SEMINARS & EVENTS
Sustainability Seminar Series
2008 Fall Semester Sustainability Seminar Series
Our Class & 3 Free Public Presentations from our off campus guests:
Fall 2008 - Promising Research Paths for Sustainability: Cutting Edge Perspectives from the Natural and Social Sciences
ESPP 891 ~ 1 unit credit/no credit
Location: Agriculture Hall room 75
Time: 6 Fridays 10:30am – 1pm
Meeting Dates: Sept 5, Sept 19, Oct 3, Oct 17, Oct 31 & Nov 7
Facilitated by: Dr. Paul Thompson
Catered lunch hosted by SMEP
This seminar series focused on the work of six internationally renowned speakers from the social and natural science disciplines. Through in-depth discussions with speakers, we explored what their discipline has to offer to sustainability. In addition to learning about the cutting edge of the research in their discipline, we explored future research directions and connections between MSU and the world. Graduate students from all disciplines were encouraged to enroll.
Benefits of taking the course:
-
1. Explore the cutting edge of sustainability in both the natural and social sciences
2. Refine your thesis questions & investigate future research directions
3. Cultivate interdisciplinary networks here at MSU and at other universities around the world
- September 5, 2008 -- Dr. Erin Dreelin, Associate Director, Center for Water Sciences, Michigan State University
http://cws.msu.edu/about_us/people.html
- September 19, 2008 -- Dr. Emilio Moran, Emilio F. Moran, James H. Rudy Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University
http://www.indiana.edu/~anthro/people/faculty/moran.html
- October 3, 2008 -- Dr. Scott Swinton, Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics, Michigan State University
https://www.msu.edu/~swintons/
- October 17, 2008 -- Dr. Mike Hamm, C. S. Mott Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, Michigan State University
http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/People/CurrentMembers/tabid/120/Default.aspx
- October 31, 2008 -- Dr. Casey Hoy, Kellogg Endowed Chair in Agricultural Ecosystem Management, Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University
http://oardc.osu.edu/entomology/personnelsingle.asp?strid=314
- November 7, 2007 -- Dr. Arun Agrawal, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan http://snre.umich.edu/profile/arunagra
2007 Fall Semester Sustainability Seminar Series
Our Class & 3 Free Public Presentations from our off campus guests:
Fall 2007 - Promising Research Paths for Sustainability: Cutting Edge Perspectives from the Natural and Social Sciences
ESPP 891 ~ 1 unit credit/no credit
Location: Case Residence Halls, upstairs, classroom 340
Time: 6 Fridays 10am – 1pm
Meeting Dates: Sept 7, Sept 21, Oct 5, Oct 19, Nov 2 & Nov 16
Facilitated by: Dr. Paul Thompson
Catered lunch hosted by SMEP
This seminar series focused on the work of six internationally renowned speakers from the social and natural science disciplines. Through in-depth discussions with speakers, we explored what their discipline has to offer to sustainability. In addition to learning about the cutting edge of the research in their discipline, we explored future research directions and connections between MSU and the world. Graduate students from all disciplines were encouraged to enroll.
Benefits of taking the course:
-
1. Explore the cutting edge of sustainability in both the natural and social sciences
2. Refine your thesis questions & investigate future research directions
3. Cultivate interdisciplinary networks here at MSU and at other universities around the world
- Sept 7 -- Dr. Bryan Norton - http://www.spp.gatech.edu/faculty/faculty/bnorton.php
- Sept 21 -- Dr. Joe Arvai [Skunkworks Lab] http://www.msu.edu/~sknkwrks/people/arvai/arvai.html
- Oct 5 -- Dr. Tom Dietz - http://ecoculturalgroup.msu.edu/people/dietz.htm
- Oct 19 -- Dr. Jianguo (Jack) Liu - http://www.csis.msu.edu/personnel/liu_jianguo.htm
- Nov 2 -- Dr. Kate Clancy - Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA.)
- Nov 16 -- Dr. Greg Keoleian - http://www.snre.umich.edu/profile/gregak
Some of our course participants wrote:
-
"GREAT class and I’m very glad that I took it. It REALLY helped me think in new ways about sustainability and diverse ways to include analysis of sustainability in my own research."
"I thought that all of the speakers were extremely helpful and they brought significant insightfulness to interdisciplinary approaches."
"It was great to interact with students with such diverse backgrounds. I expect I’ll be contacting some in the future."
Our first seminar was Friday September 7th . We met with Dr. Bryan Norton and discussed a section of his book, Sustainability: A Philosophy of Adaptive Ecosystem Management.
Professor Norton teaches in the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech. He writes on inter-generational equity, sustainability theory, bio-diversity policy and on valuation methods. His specialty is the integration of spatio-temporal scaling considerations into sustainability criteria. ~ ~ http://www.spp.gatech.edu/faculty/faculty/bnorton.php
To keep with the philosophy theme, our lunch was Middle Eastern and we enjoyed a delicious meal including stuffed grape leaves prepared by Sultan’s Express.
Dr. Norton presented his latest paper: “Scale Matters! Sustainability in a Multi-Scalar World” at a free public talk in South Kedzie Hall, followed by a reception. This event was co-sponsored by the Philosophy Department.
Our second seminar was Friday September 21st. We met with Dr. Joe Arvai and discussed 3 papers: -
1. Teaching Students to Make Better Decisions About the Environment: Lessons From the Decision Sciences
Joseph L. Arvai, Victoria E. A. Campbell, Anne Baird, and Louie Rivers
2. Testing Alternative Decision Approaches for Identifying Cleanup Priorities at Contaminated Sites Joseph L. Arvai & Robin Gregory
3. When Less is More: How Affect Influences Preferences When Comparing Low and High-risk Options Robyn S. Wilson & Joseph L. Arvai
http://www.msu.edu/~sknkwrks/people/people/arvai.html
To keep with the theme of decision making and risk, our lunch took many participants outside their comfort zone and we tried something new; Mama Bear’s Café provided us with a complete raw food lunch including stuffed portabella mushrooms and a soup (pureed vegetables). Everyone agreed, it was very yummy and filling.
Student have read a number of essays about sustainability science and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment over the course of the seminar. Dr. Deitz’s research focuses on the human driving forces of environmental change (see www.stirpat.org) and on the interplay between science, democracy and the environment. He is a National Associate of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Danforth Fellow and has won the Distinguished Contribution Award of the Section on Environment, Technology and Society of the American Sociological Association. He chairs the U.S. National Research Council/ National Academy of Sciences Panel on “Public Participation in Environmental Assessment and Decision-Making” and is past-chair of the Committee on Human Dimensions of Global Change.
To keep with the theme of bringing many things together, we enjoyed a Teriyaki Stir Fry from Good Eats Catering.
Our fourth seminar was on Friday October 19th and we met with Dr. Jack Liu.
We explored:
1. Effects of Household Dynamics on Resource Consumption and Biodiversity.
Nature 421(6922):530-533 JAN 30 2003;
Liu, J., G. C. Daily, P. R. Ehrlich, and G. W. Luck 2003
2. Complexity of Coupled Human and Natural Systems
Science 317: 1513-1516 September 14 2007
Jianguo Liu,1* Thomas Dietz,2 Stephen R. Carpenter,3 Marina Alberti,4 Carl Folke,5,6 Emilio Moran,7 Alice N. Pell,8 Peter Deadman,9 Timothy Kratz,10 Jane Lubchenco,11 Elinor Ostrom,12 Zhiyun Ouyang,13 William Provencher,14 Charles L. Redman,15 Stephen H. Schneider,16 William W. Taylor1
Dr. Liu's research interests include conservation ecology, landscape ecology, human-environment interactions, systems modeling and simulation, and impacts of human population and activity on spatio-temporal dynamics of endangered species such as the giant panda in China. He is keenly interested in integrating ecology with socioeconomics as well as human demography and behavior for understanding and managing patterns, processes and sustainability of biodiversity and natural resources/ecosystem services across multiple temporal and spatial scales. He has been on the MSU faculty since he completed his postdoctoral study at Harvard University in 1995 (from 2001-2002, he was on sabbatical in the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University). In recognition of his efforts and achievements in research, teaching, and public service, Dr. Liu has been given a number of awards, including the Guggenheim Fellowship Award from Guggenheim Foundation, Distinguished Service Award from US-IALE, NSF’s CAREER Award, Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellowship from the Ecological Society of America, Lilly Teaching Fellowship, and Teacher-Scholar Award from MSU.
To keep with the theme of sharing resources within families, we enjoyed a home-style Ethiopian meal from Altu’s Resturant. Altu made us 4 family style platters and we sat in small groups enjoying good food and good conversation.
Our fifth seminar was on November 2nd with Dr. Kate Clancy.
We discussed:
1. Reclaiming the Social and Environmental Roots of Nutrition Education
2. Reconnecting Farmers and Citizens in the Food System
3. Sustainable Agriculture & Domestic Hunger
Dr. Clancy is currently a Senior Fellow, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, University of Minnesota. In the recent past she has served as a Senior Scientist for the Union of Concerned Scientists. She currently consults for the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Organic Farming Research Foundation, the USDA-CSREES, and numerous other organizations. Dr. Clancy gave a public presentation, co-sponsored by SMEP and LPI from 3-5 pm in Room 75 in Ag Hall. Her talk is entitled: Agricultural Land Use, Comments from an Interested Observer.
To keep with the theme of eating nutritious, organic, local food we enjoyed a delicious hot meal from Mama Bear’s. All their ingredients were purchased locally at the farmer’s market and they did a beautiful job of recommending dishes that were tasty and in season.
After meeting with several graduates students and a faculty member, Dr. Kate Clancy gave a talk entitled “Agricultural Land Use, Comments from an Interested Observer" from 3-5 pm on Friday November 2nd. Her talk was co-sponsored by the Land Policy Institute.
Our final seminar was Friday November 16th with Dr. Greg Keoleian. We discussed his chapter on Life Cycle Sustainability Metrics.
Keoleian, G.A. and D.V. Spitzley. "Life Cycle Based Sustainability Metrics." Chapter 7 in Sustainability Science and Engineering: Defining Principles (Sustainability Science and Engineering, Volume 1), M.A. Abraham, Ed. Elsevier, 2006: 127-159.
Dr. Keoleian co-founded and serves as co-director of the Center for Sustainable Systems. His research focuses on the development and application of life cycle models and metrics to enhance the sustainability of products and technology. He has pioneered new methods in life cycle design, life cycle optimization of product replacement, life cycle cost analysis and life cycle based sustainability assessments ranging from energy analysis and carbon footprints to social indicators. Systems studied include alternative vehicle technology, renewable energy systems such as photovoltaics and willow biomass electricity, buildings and infrastructure, information technology, food and agricultural systems, household appliances, and packaging alternatives.
Professor Keoleian is co-coordinator of the recently launched Engineering Sustainable Systems Dual MS Degree Program between the College of Engineering and the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan. He also co-directs the Rackham Graduate Certificate Program in Industry Ecology and has won numerous awards including the AT&T Industrial Ecology Faculty Fellow two years in a row.
In keeping with the lifecycle theme, we enjoyed delicious Indian food featuring rice, nann and both a chicken dish and an egg dish. Participants had to decide for themselves which to try first.
Dr. Keoleian gave a free public presentation Friday afternoon, 2 – 4pm Nov 16th, room 159 in the Packaging Building entitled: Consumers Guide to Sustainability: A Life Cycle Perspective
This presentation explored sustainability challenges and opportunities for consumers using life cycle model and metrics. Life cycle models provide comprehensive profiles of energy, greenhouse gas emissions, costs, and other sustainability indicators for a product system from production, use and end-of-life management. Life cycle profiles of energy systems, vehicles, residential homes, appliances, and our food system will be examined to guide consumers on how to most effectively reduce their energy and carbon footprints. Link to Dr. Keoleian’s bio. Link to Dr. Keolein’s powerpoint presentation.