfold.

“You don't have to understand every aspect of physics or the life sciences, biology, or geology, or engineering, to know that the work that is being done right here in the Black Hills of South Dakota is some of the most important work being done in science today. Everyone working at SURF recognizes this. It’s just amazing to see all of this coming together in this one place,” she said.