Month: March 2011

NU Summit on Sustainability April 1-2

I received word of this upcoming sustainability conference via email. The theme of the gathering is “Environmental Equity in the 21st Century,” and many of the events are free. Majora Carter is a major force these days in urban sustainability and social justice, having started her activist work in the Bronx.

The first annual Northwestern University Summit on Sustainability will be held April 1 & 2 on the Evanston campus. A keynote speech by Majora Carter, a MacArthur “Genius Award” Fellow, will take place on Friday, April 1st from 7 to 9 PM.  The event will continue on April 2nd, with sessions on Policymaking for Environmental Justice; Sustainable Urban Planning; Food as a Lens for Understanding Inequities; Stories of Local Transformation; and Sustainability in Corporations.

Other speakers include:
– Michael Dorsey, assistant professor of environmental studies at Dartmouth
– Mari Gallagher, principal of Mari Gallagher Research and Consulting Group
– Nia Robinson, the former Director of the Environmental Justice and Climate Change (EJCC) Initiative

This event is open to the public.  Find details at http://www.nusos.org/

New Deal Service Days at RU

Every spring, Roosevelt students, faculty, and staff get together in groups and fan out over the city and NW suburbs to engage in a variety of service activities. I’ve done this several times over years, sometimes with my small kids in tow — and it’s always a fun and rewarding experience. Here’s a letter to faculty and students from NDSD organizers Yvette Garcia and Tara Hawkins:

New Deal Service Days, Roosevelt’s largest community service event of the year, is now entering its ninth season. Mark your calendar for this year’s event, which will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 8-9 in the Northwest suburbs and Saturday, April 9 in Chicago.

This event offers unique opportunities for you to further social justice and the mission of the University. We encourage you to mention the event and the opportunities for volunteering during your classroom discussions with students and faculty.

This is a wonderful opportunity for all of us to work together in honor of the University’s mission by helping the needy in our communities. Years from now, it is unlikely that you will remember your Fridays and Saturdays filled with chores and other personal demands. However, you will remember New Deal Service Days and the positive difference being made in the lives of those who need  our help the most.

For details on how to register, the schedule of volunteering opportunities, FAQs, etc., check out the NDSD website.

Summer Internship Opportunities

I just caught wind of two very cool environmental internship opportunities for this summer — one local (Village of Glenview, IL), the other international (through Columbia University). For those of you who have time and would like to get hands-on experience in sustainability-related work experiences, this is something to check out.

(1) Ecological Restoration Intern
This summer position is with the Village of Glenview, which has an active and progressive natural resource management / environmental restoration program, headed by restoration ecologist Robyn Flakne. Dr. Flakne is a former adjunct professor of science in the College of Professional Studies, and will also be co-leading a field trip with me at the Schaumburg Park District on Sunday, April 10th. This is a terrific opportunity to learn about cutting-edge ecological restoration techniques and earn some bucks in the bargain. The application deadline is April 1st, 2011 (submission by email required).

Details about the position are available here: Natural Resources Ecological Intern – Glenview IL

(2) Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U)
Applications are now being accepted for the 2011Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) program, offered by the Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. SEE-U provides undergraduate students of all majors from all colleges and universities across the country with a global understanding of ecology and environmental sustainability through lectures, labs, and fieldwork carried out in unique natural settings.

– Students earn 6 academic credits in just 5 weeks. 
– No prerequisites required to enroll. 
– Fellowship funding is available through CERC.

Summer 2011 Field Sites

May 21 – June 25, 2011
The Atlantic Forest – Sao Paulo, Brazil 

May 28 – July 2, 2011
El Yunque National Forest – Puerto Rico 

July 9 – August 13, 2011
Punta Cana – Dominican Republic 

The program has a rolling admissions process. The next application review date is March 28, 2011. If you would like to learn more, please visit  www.cerc.columbia.edu/?id=see-u or contact Mr. Desmond Beirne at CERC at djb2104@columbia.edu or 212-854-0149. Students can apply online via ApplyYourself: www.cerc.columbia.edu/?id=see-u-app-process

Wild Things Conference This Saturday (March 5)

The fourth biennial Wild Things conference will take place all day tomorrow at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This day-long conference brings together the region’s best experts, hardest working professionals, most dedicated volunteers and anyone interested in nature. Technical presentations and interactive workshops explore the latest in natural areas conservation, wildlife protection and monitoring, and sustainability. The conference is organized in “tracks” designed for everyone from newcomers to experts. There is special focus on empowering citizen scientists, stewards and advocates with information, networking and good ideas.  Among the speakers scheduled are Roosevelt Professors Mike Bryson and Carl Zimring, as well as a keynote address by Aldo Leopold expert Curt Meine.

Keynote Presentation
Curt Meine
Green Fire: The Legacy of Aldo Leopold in the Chicago Region (includes a preview of a new film about Leopold)

Curt Meine will discuss the powerful role of famed conservationist Aldo Leopold in the birth and evolution of ecosystem conservation. Meine will highlight Leopold’s legacy as seen in the people, ecosystems, and history-making conservation initiatives of the Chicago area. He will also present a selection from the first full documentary film about Leopold, which is premiering this spring. Curt is a conservation biologist and writer based in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. A new edition of his 1988 book Aldo Leopold: His Life and Work has just been published by the University of Wisconsin Press. Curt currently serves director for conservation biology and history with the Center for Humans and Nature; senior fellow with the Aldo Leopold Foundation; and research associate with the International Crane Foundation.

For registration information, directions, and other details, see the conference overview page.