Global Climate Teach-in to bring together perspectives related to climate change, offers opportunities to build community
LAWRENCE — For the fourth year, the University of Kansas is participating in the Worldwide Climate Education Week, led by Bard College in New York. From April 3-11, a number of KU partners will offer events inspired by climate change that offer different ways of understanding the effects across domains, as well as opportunities to see how human decision-making can make a difference.
Planned events span departments, schools and areas of interest, and all address considerations of human impact on the planet.
“Participating in the Global Climate Teach-in allows us not only to bring together a range of disciplinary perspectives but also a variety of experiences with and orientations to climate change,” said Emily Ryan, director of The Commons. “All of these events are presented as collaborations with partners at KU or in the region. By linking these efforts to the global platform developed by Bard College, we can bring this region into the conversation in important ways."
Events presented as part of this annual effort include:
Bridging Social Work and Climate/Environmental Justice: Roles for Eco-Social Workers
Noon-1 p.m. April 3
Virtual
This free, public virtual panel will discuss the varied, essential and urgent roles social workers play in the dynamic field of eco-social work. Joonmo Kang, assistant professor of social welfare, whose research examines the intersections of environmental justice and social work practice, will talk with practitioners engaged in sustainable agriculture, energy policy and environmental organizing about how social work values, knowledge and skills equip the profession for leadership in face of the climate crisis and other environmental challenges. Register to attend.
Navigating Our Worlds: Ethics in the Digital Age
A.I. & Climate
Noon-1 p.m. April 7
This free public virtual series dives into the complex ethical challenges of an increasingly digital society. In the spirit of a similarly titled Research Rising initiative — Securing Our Worlds — this series expands on topics that are affected by emerging technologies across digital, social and physical landscapes. This event will explore the direct relationships between generative artificial intelligence and the health of the planet.
Presenters are Shaolei Ren, associate professor of computer engineering, University of California Riverside; Rory Willats, interdisciplinary artist; and Theodora Dryer, historian, writer, critical policy analyst and director of the Water Justice & Technology Studio. Register to attend.
Educate & Act
What a Green New Deal Means for KU
6-7 p.m. April 8
This free public virtual series examines topics of current relevance to civic action and engagement. Programs in this series feature presenters from across campus, as well as specialists beyond the university. This event will explore the student-driven Green New Deal for KU and how it connects to a larger context of Green New Deals.
Speakers:
Jack Shaw, undergraduate student, KU Sunrise Movement
Grant Misse, undergraduate student, KU Sunrise Movement
Ward Lyles, associate professor, urban planning/Indigenous Studies Program
Jasmin Moore, senior director of Sustainability and Impact, Earthjustice
Engaged Reading
"A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety," by Sarah Jaquette Ray
3-4:30 p.m. April 10
ECM Building
This free public series promotes critical discussion rooted in shared reading. The facilitators are Ali Brox, associate teaching professor with the Environmental Studies Program, and Melinda Lewis, professor of the practice in the School of Social Welfare and director of the Center for Community Engagement & Collaboration. Free books will be available to the first 20 registrants. Register by emailing thecommons@ku.edu.
Red Hot Research
Research at the Ends of the Earth
4-5:30 p.m. April 11
Watson Library, 3 West
This series, open to KU faculty, staff and graduate students, brings scholars together across disciplines. This event features presenters across disciplines whose work happens in polar regions.
Presenters:
- Brian Atkinson, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology/Biodiversity Institute
- Emily Beck, assistant professor of molecular biosciences
- Lauren Norman, assistant professor of anthropology
- Dennis O’Rourke, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Anthropology
- Jocelyn Colella, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology/Biodiversity Institute.
Collaborators and co-presenters of the events include the School of Social Welfare, the Institute for Information Sciences (I2S), the Center for Service Learning, KU Libraries, the Spencer Museum of Art, the Institute for Policy & Social Research, the Hall Center for the Humanities and The Commons. Beyond these sponsors, presenters at the events represent the KU Environmental Studies Program, the KU Indigenous Studies Program, KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, the KU Sunrise Movement, the KU Urban Planning Program and the KU departments of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Anthropology and Molecular Biosciences.
Learn more about the event at the Climate Teach-in website.