Director's Message: You're Invited


As we start a new semester and a new year, I want to share with you an invitation. 


You are invited to the Center for the Environment Kickoff Week! From Monday, Feb. 12 to Friday, Feb. 16 the Center for the Environment and our partners will be hosting a series of engaging, interdisciplinary events.  


This week will be an exciting chance to showcase the environmental work happening at the university and highlight the dedicated people who are making that work happen. 


These events are an opportunity to build stronger connections across disciplines and to foster new partnerships.


I can’t wait to see you there!

 

Dan Giammar

Director, Center for the Environment

Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering

Assistant Vice Provost

In this edition:


- Kickoff Week


- Summer Undergraduate Research program applications


- Midwest Climate Summit 2024 registration


- Environmental Research Collaboration Series


- UN climate negotiation update


- MCC is hiring students


- Here & Next seed funding deadline extensions


Center for the Environment Kickoff Week

February 12 - 16

View the full rundown of events | Read more from The Source


Assembly Series - The Fate of the Earth: A Talk by Elizabeth Kolbert


Monday, Feb 12 | 4 - 5p.m.| Graham Chapel


The history of life on Earth has been described as long periods of boredom interrupted occasionally by panic.


In her talk, “The Fate of the Earth,” Elizabeth Kolbert will discuss the current biodiversity crisis in the context of the great mass extinctions of the past. Why do humans pose such a threat to the other species on the planet and what can be done to contain this threat?


Open to the entire community, register here.

Viniece image

Dr. Viniece Jennings Nature and Determinants of Urban Health: Pressing Topics and Priorities for the Future

Tuesday, Feb. 13 | Noon - 1 p.m. | virtual with livestream viewing in Brown Louge

Hosted by the Public Health Speaker Series


Dr. Viniece Jennings is nationally recognized for her innovative research on urban green spaces and public health. She often explores urban green space and health in the context of ecosystem services, environmental justice, and social determinants of health.


Open to the entire community, sign up here.

Training in Science Communication and Science Storytelling

Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 5 - 7 p.m. | Brauer Hall 3015


Sharing your research effectively is important when connecting with communities, gaining funding for your work, and ultimately making an impact on the environment and sustainability. To build these skills, researchers can learn about and apply concepts in storytelling, neuroscience, and performance arts.


This interactive workshop is designed for graduate students and postdocs, sign up here.

Passionate about Plastics? The State of Plastics in Consumer Goods and the Environment – Impacts and Actions

Wednesday, Feb. 14 | 4 - 5:30 p.m. | Knight Center 210

Co-hosted with the Office of Sustainability


Take a deep dive into the world of consumer plastics with a panel of experts. Panelists each represent a different dimension of the complex challenge of plastic pollution. We will examine sources, dispersal, and impacts, as well as responses on the global and local scale.


This panel discussion is designed for students but all are welcome, register now.

Research Adventures from Madagascar

Thursday, Feb. 15 | 4 - 5:30 p.m. | Women's Building Formal Lounge

Co-hosted with the Living Earth Collaborative


Madagascar, one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots, has experienced significant losses in plant and animal life.

This roundtable event will: 1) showcase the breadth and depth of the environmental work coalescing around themes of biodiversity and sustainable development; and 2) generate ideas for integrating various projects for future research collaborations.


Designed for the campus community, sign up here.

Bioinspired-Strategies to Address the PFAS Problem by Carla Ng

Friday, Feb. 16 | 11 a.m. - Noon | Whitaker Hall 100

Co-hosted with the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering


Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become some of the most widely discussed classes of environmental contaminants. This lecture explores key questions surrounding these "forever chemicals," including ways of using biology to help tackle widespread contamination.


No registration needed.

Applications Open: Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Applications are open for the Center's Summer Undergraduate Research Program and are due February 18.


This program is available to WashU students continuing their studies next fall. This 10-week experience gives students the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor on environmental research. No prior research experience is necessary.


Selections will be announced by March 22 and the program will be in session from May 27 through August 5.

Learn more and apply

Midwest Climate Summit 2024

Finding Regional Alignment


Join climate leaders, researchers, students, and professionals from across the Midwest for a three-day summit in Indianapolis.


The 2024 summit will focus on expanding knowledge, accelerating climate action, and catalyzing new partnerships for an equitable Midwestern response to the climate crisis.


The Midwest Climate Collaborative is hosted by the Center for the Environment, and WashU students and employees receive a member discount when registering. Sign up before Feb. 16 for early-bird pricing.


There will be an informational meeting with free food Friday, Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in the Center for the Environment, Suite 1160 in Green Hall. RSVP here.

Learn more and register

Environmental Research Collaboration Series

The Center's monthly research lunch series returns for the Spring semester. Each month brings a new presentation by WashU researchers. These lunches are a chance to connect with fellow researchers, and learn from colleagues while also: highlighting specific projects, sharing tools and generating ideas for future collaboration.

Matt Kreuter | WashU 2-1-1 Counts program and Health Communication Research Laboratory

Tuesday, February 6 | 1-2 p.m. | Schnuck Pavilion 202


Jenna Ditto & Fangqiong Ling | Indoor environmental quality through the lenses of chemistry, microbiology, and public health

Tuesday, March 5 | 1 - 2 p.m. | Schnuck Pavilion 202


Seth Denizen | Thinking Through Soil: aporias of health in the world’s largest sewage farm

Tuesday, April 9 | 1 - 2 p.m. | Schnuck Pavilion 202


Jacco Boon, Krista Milich & Dave Wang

Tuesday, May 7 | 1 - 2 p.m. | Farrell Learning &Teaching Center

Center supports WashU UN climate negotiation engagement

The Center supported WashU's ongoing efforts to engage international partners at the UN climate negotiations in Dubai in November and December 2023.

 

Together with the WashU delegation led by Professor Beth Martin, the center cosponsored a pavilion at the negotiations with other private U.S. research universities. This pavilion served as a focal point for these teams' combined efforts and a platform for programming during the conference.

 

In addition to supporting this multi-school effort; Center program manager, Alex Morales-Heil, attended the negotiations and offers this reflection for individuals interested in engaging in this international effort..

Midwest Climate Collaborative is hiring student workers

Learn more and apply

The Midwest Climate Collaborative (MCC) is hiring several paid student workers over the coming months to support energy efficiency efforts in low-income, multifamily properties in St. Louis. These positions are open for returning WashU undergraduate and graduate students.


These students will work together collecting and aggregating building data, engaging with building owners and residents, as well as developing tools to support property owners in making their buildings more energy efficient.


The positions include:

  • Two part-time students in Spring 2024
  • One full-time student in Summer 2024
  • Two part-time students in Fall 2024


Students of all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Here & Next seed funding deadline extended to Jan. 31

The deadlines for two Here & Next seed grant applications have been extended from Monday, Jan. 15 to Wednesday, Jan. 31. 


This deadline extension applies to:

Tier 1: Spark Funding, Pop-Up Initiative, full applications are due Wednesday, Jan. 31


Tier 2: Interdisciplinary Project Support, the required letter of intent is due Wednesday, Jan. 31. The full applications will still be due Friday, Feb 16.


The remaining Here & Next seed grants Tier 1: Proposal Development and Tier 3: University-Wide Research Initiative, have rolling applications until Tuesday, April 30, 2024. 


Visit the Here & Next InfoReady site for more information.

If you have an environmentally-focused event you would like included in a future newsletter, submit the event here.


Follow us on Instagram for a weekly event updates.

Center for the Environment Scholars 2023-24

We are accepting applications for our Center Scholars program. Center Scholars will have access to opportunities and support from the Center to highlight their work, support their research, and connect with other potential collaborators. Click here to learn more about the program's benefits and expectations.

Learn more and apply
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