Welcome to Earth Week at MIT

From April 23 to 26, 2019, the Environmental Solutions Initiative and its partners in sustainability are hosting a series of activities and events across the MIT campus to celebrate Earth Week. Meet the student and alumni groups working to make a difference on climate change; build valuable skills you can bring to your own sustainability endeavors; and zero in on the environmental issues that matter to you most. Our 2019 Earth Week programming includes:

Climate Summit Simulation

When: Tuesday, April 23, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: Room 3-442, 33 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02142

Climate Interactive leads role-playing workshops that let participants dive deep into the science and politics of climate change. ESI will host a pilot run of their latest workshop, the Climate Summit Simulation, where participants represent nations, advocacy groups, industries and other key stakeholders negotiating to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius—all backed by MIT’s EnROADS climate simulation program, as used by the U.S. government and the United Nations. Registration required.

 

Breaking Through Gridlock

When: Tuesday, April 23, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Where: Room 3-442, 33 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02142

Having conversations with people on opposite sides of important social, political, and environmental issues can be difficult and uncomfortable. This seminar by Jason Jay, coauthor of Breaking Through Gridlock: The Power of Conversation in a Polarized World, helps MIT students navigate these conversations productively and without animus, with a particular focus on climate change and the environment. Presented by ESI and the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative. Registration required.

 

People and the Planet: Juan Manuel Santos

Note: This event has regrettably been canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

Juan Manuel Santos, President of Colombia from 2010 to 2018, received the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his leadership in negotiating an end to the five-decade civil war between the Colombian government and the FARC guerilla forces. The peace process in Colombia has led to innovative measures in restorative justice, rural redevelopment—and the environment, which faces new challenges and opportunities as vast stretches of the Colombian Amazon are released from FARC control. Pres. Santos joins ESI for the latest headline event in our People and the Planet Lecture Series.

 

MIT Climate Night

When: Thursday, April 25, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Where: Samberg Conference Center, 6th Floor, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142

Featuring an MIT leadership climate conversation with Vice President for Research Maria Zuber, ESI Director John Fernandez, and MIT Energy Initiative Director Robert Armstrong.

Meet your MIT climate allies! If you are part of the MIT community and want to make a difference in the global climate crisis, this is your opportunity to meet academic, student, and alumni groups engaged in climate science, technology, policy, communications, and activism. Join us to exchange ideas, understand the full landscape of climate action at MIT, and lay the groundwork for future joint events and activities. MIT Vice President for Research Maria Zuber, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative Director John Fernandez, and MIT Energy Initiative Director Robert Armstrong will participate in a public climate conversation.

Climate Night is presented by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative and the MIT Energy Initiative. Open to current MIT students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Advance registration is strongly recommended. Food and beverages will be provided.

 

MIT Sustainability Summit

When: Friday, April 26, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Where: Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142

The MIT Sustainability Summit is an annual student-led conference that brings together industry and academia to consider a major social or technological challenge and imagine a more sustainable future. This year’s summit takes on transportation, with the theme “Sustainable Mobility: What Can(‘t) Tech Fix?” Presented by the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative. Registration required.