Events
Upcoming Events
Dec. 6. Nancy Y. Reynolds (History, Washington University). The Vibrant Necroscape of Aswan’s Desert Edges, 12:00, RPW Center. Co-sponsored by the Ottoman History Workshop and Climate and Environmental Studies. As always, please RSVP for the paper. Abstract: The 20th-century construction of large dams progressively altered the nature of Egypt’s southern border, as the Nile valley of northern Nubia became submerged by new reservoirs. By contrast, the Egyptian frontier city of Aswan, located between the desert mountains on either side of the Nile at the First Cataract where these new dams were built, became a site of rapid urban growth and industrial development. This paper explores two natural features of the arid landscape recruited into the work of marking and strengthening the city’s edges to embank it from the destructed south: the exceptional preservation of dead bodies enabled by its aridity and geology, which made it a desirable site for human burial; and the city’s location at the intersection of botanical regions, which fostered the diversity and movement of plant species into the changing landscape, including a high proportion of desert plants. The desert edge-making practices enabled by this natural infrastructure was work that was material, social, political, discursive, and environmental. Aswan by the turn of the twentieth century had long been an active, even vibrant, city of the dead, a necropolis with layers of cemeteries from all historical periods ringing the city. New elements introduced into this necroscape in the mid-twentieth century helped to clarify and consolidate Egyptian sovereignty over the south: new cemeteries and tombs that amplified older narratives of conquest over Nubia (especially by the medieval Fatimids and colonial British) and the spread of desert plants, including tamarisk trees, into marginal spaces of the disturbed landscape that increased the salinity of the soil around them, creating a botanical deathscape. These edging practices facilitated the city’s severing from its southern hinterland, which would be inundated as a “zone of sacrifice” (Kuletz) after the closure of the river behind a new dam in 1964. Bio: Nancy Y. Reynolds is Associate Professor of History and of Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. Her research investigates the history of twentieth-century Egypt.
Past Events
2024-2025 Academic Year
Aug. 30, Friday, 4:30. Alumni Lawn. Majestad Negra (“Black Majesty”) Performs “Bomba” Music from Puerto Rico. Sponsored by the Program in Culture, Advocacy, and Leadership and other units. Corporación Piñones se Integra (COPI) is a community-based non-profit organization. Majestad Negra is COPI’s internationally recognized bomba group that includes dancers, singers, and drummers. In addition to combating anti-blackness through education, music, and arts, they co-manage and maintain the community’s ancestral mangrove forest. Piñoneros have averted catastrophic flooding of their community by organizing projects to clear brush from mangrove channels and reforest mangrove trees.
Sept. 9. Distinguished Lecture on Climate Governance by Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, 12:10–1:10 pm, Flynn Auditorium, Vanderbilt Law School. Sponsored by the law school’s Energy, Environment & Land Use Program. Dr. Shepherd is an award-winning meteorologist, Professor at the University of Georgia, and a leading expert on climate change.
Sept. 9. Welcome back gathering at the Robert Penn Warren Center. Flash talks by new faculty on their research, Environmental Humanities Seminar, 3:30-4:30 pm, Robert Penn Warren Center Seminar Room. Party at 4:30-5:30 (cosponsored by Climate and Environmental Studies).
Sept. 16. Circular Economy Summit. 12:30-4:00pm, followed by happy hour. The Wond’ry. Join us to explore how circular innovation is reshaping industries and driving sustainability. Hear from industry leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are leading the way in creating systems where waste is minimized, and resources are continually reused, ensuring a healthier planet for all. Register here: https://airtable.com/appOJPl5K3YOFH51X/shrw0g5j31WSTZTRw.
Free & open to staff, faculty and community partners. Registration required.
Sept. 20. Climate Wayfinding Workshop, 11:30-5:30, the Wond’ry. Join us for our Climate Wayfinding workshop, adapted from the All We Can Save project, and designed for people seeking clarity, courage, and community on their climate journeys. Through diverse modes of exploration, workshop participants are guided to look inward, outward, and forward to discern and enliven their unique contributions and develop key capacities for climate engagement. Free & open to staff, faculty and community partners. Lunch provided. Registration required, sign up here.
Sept. 24, Tuesday, TBA. Decolonizing Coffee, Indigenous Voices from the Root. Panel discussion sponsored by the Program in Culture, Advocacy, and Leadership and other units.
Sept. 26-29 Theater on EcoGrief sponsored by the Curb Center. “Daphne and Florence” by Gena Femia and “Blue Blood Red Knot” by Kristin Idaszak. See the VU Theatre website for details.
Oct. 3-4. By-passing Climate Polarization. Vanderbilt Law School, Flynn Auditorium. Conference funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Vanderbilt Unity Project, and the Sally Shallenberger Brown EELU Fund. https://events.vanderbilt.edu/law/event/76733-bypassing-climate-polarization-conference.
October 15: RAND FARMER’S MARKET 11am-1pm at the Rand Terrace. Join us for a taste of the Panola, Mississippi, community as we celebrate the launch of Vanderbilt’s first solar farm with Clearloop. The market will feature educational information about the solar farm and booths featuring Nashville and Panola County produce and homemade goods.
Oct. 16. 12-1pm. Mayananthi Fernando, U.C. Santa Cruz. “Toward a Negative Zoology: Human Limitation and More-Than-Human Worlds.” 306 Buttrick. Sponsored by Religious Studies and Climate and Environmental Studies.
October 16: PANEL – From Campus to Community: How Vanderbilt’s carbon natural commitment shows up as an economic development tool in Panola Country, Mississippi . 3pm-4pm at the Wond’ry, 3rd floor lounge. Join us for a panel at the Wond’ry to: Explore how the project supports VU’s carbon neutral commitment. Panelists Joe Azar (Executive Director, Economic Development for Panola County), Brad Robison (CEO, Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association), Laura Zapata (CEO, Clearloop), Andrea George (VU EHSS Associate Vice Chancellor, adjunct faculty, CEE), and Zdravka Tzankova (Associate Professor of the Practice, Climate and Environmental Studies)Learn about the co-benefits of Clearloop’s equity-focused carbon solution and its positive impact on local communities. Meet members of Vanderbilt leadership and faculty, Clearloop leadership and Panola County leadership as they discuss this important collaboration.
RECEPTION (also Oct. 16). 4pm-5pm in the ESB lobby. Join us for a reception following the panel to bring the VU sustainability community together to celebrate the launch of Vanderbilt’s first solar farm with Clearloop.
Oct. 17. Theater on EcoGrief sponsored by the Curb Center. “Let Us Sit Upon the Ground” by Reynaldo Piniella and “Waiting for Environman” by Jaymes Sanchez. See the VU Theatre website for details. Sponsored by the Curb Center.
Oct. 18. Nicole Seymour, Professor of English, Cal State Fullerton, “Climate Crisis/Comedy Crisis,” 2-4 pm, Robert Penn Warren Center Seminar Room.
Oct. 18. Advising session for Climate and Environmental Studies students (majors and minors) and Environmental Sociology students. 11:30-1:30, Wilson 113. Free pizza.
Oct. 18. Lessons in Biomimicry. Warner Park Nature Center (7311 Highway 100, 10am-3pm. Sponsored by the Wondr’y. Register here: SI Fall 24 Biomimicry Workshop Application (airtable.com)
Oct. 21. David Spence, Rex G. Baker Centennial Chair in Natural Resources Law at the University of Texas and author of Climate of Contempt: How to Rescue the U.S. Energy Transition from Voter Partisanship. 12:10 – 1:10 p.m. Vanderbilt Law School Renaissance Room.
Oct. 22. 3-4pm, reception at 4pm. Featheringill auditorium (room 134). The Value of Interdisciplinary Expertise in Designing for Sustainability, with Plastic Focus.” Mary Ellen Ternes, a senior environmental attorney with focused interdisciplinary practice combining science and law and partner at Earth & Water Law, LLC. She utilized her chemical engineering degree in work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry in environmental regulatory policy development, compliance and enforcement, pollutant mitigation and remediation and utilizes this prior experience within the scope of her environmental regulatory and litigation practice. This lecture: “With this lecture, Mary Ellen Ternes will discuss the value of interdisciplinary training and experience in pursuing more sustainable approaches for our society while meeting our energy, climate and chemical pollution challenges. Focusing on her experience with the horizon issue of plastic in all its forms and uses, Mary Ellen will review plastic as an environmental pollutant, comparing developing national and global plastic policy to policy histories of other ubiquitous materials presenting similar environmental and human health risks. In her review, Mary Ellen will discuss how she relies on her Vanderbilt chemical engineering degree, work experience in Superfund emergency response, hazardous waste treatment, permitting and site remediation for the US EPA and industry and her past 30 years as an environmental attorney for a wide range of clients.”
Oct. 24. 3-4:30pm, Commons 335. Oil, Geopolitics, and the Energy Transition. Join us for an insightful interview with Shaik Nawaf Saud Al-Sabah, the Chief Executive Officer of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). The conversation will explore KPC’s commitment to carbon neutrality, the future of oil within a transitioning global energy landscape, and the challenges and opportunities of recent international political trends. As energy markets face unprecedented shifts, this interview offers a rare glimpse into how one of the world’s largest oil companies is navigating the complex intersection of energy, sustainability, and global markets. The event will include a presentation, interview, and Q&A with the audience. The interview will be conducted by Andrew Coe (Associate Professor, Department of Political Science) and Peter Schram (Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science).
Bio: Shaikh Nawaf S. Al-Sabah is the deputy chairman and chief executive officer of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC). A state-owned corporation, KPC optimizes the value of Kuwait’s hydrocarbons endowment by producing, refining, transporting, and marketing these resources globally through eight operating subsidiaries. In his first year as CEO in 2022, KPC introduced its first net-zero carbon emissions policy as part of its efforts to remain a responsible and reliable energy producer. Prior to this appointment, Al-Sabah was CEO of KPC’s international upstream and downstream businesses. Previously, Al-Sabah spent 14 years at KPC, the last eight as general counsel. He holds a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School and an A.B., magna cum laude, from Princeton’s School for Public and International Affairs.
Oct. 25. Tipping Point Workshop: Writing Flash Fiction about Climate Change. 4-6pm. Curb Center Conference Room. The workshop is open to the public and will explore the impacts of climate change on Nashville and the world, as well as brainstorm ecofiction narratives and strategies for writing flash fiction. Potential submissions may emerge from workshop sessions, but attendance is not mandatory to submit. https://events.vanderbilt.edu/event/77123-tipping-point-workshop-writing-flash-fiction-about
Nov. 7. History of Art and Architecture Reunion Weekend Lecture. Thursday, November 7, 2024, 4:10-5:10, reception to follow. Cohen Memorial Hall, Room 203. Megan Mick, Professional Landscape Architect, Assistant Professor, Florida State University. Vanderbilt A&S, Class of 1998. “The Art and Science of Responsible Design.” The world around us is changing rapidly, and the conventional Western view of humans and the built environment as separate from nature is no longer relevant. The changing climate has led to more frequent natural calamities and social unrest and exposed the vulnerability of our infrastructure. Although sustainable design is generally accepted as an approach that considers people, planet, and profit equally, it is irresponsible to maintain our current development practices using this standard. Ecological principles provide the foundation for an inclusive and responsible design model at all scales, pushing beyond sustainability. Just as humans engage with and respond to their environment, living systems interact, adapt, and respond to one another. Responsible design acknowledges the active engagement of all living things in their environments and accepts responsibility for shaping the built world. It is an approach that is contextual and equitable, considering the well-being of people and the planet as a deeply connected and interwoven system. Organized by the Department of History of Art and Architecture. Cosponsored by the Climate and Environmental Studies Program.
November 11. Anna Hill, CHPP Fellow, “Cedar Point Park: Sketches and Impressions,” 3:30-5 pm, Robert Penn Warren Center Seminar Room.
2023-2024
April 4. Joel K. Bourne, “The End of Plenty.” Center Building 200, noon. Bourne is a journalist and writer specialized in global agriculture, international food trade, hunger, and food security. He regularly writes for the National Geographic. He is the author of The End of Plenty: The Race to Feed a Crowded World (W. W. Norton, 2015) (https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393352962). His website is http://www.joelkbournejr.com/. Sponsored by Climate and Environmental Studies and by the Sociology Department. Sponsored by the Climate and Environmental Studies Program.
Monday, March 18. Noon lunch. Susanna Pho, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Forerunner. Center Building 200. “Forunner is a passionate team of engineers, designers, strategists, and planners who are committed to mitigating the impacts of climate change. Our comprehensive and reliable tools empower communities to better prepare, respond, and plan for the future. Forerunner’s software consolidates property-level flood risk information to streamline floodplain management, support disaster recovery efforts, educate residents, and more. Our tailored support helps communities save time, decrease costs, assess risk, and take action.” Sponsored by the Climate and Environmental Studies Program.
Monday, Feb. 19, Noon lunch. Andrew Alesbury, Managing Director of Telesto Strategy. Sponsored by Climate and Environmental Studies. Center Building 200. Telesto Strategy is a consulting firm, in their words: “We are a certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) and ESG-focused strategy consulting firm founded with a bold vision to support businesses and governments in the regeneration of the planet’s health, resources, and wellbeing. Andrew transitioned to the firm intentionally after a successful career at McKinsey.” Sponsored by the Climate and Environmental Studies Program.
Tuesday, Feb. 13, Dr. Kali Rubaii (Department of Anthropology, Purdue University). “Toxic Hazards of War Along the Chain of Supply. Tues Feb 13 4:10 pm in Furman 114. There will be a lunch at 12:30. Kali Rubaii is an Iraqi-American anthropologist at Purdue whose forthcoming book is on everyday experiences of health and the legacies of the U.S. invasion of Central Iraq. She is also in the midst of an innovative interdisciplinary project tracing the trajectories of waste and toxicity related to the US invasion and occupation and documenting contamination patterns in community soil and water. Sponsored by Medicine, Health, and Society and Climate and Environmental Studies.
Nov. 6. Rand 308. 3:10pm. Samuel Dolbee, an assistant professor in the Vanderbilt History Department, will be presenting his work, Locusts of Power: Borders, Empire, and Environment in the Modern Middle East, recently published by Cambridge University Press. An excerpt of the book will be precirculated for discussion. Begüm Adalet of Cornell University will be providing the comment.
Oct. 23. Discussion of Dr. Calynn Dowler’s work-in-progress article, “Staging Survival: Popular Performance and More-than-Human Flourishing in the Sundarbans.” Dr. Dowler is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Vanderbilt.
Oct. 16. 12:10. Dr. Celeste Ray, Director of Environmental Arts and Humanities and Chair of Anthropology at Sewanee University. “Ethnoscience, Climate Change, and Regenerative Heritage Practices at Ireland’s Holy Wells.” Anthropology Department.
Oct. 10. Anthony Lanzillo (alumnus). “Critical Reflections and Radical Choices: Changing Our Lives in a Climate-Changed World.” Tone Lanzillo is a reporter of climate change for two newspapers in Duluth, Minnesota. He also produced the Climate>Duluth series for PACT-TV, helped coordinate local climate initiatives with Climate Clock, Worldwide Teach-In on Climate & Justice and Duluth Climate Mobilization. Currently, working on the clima÷praxis project, World Climate School and Climate Maze. Also, writing for Climate Steps, The Human Exploring Society and Writers Rebel. Tone graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1976 with a degree in political science.
Sept. 11. 4pm. Welcome back event cohosted by the Climate and Environmental Studies Program and the Robert Penn Warren Center.
2022-2023
Jan. 26. Dorecta Taylor (Yale University). “Martin Luther King Jr: The Intersection of Civil Rights and Environmental Justice.” 12 noon.
Feb. 7. Ömür Harmanşah (The University of Illinois at Chicago). “The Archaeology of Landscapes and Architectural Heritage in a Changing Climate: Fieldwork in/for the Anthropocene.” 4:10pm.
Feb. 28. Smart Jobs Summit. Moderated by Stephen Ornes and Amanada Little. 4:30pm.
March 24. John Vick (Director of the Office of Primary Prevention at the Tennessee Department of Health and alumnus of Peabody College). 12:10pm. Resilience, Extreme Events, Climate Change, and Human Health. He has been engaged in Nashville’s Heat Mapping Project and has staff working under his direction on the TN State Health Plan. He discussed some of the connections between resilience, extreme events, climate change, and human health.
March 24. David Hondula (Department of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at Arizona State University and the director of the City of Phoenix’s Office of Heat Response and Planning). Resilience in the city of Phoenix. 12:10 pm.
April 20. Neil Ahuja (U. Maryland) and Aimee Bahng (Pomona College). Critical Environmental Studies Across Asian America and the Pacific: A Symposium with Neel Ahuja and Aimee Bahng. 10:30am.
2021-2022
Vanderbilt students attend COP26 observe climate diplomacy in action. November 2021—Fourteen undergraduate students and two graduate students represented Vanderbilt University 3,923 miles away in Glasgow, Scotland, as official delegates to the United Nations international climate change negotiations—dubbed COP26. The extraordinary opportunity was facilitated by Leah Dundon, director of the Vanderbilt Climate Change Initiative, who secured for Vanderbilt official United Nations Observer status in 2019. The U.N. accreditation enabled Vanderbilt students to attend the conference for a second year, in part through an interdisciplinary A&S Honors Seminar on climate change taught by Dundon. Read more…