The Council of Sustainable Leaders, a student-run affiliate organization of Penn State’s Sustainability Institute, will host 13 Sustainability Showcases to make connections between faculty research, personal and professional interest, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, while broadening the discourse surrounding sustainability at the University. Selected speakers will give 30-minute talks on various sustainability-related topics, answer questions and network with event attendees.

The Sustainability Showcases will be held on Fridays throughout the fall semester from noon to 1:30 p.m. and will be held on the third floor of the Huck Life Sciences Bridge.

The events are free, open to faculty, staff and students, and include lunch.

"The showcases were created to demonstrate that sustainability is much more than environmentalism,” said Doug Goodstein, associate director for student engagement. “Faculty and staff from every college are doing things to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all."

The first showcase will kick off with Michael Mann, distinguished professor of atmospheric science at Penn State, with his talk “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: The Battle Continues On.”

Below is the full schedule of fall speakers and topics:

Sept. 1: “The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: The Battle Continues On,” Michael Mann, director, Earth System Science Center

Sept. 8: “Translational Science and Reverse Translation strategies,” Esther Obonyo, interim director, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship (HESE)

Sept. 15: Deborah Nardone, director, Clearwater Conservancy

Sept. 22: “Environmental research and engineering consulting,” Rachel Brennan, director, Advanced Ecological Engineering Systems Laboratory

Sept. 29: “Net Zero Waste with Penn State Athletics,” Judd Michael, professor, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Oct. 6: “Watershed sustainability and the Conewago Creek Initiative,” Matt Royer, director, Agriculture and Environment Center

Oct. 13: “Penn State PawPrint and Sustainable Energy,” Andy Lau, associate professor, College of Engineering

Oct. 20: “Climate Change as a ‘Risk Accelerator," David Titley, director, Center for Solutions to Weather and Climate Risk

Oct. 27: “Intersection of Security, Food Systems and Climate,” Bryan McDonald, associate professor, Department of History

Nov. 3: “NetZero Affordable Housing and Sustainable Architecture,” Lisa Iulo, associate professor, Department of Architecture

Dec. 8: Heidi Kunka, director, Central PA United States Green Building Council

“We are really excited to see what kind of partnerships and relationships form as a result of the showcases,” said Robert Ost, director of the Council of Sustainable Leaders.

“We hope students and faculty will unite over their common interests and passions to make a greater impact on finding local solutions to global problems.”

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to register online. Dietary restrictions and special accommodations should be noted on the online registration form.

For more information about the Sustainability Showcases or the Council of Sustainable Leaders, please contact Robert Ost at rqo5064@psu.edu or visit pennstatecsl.org.

For more information about sustainability at Penn State, please visit sustainability.psu.edu.