Dena Seidel is an interdisciplinary social scientist who combines anthropology, ethnographic filmmaking, science storytelling and STEM learning methodologies. Seidel is currently the science outreach specialist for the Rutgers Marine Science Department.
Trained in both anthropology (MA) and filmmaking, Seidel’s research focuses on the potential of ethnographic science filmmaking to connect scientists, science communities and research with public audiences. As an educator, Seidel seeks to connect non-science students to STEM learning through collaborative science storytelling in trusting partnership with real world researchers.
Dena Seidel is an award winning science filmmaker, a published short story author, and the architect of the university’s first Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Filmmaking. Seidel developed the first accredited film production programs at Rutgers and she is the founding director of the Rutgers Center for Digital Filmmaking (Rutgers Filmmaking Center) in the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University serving from 2011-2015. From 2007-2011, Seidel taught filmmaking as creative writing classes in the Rutgers English Department during which time she directed the feature film Atlantic Crossing with her film students.
Seidel is one of the only university professors to produce research based feature length documentary films for national broadcast with her undergraduate students and is the first to introduce this educational concept to Rutgers. Seidel is also the only university professor to direct a feature documentary for the National Science Foundation in Antarctica which resulted in the award winning film Antarctic Edge: 70° South.
Seidel has established creative and trusting partnerships with researchers across many disciplines and has also produced more than a dozen university visiting filmmaker events for Spike Lee, Academy Award winner Ross Kauffman, Academy Award nominee Marshall Curry, Sam Pollard, Pamela Yates, Jenny Livingston, Fabien Cousteau, National Geographic producer Peter Schnall, and executive director of NOVA Paula Apsell. Seidel also worked closely with Professor Rich Lutz to secure the Al Giddings underwater cinematography library for Rutgers as Seidel had been Giddings’ co-producer on the two hour Discovery Channel special “Forbidden Depths.”
Prior to becoming a university professor in 2007, Seidel worked on films for National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Channel 13/WNET, HBO, ABC, The Learning Channel, WGBH Boston and Turner Broadcasting. She is the recipient of a New York Emmy for Outstanding Editing and a New York Festivals Award for Best Editing. The two hour Discovery Channel special, Carrier: Fortress at Sea, edited by Seidel won the 1995 Emmy for Best Documentary in the category of Outstanding Cultural Programming. Seidel was the co-producer, editor and writer of the two-hour Discovery Channel special, Forbidden Depths.
From 2016-2019, Seidel focussed on sustainable development and ocean conservation projects for Pacific island nations. Seidel has a Masters degree in cultural anthropology and she has worked closely with traditional leaders in Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Marshall Islands, Palau, Micronesia and Tonga.
Seidel is currently the Ambassador at Large for Academic and Research Partnerships for Pohnpei State, Federated States of Micronesia.
Seidel is also a published fiction writer. Her short story “Good Times” was published in the Hudson Review Anthology Writes of Passage 2008 along with a story by Tennessee Williams.