Sustainability Studies

This fall, a group of faculty, staff, and students are fielding a proposal to create a Sustainability Institute at UMass Dartmouth. In order to broaden our understanding of what Sustainability means to the world at large as well as to our campus community, we are contributing to a series of events designed to foster and enrich conversations about Sustainability. Please join us at these events and also let us know of your interest in teaching or learning about Sustainability by calling Jerry Blitefield at ext. 6601 or Susan Jennings at ext. 6484.

• October 5th 12-1
  Brown Bag Lunch, Library Browsing Area
  Ellen Christian, Jerry Blitefield, and Bal Ram Singh will discuss the proposed Sustainability Institute as well as the multi-disciplinary Sustainability Minor, slated to begin in the fall of 2006.
• October 14-16
  Bioneers by the Bay Conference at UMD
  Over 25 nationally and internationally-known speakers will converge on the UMass Dartmouth Campus for the northeast contingent of Bioneers, an internationally-acclaimed gathering of scientific and social innovators who have demonstrated visionary and practical models for restoring the Earth and communities. A limited number of free tickets are available for faculty, staff and students. In addition, there is space for classroom participation on Friday, October 14th.
  For more information, visit www.connectingforchange.org or write Stacy Hansen at shansen@umassd.edu or Susan Jennings at sjennings@umassd.edu.
• October 26
  Campus Sustainability Day, Library Browsing Area
  UMD participates in the Society for College and University Planning, National Campus Sustainability Day live feed, featuring a panel of sustainability experts led by NPR science correspondent, Joe Palca.
• November (date to be announced)
  Alan AtKisson
  The author of Believing Cassandra: An Optimist Looks at a Pessimist�s World and co-founder of Sustainable Seattle, will bring his own blend of humor, music, and stories to entertain and enchant students and faculty.
• January 24-25
  Faculty Retreat
  Faculty will join in an invigorating two-day retreat to discuss the development of the multi-disciplinary Sustainability Minor.

* Sustainability is a forward looking multi-disciplinary perspective that addresses both current and long-term economic, social, and environmental relations and concerns. It refers to the studied and planned use of human and non-human resources, with the goal of providing for future generations while maintaining quality of life today.