November News & Updates
We are thrilled for CSU's delegation of students and faculty attending the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) twenty-sixth session of the Conference of Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow, UK. The students’ motto, “Voices of Optimism, Agents of Change,” will be showcased during a press conference and other events they’ve been selected to lead at the climate talks. LEARN MORE. SoGES manages CSU’s participation as an official observer organization in the UNFCCC as part of our charge to facilitate cross-campus sustainability research and education.
Upcoming Events
November 3 | Mapping COVID in Urban Africa: Is it Helping?
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted economies and societies, exposing structural inequalities and local insecurities. Collaborative initiatives are using a geospatial mapping program to understand the conditions of and solutions for COVID mitigation in urban Africa. Melinda Laituri, principal investigator of the mapping project, will moderate this panel with the project's collaborators. Virtual event, 9-10am. REGISTER HERE. Hosted by The Africa Center, which is housed in SoGES. Laituri is an Emeritus Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability.
November 9 | Socio-Environmental Rights in Colombia: Insights from Black and Indigenous Leaders
Ethnic groups in Colombia are increasingly at risk as extractive economies expand into their ancestral lands to open mining and agribusiness frontiers. Leaders from Colombia's Pacific coast — a region of Indigenous and Black traditional territories — will discuss the rights of their communities, the impact of climate change, and the consequences of human rights violations on their livelihoods. Moderated by Marcela Velasco, whose SoGES 2018-19 Resident Fellowship initially supported this work. Virtual event, 12-1:30pm. REGISTER HERE. Organized by the Center for Environmental Justice and Latin American and Caribbean Studies Program; co-sponsored in part by SoGES. Velasco is an Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science.
November 10 |Coffee Social with The Africa Center
The Africa Center Coffee Social is an opportunity to meet faculty, staff, students, and community members who work in Africa or have an interest in Africa. Share ideas, stories, and research while enjoying African coffee, juice, tea, and breakfast snacks. 108 Johnson Hall, 11am-12:30pm.
November 16 | Everything on the Table: Colorado’s Food Landscape
A panel of local agricultural producers and organizations will explore how Colorado farmers and ranchers are adapting to the changing climate. Virtual event, 12-1:30pm. REGISTER HERE. Presented by the Institute for Science & Policy at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and partners. Moderated by Eugene Kelly, Professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Deputy Director of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, and Faculty Research Liaison for SoGES.
November 16| Life Under Ice: Diving Into Antarctic Microbial Landscapes
Tyler Mackey, Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of New Mexico, will present on the microbial landscapes found on the Antarctic lake beds and how their accumulated layers provide an important record of ecosystem response to changing regional climate. Virtual event, 6:30-7:30pm. REGISTER HERE.
News & Highlights
Emily Fischer Receives Prize for Excellence in Science Communication
The Society for Science awarded Emily Fischer the Jon C. Graff, Ph.D. Prize for Excellence in Science Communication. The selection committee chose Fischer for her effectiveness at communicating her findings with colleagues and the public, employing a variety of media tools. They also cited her participation in “Science Moms,” a blog that brings together climate scientists who are also mothers. LEARN MORE. Fischer is a member of the SoGES Executive Council and an Associate Professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science.
Sustainability Leadership Fellows Earn ESA Biogeoscience Awards
Emily Stuchiner and Charlotte Alster, are both recipients of awards from the Biogeosciences Section of the Ecological Society of America. Stuchiner won the New Phytologist Outstanding Student Presentation Award for her oral presentation and Alster won the Likens Award for her paper in Global Change Biology. LEARN MORE. Stuchiner was a SoGES 2019-20 Sustainability Leadership Fellow and is a Ph.D Student in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. Alster was a SoGES 2015-16 Sustainability Leadership Fellow and earned a Ph.D. from CSU.
Info Session on Sustainability Focused Education Abroad Program
CSU’s Education Abroad program, “Sustainable Energy Futures: Denmark,” takes students to the historic city of Copenhagen to experience its vibrant culture while learning about the future of sustainable energy. The program's faculty leader, Lynn Badia, will hold an information webinar to answer questions, hosted by the CSU Energy Institute. Virtual event, 3pm, November 11. LEARN MORE. This program can count towards the Sustainable Energy Minor offered jointly by SoGES and the Energy Institute.
CSU Extension Internship Program to Host 2021 Poster Session
The CSU Summer Extension Internship Program connects research and communities by engaging students in outreach via paid internships. This poster session and mixer will showcase the research experiences of students in the 2021 program and provide opportunities to meet Extension agents and spark ideas for 2022 internship opportunities. Canvas Stadium's Hall of Champions, 4:30-6:30pm November 8. LEARN MORE.
What We're Watching: "The Uprising"
A 13-minute film, “The Uprising” introduces the story behind the 1999 "Study on the Status of Women Faculty in Science at MIT" and its impact both at the Institute and around the globe. Through interviews with Nancy Hopkins and other leading scientists, the film showcases women in science who pressed for equal rights at MIT in the 1990s. LEARN MORE.
Ocean Sustainability Paper from Future Earth and CSU Colleague
A recent publication, "Establishing the Foundation for the Global Observing System for Marine Life," looks at gaps in spatial and ecosystem coverage in global observations of marine biodiversity. The authors suggest four key steps to increase the sustainability, connectivity, and spatial coverage of global ocean monitoring. READ MORE.
Human Nature Blog
Guest Post By Benjamin Choat, Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Trainee in the CSU InTERFEWS Program.
Guest Post by Kimberley Corwin, Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Atmospheric Science and Trainee in the CSU InTERFEWS Program
Guest Post by Lisa Eash, Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and Trainee in the CSU InTERFEWS Program
Interdisciplinary Minors
Global Environmental Sustainability Minor (GES)
Our flagship minor, the GES program provides a deep understanding of the complexity surrounding the problems we face and the solutions that we need to implement to address climate change, biodiversity, pollution, public health, oceans, food security, and development on a global scale. LEARN MORE.

Sustainable Water Interdisciplinary Minor (SWIM)
Jointly offered by the Colorado Water Center and SoGES, this minor focuses on water issues from social, political, economic, and ecological perspectives. Students gain knowledge of the complexities of water use and management. LEARN MORE.

Role of Sustainability in Peace and Reconciliation Studies Minor (SPRS)
This minor focuses on social, philosophical, and education aspects of peace and reconciliation and how these can address issues of sustainability. LEARN MORE.

Sustainable Energy Minor (SEM)
Jointly offered by the CSU Energy Institute and SoGES, this minor focuses on the many dimensions of sustainable energy and breaking down traditional barriers that separate the science and engineering of energy from the social, economic, and political aspects of energy. LEARN MORE.

Online minor enrollment is available. Visit the SoGES education and training webpage to learn more, download the minor course check sheets, and set up an advising appointment.
Building a Sustainable Future
SoGES addresses complex and global challenges by propelling sustainability research, educating future sustainability leaders, and connecting with the community. CLICK HERE to learn more about our School, our mission, and ways you can support our work.
Having trouble reading this email? View as Webpage
108 Johnson Hall | Fort Collins, CO 80523-1036 | Phone: (970) 492-4215
PLUGGED IN: CSU's Sustainability Newsletter is distributed on the first Tuesday of each month. CLICK HERE to join our mailing list. Questions about this newsletter? Email micha.bennett@colostate.edu.