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Earth Issues Seminars

Environmental Studies Earth Issues Seminars

Coordinated by the Environmental Studies Department, Earth Issues is a series of public lectures and discussions on topics within the fields of Environmental Studies and Environmental Science. The seminars are designed to complement the Environmental Studies curriculum by encouraging students to engage in discussion of current environmental issues, practice life-long learning, and build a sense of academic community. To stay the most up to date on our schedule, please check our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Participate

If you are a student, faculty member, alumnus, or professional in the field of environmental studies or environmental science, and you are interested in presenting an Earth Issues Seminar, please contact a faculty or staff member of the department. To volunteer as a student host, suggest topics for future seminars, RSVP, or for more information email the Environmental Studies Technician, Liz Burke.

Earth Issues Seminar Series - SCHEDULE

Fall 2024

September 

  • 9/19 - Fostering Farm Innovation: Enhancing Local Food Safety and Sustainability through A2 Genetics and Small On-Farm Fodder Production with Amy Brickner, Herd Manager and Owner of Destiny Dairy Bar. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

October

  • 10/4 - "What We Can't Burn: Friendship and Friction in the Fight For Our Energy," A Book Discusion with author Eve Driver. Kaufman 186 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/10 - Fostering Inclusivity and Advancement in STEM: A Professional Development Series to Empower Underrepresented Scholars. Seminar #1: Research Opportunities Across Campus and Grad School with Professor Allyssa Decker and Professor Wande Benka-Coker. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/25 - Advising Workshop with Professor Wande Benka-Coker, Professor Allyssa Decker, and Professor Maggie Douglas. Kaufman at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/31 - Protecting Pennsylvania's Landscapes: The Role of Land Trusts and Conservation Easements in Shaping Growth and Preservation with Sarah Kipp, Conservation Director at the Land Conservancy of Adams County. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

November

  • 11/14 - Fostering Inclusivity and Advancement in STEM: A Professional Development Series to Empower Underrepresented Scholars. Seminar #2: Writing a personal statement with Annie Kondas, Executive Director of the Center for Career Development. Kaufman 187 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 11/21 - Fostering Inclusivity and Advancement in STEM: A Professional Development Series to Empower Underrepresented Scholars. Seminar #3: Landing a Summer Research Experience with Professor Allyssa Decker and Professor Wande Benka-Coker. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

December

  • 12/10 Alumni Panel. Kaufman 179 at 7:00 p.m. EST.
  • 12/12 Student Research Presentations. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Please check back here as we update the schedule with more Earth Issues Seminars!

 


Past Earth Issues


 

Spring 2024

February 

  • 2/15 - Participatory Science: Leveraging the Power of Communities and Science with Julie Vastine, Director of the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring. Kaufman 179 and Zoom at 12:00 p.m. EST.

           Register for Zoom at the following link: https://bit.ly/allarmearthissues 

           Missed it? Watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/c5YEto9WV2A?feature=shared

  • 2/29 - Research Information Session with Environmental Studies & Science Faculty and Contributing Faculty. Room Stern 102 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

March

  • 3/22 - Alumni Panel - Panelists are Hannah Seburn '22, Audree Khalishah '21, and Wendy Gomez '15. HUB 201-203 at 12:00 p.m. - PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A FRIDAY EARTH ISSUES

April

  • 4/18 - Unearthing soil health insights using a community science model for farm-based research with Sarah Isbell '09. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST. 
  • 4/25 - Student Research Presentations with Spring 2024 ENST Student Researchers. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST 

May

  • 5/2 - Honors Candidates' Presentations with Prerana Patil '24 and Charlotte Kratovil-Lavelle '24. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST

Fall 2023

September

  • 9/14 - "I always get to where I am going by walking away from where I've been" (Quote from Winnie the Pooh) with Malinda Harnish Clatterbuck, Associate Director at the Center for A Sustainable Environment at Franklin & Marshall College. Denny 317 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

October

  • 10/19 - "Coverting Food Waste into Energy: The College Farm Biogas Story" with Matt Steiman, Assistant Director and Manager of Bioenergy Projects at the Dickinson College Farm. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/26 - Advising Session with Heather Bedi, Chair of the Dickinson Environmental Studies Department, and members of the Dickinson Environmental Studies Committee. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

November

  • 11/16 - "Humor in Indigneous Ecocinema: How Laughing Emodies Land" with Salma Monani, Professor of Environmental Studies at Gettysburg College. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

December

  • 12/8 - Student Reserach Presentations. Kaufman 186 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

PLEASE NOTE: This Earth Issues is on FRIDAY

Spring 2023

February

  • 2/16 - LEAF Project Information Session with Heidi Witmer, Executive Director at LEAF. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

March

  • 3/23 - Environmental Studies Majors Committee Peer Mentoring Session with the ENST Majors Committee. Kaufman 179 at 12 p.m. EST.

April

  • 4/13 - Student Environmental Research Mosiac. Co-hosted by the Environmental Studies Department and the Center for Sustainability Education. HUB Social Hall (West) at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 4/17 - 19th Annual Potter Lecture - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Earth Science: Why it's important and what we can do with Dr. Kristina Keating, Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Rutgers University. Stern Great Room at 7 p.m. 

Fall 2022

October

  • 10/13 - Environmental Studies and Environmental Science Advising Session with Dr. Kristin Strock, chair of the Environmental Studies Department. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/27 - Environmental Studies and Environmental Science Advising Session with the ENST Majors Committtee. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Spring 2022

February

  • 2/3 - Nanomaterials and Incidental Nanoparticles as Emerging Contaminants: Sources and Exposure with Dr.Yevgen Nazarenko, Research Associate in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at McGill University. Kaufman 179 and Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST. 
  • 2/8 - One Health Approaches to Community Environmental Health: Case Studies in CyanoHABs at Lake Atitán and Lake Victoria with Dr. Amber Ford Roegner, Research Toxicologist Consultant at Cornell University and Reserach Affiliate for the Center of Global Health.  Kaufman 179 and Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST 
  • 2/17 - Agricultural Pesticides and Respiratory Health with Dr. Wande Benka-Coker, Adjunct Community Health professor at the University of Northern Colorado and Data Analytics advisor for Cigna. Kaufman 179 and Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

April

  • 4/7 - The Optimistic Environmentalist: Why movements, mandates, and markets can slow the climate crisis with Aimee Witteman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 4/20 - Education and Learning to Support a Just Transition in Central Appalachia with Dr. Colleen Unroe, Digitial Engagement and Accessibilty Coordinator at Penn State University, Rural Appalachia Research Contracter at Unbounded Associates, and a Project Manger with I-CU Consulting. Kaufman 179 and Online Event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Fall 2021

September 

  • 9/2 - Environmental Humanities and Creation of the Anthropocene:  the History of Humans and Nature in Western Society with Dr. Hanna Roman, Assistant Professor of French at Dickinson College. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

October 

  • 10/14 - Environmental ethics:  The Sexual Politics of Meat with Dr. Amy McKiernan, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Dickinson College.  Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

November

  • 11/22 - Restoring Protections for Wolves:  Then and Now with Dickinson Environmental Studies Alumni, Allison Miller '20. Online event at 7:00 p.m. EST.

December

  • Senior Research Presentations with senior researchers of the Environmental Studies Department.  Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Spring 2021

March

  • 3/31 - How to Use the Planet Without Using It Up with Dr. Jane Lubchenco, University of Oregon. A Clarke Forum event via YouTube livestream at 7:00 p.m. EST.

April

  • 4/6 - Environmental Justice in Pennsylvania with Mustafa Santiago Ali, Vice President of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization, National Wildlife Federation. A symposium with Harrisburg University, PERC, and members of the Environmental Justice Advisory Board. Virtual event, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST.
  • 4/15 - "Locked Out"? Analyzing the Climate Change Adaptation Deficit in Germany with Julie King '12, M.A. at Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany. Online event at 12 p.m. EST.
  • 4/29 - Senior Research Presentations with senior researchers of the Environmental Studies Department. Online event at 12 p.m. EST.

Fall 2020

September

  • 9/3 - Environmental Ethics: The Sexual Politics of Meat with Dr. Amy McKiernan, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Dickinson College. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 9/24 - Common Reading and Discussion: Antiracism and Environmental Studies. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

October

  • 10/2 - Climate Demons, Agricultural Adaptation and Environmental Protection with Dr. Armen Kemanian, Associate Professor of Production Systems and Modeling, Department of Plant Science, Penn State University. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/15 - Food Power: The Role of the United States in Ensuring Food Security in a Complex World with Dr. Bryan McDonald, PhD, Director of Interdisciplinary Programs, The College of the Liberal Arts and Associate Professor, Department of History, Penn State University. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.
  • 10/22 - Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation among Bangladesh Agriculturalists with Dr. Shamma Alam (International Studies), Dr. Heather Bedi (Environmental Studies), Aisha Rodriguez ('22, Environmental Studies), and Amir Zawad ('22, Computer Science) at Dickinson College. Online event at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Spring 2020

February

  • 2/27 - Demographic Change and the Environmental Impacts of Sharing: Cities, Social Capital, and the Sharing Economy with Dr. Anthony Underwood, Associate Professor of Economics at Dickinson College. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

March

  • [RESCHEDULED TO FALL 2020] 3/19 - Climate demons, agricultural adaptation and environmental protection with Dr. Armen Kemanian, Associate Professor of Production Systems and Modeling at Pennsylvania State University. Althouse 106 at 12:00 p.m.

April

  • [RESCHEDULED TO FALL 2020] 4/16 - Food Power: The Role of the United States in Ensuring Food Security in a Complex World with Dr. Bryan McDonald, Associate Professor of History at Pennsylvania State University. Althouse 106 at 12:00 p.m.
  • [ONLINE EVENT] 4/28 - Global Environmental Health, Justice and COVID-19: The View from Bangladesh with Dr. Greg Howard, former Professor of Environmental Studies at Dickinson College. Online event at 5:00 p.m. EST.
  • [CANCELLED] 4/30 - Senior Research Presentations with senior research students of the Environmental Studies Department. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

May

  • [ONLINE EVENT] 5/1 - (Un)Just Sustainabilities Virtual Exhibit with students of Dr. Heather Bedi's Environmental and Social Justice class. Online event at 1:30 p.m. EST.

Fall 2019

September

  • 9/26 - Environmental Studies Research and Internship Student Panel with Karan Shakya '20, Zoe Muller '22, Sooik Son '21, Rachel Krewson '20, Clara Roth '21, and Robin Okunowo '21. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

October

  • 10/10 - From Carlisle to Congress: Working for Environmental and Social Change with Andy Vargas '16, Special Assistant and Legislative Correspondent for Senator Kamala Harris. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 10/17 - Agricultural Biotechnology: Myths vs Realities with Bill Freese, Science Policy Analyst for the Center for Food Safety. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

November

  • 11/12 - Clarke Forum: Cultural Politics of Taste: Mobility and Food Culture with Dr. Krishnendu Ray, Associate Professor of Food Studies at NYU. ATS at 7:00 p.m.
  • 11/14 - India's Renewable Energy Transition: Justice and Land Considerations with Dr. Heather Bedi and Lily Tarwater '21 of Dickinson's Environmental Studies Department. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

December

  • 12/12 - Senior Research Presentations with senior research students of the Environmental Studies Department. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

Spring 2019

February

  • 2/21 - Njamba's and Inyiimbo's: Stories and lessons from two years of conservation agriculture and development work in Zambia with Tabea Zimmerman '15. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

March

  • 3/1 - Can we eat the quahogs?: Lessons learned in human health risk assessment with Caryn Sennett '15. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

April

  • 4/11 - Emerging Tools in Digital Agriculture with Dr. Amanda Ramcharan. HUB Social Hall East at 12:00 p.m.
  • 4/30 - Senior Research Presentations. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

May

  • 5/2 - Senior Research Presentations. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

Fall 2018

September

  • 9/13 - Understanding Methane Cycling in Icelandic Lakes and Other Sabbatical Adventures with Professor Strock with Dr. Kristin Strock, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies and Madie Ritter '19, Josie Verter '19, and Rachel Krewson '19, Environmental Science majors. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

October

  • 10/18 - FRACTAL: The Future Resilience in African Cities and Lands Project with Dr. Chris Lennard, Senior Researcher for the Climate System Analysis Group at the University of Cape Town. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 10/25 - Building resilient African urban food systems with Dr. Jane Battersby, Research Coordinator for the African Center for Cities at the University of Cape Town. Althouse 106 at 12:00 p.m.

December

  • 12/6 - Student Research Presentations. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

Spring 2018

February

  • 2/5 - Chasing Coral Film Screening and Climate Panel. Co-sponsored with CSE, Earth Sciences, and Biology. Althouse 106 at 6:00 p.m.
  • 2/8 - Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues: Food Access and Poverty Panel with Alyssa Feher, Becca Raley '94, Risa Waldoks '12, and Robert Weed '80. ATS at 7:00 p.m.
  • 2/13 - Empowerment for Shale Gas Communities: Visualizing Fracking Pollution with Leann Leiter '08, Oil & Gas Field Advocate at Earthworks. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.

March

  • 3/22 - Protecting Water Resources and Responding to Climate Change with Cindy Adams-Dunn, Secretary for the Pennsylvania DCNR. Althouse 106 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 3/29 - Vocal Opposition and Silent Support: The Politics of Organizing Against Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining in Appalachia with Dr. Christie Parris, Associate Professor of Sociology at Oberlin College. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.

April

  • 4/10 - Energy Justice: from Pennsylvania to South Asia with Dr. Heather Bedi and Muhajir Lesure '20, Dickinson College. Kaufman Hall 186 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 4/26 - Student Research Presentations. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.

Fall 2017

September

  • 9/6 - Department Mixer with Leo's ice cream and Rita's italian ice. Kaufman Greenhouse Patio at 4:30 p.m.
  • 9/28 - Pipelines in Pennsylvania: The natural gas industry's impacts from cradle to grave, and how Pennsylvania can work towards survival with Deirdre Lally, Shale Gas Organizer for the Clean Air Council, Philadelphia's oldest environmental non-profit organization. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.

October

  • 10/12 - Environmental Studies/Science Advising Session. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.

November

  • 11/2 - Water Justice in Pennsylvania with Ezra Thrush, Campaign Manager at PennFuture in Harrisburg, PA. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 11/16 - Food Action in the Community with Cindy Baur, Dickinson College Farm Apprentice. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 11/30 - Student Research Presentations. Kaufman Hall 179 at 12:00 p.m.

Spring 2017

February

  • 2/16 - Unfreezing the Artic: Why History Should Guide our Responses to Global Climate Change with Andrew Stuhl, Assistant Professor of Environmental Humanities at Bucknell University. Stern Great Room at 12:00 p.m.

March

  • 3/2 - Study Abroad Panel Discussion. Kaufman Hall 179.
  • 3/21 - Labor Justice, Gender, and Environmental Health with Madhu Dutta, Post-Doctoral fellow at Penn State's Center for Global Labor. Social Hall West at 12:00 p.m.

April

  • 4/13 - Environmental Studies and Science Majors Alumni Panel. Kaufman Hall 179.
  • 4/20 - Student Research Presentations. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. 
  • 4/27 - Student Research Presentations. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m. 

Fall 2016 

September

  • 9/8 - Clarke Forum: "The World that Food Made" with Raj Patel, Award-winning writer, activist, and academic. Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium at 7:00 pm. This event is co-sponsored with the Churchill Fund, First Year Seminars, the Center for Sustainability Education and the Departments of International Business & Management, Anthropology & Archaeology and the Program in Policy Studies
  • 9/16 - Welcome Back Ice Cream Social. Kaufman 178 and Greenhouse Lobby, 4:30-6:00 p.m. 
  • 9/22 - Using Mercury to Trace the Timing and Cause of Earth's Fourth Mass Extinction with Aly Thibodeau, Assitant Professor of Earth Sciences. Kaufman 179 at 12:00 p.m.

October

  • 10/6 - Pipeline Perils in Pennsylvania: Contested Natural Gas Fracking and Transportation Presentation and Poster Interaction with Heather Bedi, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, and Daniella Aldrich ('19). Stern 102 at 12:00 p.m. 
  • 10/10 - Clark Forum: "Eating While Black: A Case Study on Food Shaming and Policing" with Psyche Williams-Forson, Associate Professor and Chair of American Studies at the University of Maryland College Park. Stern Center Great Room at 7:00 p.m.This event is co-sponsored with the Center for Sustainability Education, the Department of English, Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and the Departments of American Studies,  Africana Studies, Anthropology & Archaeology.
  • 10/20 -  Advising Session. Denny 317 at 12:00 p.m. 
  • 10/27 - Understanding the Chesapeake: The Role of Community Monitoring with Julie Vastine, Director of ALLARM. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 10/27 - Clarke Forum: "Native Harvest: The Politics, Health, Culture and Economics of Food" with Winona LaDuke, program director of Honor the Earth. Anita Tuvin Schlechter Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored with the Center for Sustainability Education, the Churchill Fund and the Departments of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, American Studies, Anthropology & Archaeology.

December

  • 12/1 - Student Research Presentations. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m.

Spring 2016

February

  • 2/18 - A Climate Action Pland for the Dickinson College Farm with Matt Steiman, Assistant Manager Dickinson College Farm, and Ken Shultes, Associate VP for Sustainability and Facilities Planning. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 2/25 - Radical Food Systems: Engagement, Empowerment, and Entrepreneurship with Ashlee O. Dugan, PA Preferred Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Althouse 106 at 12:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored with the Anthropology and Sociology Departments.
  • 2/29 - Climate Change, Forestry, and Indigenous Peoples in Cameroon with Samuel Nnah Ndobe, Center for the Environment and Development. HUB side rooms 204-205 at 12:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored by Global Education and the Office of Student Life.

March

  • 3/24 - Climate Change and Our Coastlines: What to Do with the Extra Carbon? with Tom Arnold, Chair of the Environmental Studies Department and Professor of Biology. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m.
  • 4/31 - The Nature Conservancy's Terrestrial Resilience Dataset & Applications to Land Management in the Central Appalachians with Sarah Johnson, Conservation GIS Specialist, and Rachel Ralls, Conservation Lands Data Manage/GIS Specialist. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m. 

April

  • 4/28 - David Bernard, Founder of The Global CO2 Initiative. Althouse 106 at 7:00 p.m.  
  • 4/26 - Senior Research Presentations. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m. 
  • 4/28 - Senior Research Presentations. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m. 

Fall 2015

September

  • 9/16 - Shale Gas and Oil Development with Anthony Ingraffea, Cornell University. Anita Tuvin Schlecter Auditorium at 7:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored with the Clarke Forum.   

October

  • 10/1 - Urbanatural Roosting: a Student and a Professor Collaborate presented by Kerin Maguire and Ash Nichols, Professor of English and Environmental Studies, Dickinson College. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m. 
  • 10/6 - Actions Between Territories with Christopher Cozier, Caribbean Visual Artist. Weiss Center for the Arts (RM 235) at 7:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored with the Africana Studies Department.  
  • 10/13 - Egbert Leigh Lecture, Botanist with National Geographic. Denny 317 at 5:00 p.m. This event is co-sponsored with the departments of Earth Sciences and English.
  • 10/29 - Climate Change and Our Coastlines:  What to do with extra carbon? with Tom Arnold, Professor of Biology, Dickinson College, Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m. *THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THIS DATE*

November

  • 11/10 - How Does Urbanization affect Stream Chemistry? with Joel Moore, Towson University. Hub Social Hall at 12:05 p.m. This event is co-sponsored with the Earth Sciences Department. 
  • 11/12 - Long-term ecological responses to increasing dissolved organic matter in small temperate lakes Lesley Knoll, Director of Research and Education, Lacawac Sanctuary, Lake Ariel, PA, Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m.

December

  • 12/10 - Senior Independent Research - Mid Year Presentations. Kaufman 178 at 12:00 p.m.