Harvard University Center for the Environment - Events List

As always, Harvard and MIT have an enviable set of environmental, energy, and resources events.  The list provides food for thought about speakers and materials that may be available.

Highlights:

Tuesday, April 7: Harvard faculty John Briscoe (SEAS, HSPH) and David Foster (FAS) join Tom Baron, the Former Director of Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, for his discussion of approaches to sustainability in quenching "Southern New England's Future Thirst." 

Thursday, April 9: Max Bazerman (HBS) and Daniel Schrag (SEAS, HUCE) join Rick Larrick, Associate Professor of Management at Duke in his discussion of the "The MPG Illusion" in this second Green Conversations event in the week!

Celebrate Biodiversity! Terry Chapin, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, delivers the first Spring Biodiversity, Ecology, and Global Change lecture tomorrow at 4 pm. Daniel Simberloff presents "A Case Study of Biological Invasion – a Global Threat to Biodiversity" on April 13.

Calendar Listings:

Thursday 4/2/2009

6:00p - 9:00p MIT Wind Week 2009
(Stata Center, R&D Commons (4th Floor), Bldg. 32, MIT, 32 Vassar St., Cambridge, MA)
Offshore Wind Workshop Reception & Poster Session.
Contact: windweek.mit.edu

Friday 4/3/2009
 

9:00a Ecological Urbanism: Alternative and Sustainable Cities of the Future
(Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA)
Bringing together design practitioners and theorists, economists, engineers, environmental scientists, politicians and public health specialists, with the goal of reaching a more robust understanding of ecological urbanism and what it might be in the future.
Contact: Deborah Johansen, djohansen@gsd.harvard.edu, 617.496.0823

9:00a - 12:30p Restructuring Roundtable
(Foley Hoag, 155 Seaport Blvd, 13th Floor Conference Room, Boston, MA)
"Pursuing Sustainable Energy in New England: The Promise of Stimulus Funds and the Reality of Recession"
Contact: www.raabassociates.org/main/roundtabl...

9:00a - 6:30p MIT Wind Week 2009
Offshore Wind Technology Workshop With AWEA, US OWC, UMass, MTC, MIT Energy Initiative, and private companies. Registration Required.
Contact: windweek.mit.edu

11:00a - 12:00p Harvard Forest Seminar Series
(Seminar Room at Shaler Hall, Harvard Forest, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA)
"Rapid regional warming and ecosystem response along the Antarctic Peninsula." Hugh Ducklow, The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory & Palmer Station, Antarctica LTER.
Contact: Audry Barker Plotkin, aabarker@fas.harvard.edu, 978-724-3302 x 268, harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/researc...

1:30p Harvard....Then What? Careers in Urban Policy & Planning
(Office of Career Services Conference Room, 54 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA)
Come to this panel and network with experts who have chosen to focus their careers on building better cities.
Contact: ocsrsvp@fas.harvard.edu, www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/students/spri...

2:30p - 3:30p Green Business
(Office of Career Services Conference Room, 54 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA)
An introduction to the growing careers within the intersection of business practice and environmental sustainability.
Contact: Ana Franco, afranco@fas.harvard.edu

4:00p Biodiversity, Ecology, and Global Change
(Science Center D, 1 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"Sustainability in a Changing World: Concepts and Policy Strategies to Address Climate Change in Alaska." Terry Chapin, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Contact: Lisa Matthews, lisa_matthews@harvard.edu, 617-495-8883

Saturday 4/4/2009

9:00a Ecological Urbanism: Alternative and Sustainable Cities of the Future
(Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA)
Bringing together design practitioners and theorists, economists, engineers, environmental scientists, politicians and public health specialists, with the goal of reaching a more robust understanding of ecological urbanism and what it might be in the future.
Contact: Deborah Johansen, djohansen@gsd.harvard.edu, 617.496.0823

9:00a - 5:30p Environmental Action 2009
(Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston)
A conference that will bring together organizations, activists and decision-makers to share skills and information, as well as find ways to work together for a greener Commonwealth.
Contact: sam@toxicsaction.org, (617) 747-4362, www.toxicsaction.org/maenvironmentala...

5:30p - 6:30p Terminus: Disappearing Glaciers and Fragments of Human History
(Gund Hall, 48 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA)
Featuring large-scale color landscape photographs that tell the story of Peru's vulnerability to drought and shrinking glaciers due to climate change.
Contact: edward@canary-project.org

Sunday 4/5/2009

9:00a Ecological Urbanism: Alternative and Sustainable Cities of the Future
(Piper Auditorium, Gund Hall, 48 Quincy St., Cambridge, MA)
Bringing together design practitioners and theorists, economists, engineers, environmental scientists, politicians and public health specialists, with the goal of reaching a more robust understanding of ecological urbanism and what it might be in the future.
Contact: Deborah Johansen, djohansen@gsd.harvard.edu, 617.496.0823

3:00p HMNH: 2009 Roger Tory Peterson Memorial Lecture
(Science Center, One Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA)
"Conserving the World's Biodiversity: How the Climate Crisis Could Both Hurt and Help." Russell A. Mittermeier, President of Conservation International.
Contact: hmnh@oeb.harvard.edu, 617-495-3045, www.hmnh.harvard.edu/lectures_and_spe...

5:00p - 10:00p Global Citizens’ Climate Change and Water Film Festival
(Kirkland House, JFK St., Cambridge, MA)
Films include "Flow", "Water First", "After the Wave", and "Arvari."
Contact: Alexios Nicolaos Monopolis, greekislander@gmail.com

Monday 4/6/2009

9:30a - 11:30a Energy Technology Innovation Policy Seminar Series
(Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, 79 JFK St., Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA)
"Scaling Energy Technologies: Historical Evidence & Applications." Charles Wilson, Research Scholar, IIASA.
Contact: Sam Milton, sam_milton@harvard.edu, belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/events/3...

11:30a Harvard Energy Journal Club
(HUCE Seminar room, 24 Oxford St. 3rd floor, Cambridge, MA)
Visit the Energy Journal website for current topics of discussion.
Contact: Mark Winkler, mwinkler@fas.harvard.edu, www.hcs.harvard.edu/hejc/

12:00p - 1:00p Environmental Sciences and Engineering Seminar
(Pierce Hall 100F, 29 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"Understanding Surface Reactivity in the Environment: Importance of Nanoscale Heterogeneity." Dr. Chongzheng Na Harvard University.
Contact: Norma Stewart, nstewart@seas.harvard.edu

4:00p MIT Science Technology, and Society Colloquia
(MIT, Building E51-095, Cambridge, MA)
"Future Imperfect: Sociotechnical Imaginaries and Cultures of Public Policy." Sheila Jasanoff, Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Harvard Kennedy School.
Contact: 617-452-2390, web.mit.edu/sts/calendar/index-css.html

4:00p EPS Spring Colloquium
(Haller Hall, Geological Museum, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"The Search for Geologic Signatures of Seismic Slip and Aseismic Creep at SAFOD." Judith Chester, Texas A & M University.
Contact: Ganna Savostyanova, annasavostyanova@gmail.com

4:30p - 6:00p Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies Seminar
(9 Bow St., Cambridge, MA)
"The Impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami: Evidence from Indonesia." Duncan Thomas, Professor of Economics, Duke University.
Contact: Claudette Agustin, cagustin@hsph.harvard.edu, www.hsph.harvard.edu/centers-institut...

5:30p - 7:30p The Precautionary Principle
(Sever Hall, Room 113, Harvar Yard, Cambridge, MA)
Speaker: Joel A. Tickner, ScD, one of the leading proponents of the Precautionary Principle
Contact: Linda Armstrong Cross, linda_cross@harvard.edu, (617) 998-8530

7:00p Department of Energy: Version 2.0
(MIT, 32-141, Cambridge, MA)
Speaker: Steve Isakowitz, Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Energy, presents an update on the Department: Where we stand and where we are going.
Contact: melissaa@MIT.EDU

Tuesday 4/7/2009

9:00a Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center Conference
(Lincoln Campus Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA)
The annual Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center conference brings together scientists, regulators, and practitioners from across the state and region to discuss water resources issues.
Contact: Marie Françoise Walk, (413) 545-5531, www.umass.edu/tei/wrrc/WRRC2004/Confe...

9:30a - 11:00a Energy Technology Innovation Policy Seminar Series
(Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, 79 JFK St., Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA)
"The Clean Development Mechanism, Technology Transfer, and China's GHG Reductions." Bo Wang, ETIP Research Fellow.
Contact: Sam Milton, sam_milton@harvard.edu, (617) 496-5584, www.belfercenter.org/energy

12:00p Herbaria Seminar Series
(Sherman Fairchild Lecture Hall, 7 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA)
"Neotropical Podostemaceae: systematics, ecology, endemism and conservation." Dr. C. Thomas Philbrick, Western Conn. State University.
Contact: www.huh.harvard.edu/seminar_series/

3:00p - 4:00p ClimaTea Lecture/Journal Club
(Geological Museum, Room 418, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA)
Visit the Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics website for current speakers and topics of discussion.
Contact: Kate Dennis, kdennis@fas.harvard.edu, 617-384-8398, www.seas.harvard.edu/climate/seminars...

5:00p Green Conversations
(Haller Hall, Geological Museum, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"Southern New England's Future Thirst: An Approach to Sustainability." Tom Baron, Former Director of Operations, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Water System.
Contact: Lisa Matthews, lisa_matthews@harvard.edu, 617-495-8883

5:30p Tufts Energy and Climate Forum
(Cabot 205, The Fletcher School, 160 Packard Ave., Tufts University, Medford, MA)
"International Trade in Used Vehicles: The Environmental Consequences of NAFTA." Dr. Lucas W. Davis, Department of Economics, University of Michigan.
Contact: Mieke van der Wansem, mieke.wansem@tufts.edu, environment.tufts.edu/?pid=16

Wednesday 4/8/2009

12:15p - 1:45p Dubai Initiative Seminar
(Belfer Center Library, Littauer 369, 79 JFK St., Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA)
"Environment and Politics in Egypt and the Gulf." Jeannie Sowers, Dubai Initiative Fellow. Brown Bag Lunch, open to the public.
Contact: dubai_initiative@ksg.harvard.edu, 617-496-3694

12:30p - 2:00p Adaptations in International Climate Negotiations
(Cabot 703, The Fletcher School, 170 Packard Ave, Tufts University Campus, Medford, MA)
Speaker: Letha Tawney, Principal, Emerald Arc Consulting. Letha Tawney specializes in interdisciplinary understanding of anthropogenic climate change.
Contact: Mieke van der Wansem, mieke.wansem@tufts.edu

8:00p Environmental Action Committee Meeting
(Spindell Room, Quincy House, 58 Plympton St., Cambridge, MA)
Everyone interested in learning about the EAC and/or learning how to help make a difference for the environment is welcome.
Contact: Caitlin Rotman, caitlin.rotman@gmail.com

 Thursday 4/9/2009

10:00a - 11:30a ENRP and Sustainability Science Special Seminar
(Perkins Room, 4th Floor, Rubenstein Building, KSG, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA)
"Effectively Reducing Vulnerability from Climate Impacts: The Limits of Community Based Adaptation." Letha Tawney, (MPA '08) Climate Change Policy Consultant.
Contact: Amanda Swanson, amanda_swanson@harvard.edu

12:00p Energy Technology Innovation Policy Seminar Series
(Taubman 275, Harvard Kennedy School, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA)
"Climate Change Technology R&D Portfolio Analysis under Uncertainty." Erin Baker, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
Contact: Sam Milton, sam_milton@harvard.edu

4:00p - 5:00p OEB Seminar Series
(Bio Labs Lecture Hall, 16 Divinity Ave., Harvard Campus, Cambridge, MA)
"The evolution of novel, serially homologous, complex traits: butterfly eyespots. " Antonia Monteiro, Yale University.
Contact: Katie Parodi, kparodi@oeb.harvard.edu, (617) 495-5891

4:00p China Project Seminar
(Pierce Hall 100F, 29 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"A Scenario Approach to Analyzing China's Energy Future: Results from CERA's 'Feeding the Dragon' Study." Xizhou ZHOU and Edward Young, Cambridge Energy Research Associate.
Contact: Chris Nielsen , nielsen2@fas.harvard.edu

5:00p Green Conversations
(HUCE Seminar Room, 24 Oxford St., 3rd Floor, Cambridge, MA)
"The MPG Illusion." Richard P. Larrick, Associate Professor of Management Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.
Contact: Lisa Matthews, lisa_matthews@harvard.edu, 617-495-8883

6:00p Microbial Sciences Initiative Thursday Evening Seminar Series
(HUCE Seminar Room, 24 Oxford St., 3rd Floor, Cambridge, MA)
"Mycorrhizas and ecosystem processes." Ian Alexander, Regius Professor of Botany, University of Aberdeen.
Contact: Christy Herren, herren@fas.harvard.edu, (617) 495 8643, www.msi.harvard.edu/thursdays.html

Friday 4/10/2009

11:00a - 12:00p Harvard Forest Seminar Series
(Seminar Room at Shaler Hall, Harvard Forest, 324 North Main Street, Petersham, MA)
"Gloeotrichia echinulata: a causal agent of regime change in oligotrophic lakes?" Kathryn Cottingham, Dartmouth College.
Contact: Audry Barker Plotkin, aabarker@fas.harvard.edu, 978-724-3302 x 268, harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/researc...

Saturday 4/11/2009

2:00p - 6:00p Energy in Transition: Harvard Alumni Association Event
(Science Center, One Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA)
  A group of Harvard scholars and alumni serving as energy industry leaders discuss future energy sources and technology.
Contact: Roberta DeStefano, roberta_newell@harvard.edu, 617-495-1920, post.harvard.edu/harvard/alumni/html...

7:00p - 11:00p Go Green Dance Party
( Lexington Knights of Columbus Heritage Hall, 177 Bedford St., Lexington, MA )
A benefit to fund LexGWAC, GWEN (Global Warming Awareness Network) and 350.org in their efforts to raise awareness about the 350.org Global Day of Climate Action.
Contact: www.gwenet.org/events.htm

Monday 4/13/2009

11:30a Harvard Energy Journal Club
(HUCE Seminar room, 24 Oxford St. 3rd floor, Cambridge, MA)
Visit the Energy Journal website for current topics of discussion.
Contact: Mark Winkler, mwinkler@fas.harvard.edu, www.hcs.harvard.edu/hejc/

5:00p Biodiversity, Ecology, and Global Change
(Bio Labs Lecture Hall, 16 Divinity Ave, Harvard Campus, Cambridge)
"A Case Study of Biological Invasion: a Global Threat to Biodiversity." Daniel Simberloff, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee.
Contact: Lisa Matthews, lisa_matthews@harvard.edu, 617-495-8883

Tuesday 4/14/2009

12:00p Herbaria Seminar Series
(Sherman Fairchild Lecture Hall, 7 Divinity Ave, Cambridge, MA)
Mark Beilstein, Mercer Fellow, Mathews lab. Title TBA.
Contact: www.huh.harvard.edu/seminar_series/

1:00p 2009 Dudley Herschbach Teacher/Scientist Lecture
(Fong Auditorium, Boylston Hall, Harvard Campus, Cambridge, MA )
"Science Education in the 21st Century: Using Methods of Science to Teach Science." Carl Wieman, Nobel Laureate in Physics from the University of British Columbia.

3:00p - 4:00p ClimaTea Lecture/Journal Club
(Geological Museum, Room 418, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA)
Visit the Atmosphere, Ocean, and Climate Dynamics website for current speakers and topics of discussion.
Contact: Kate Dennis, kdennis@fas.harvard.edu, 617-384-8398, www.seas.harvard.edu/climate/seminars...

4:15p MIT Energy Initiative Seminar Series
(MIT Building 66, Room 110, Cambridge, MA)
"Revising Limits in Energy Conversion Using Nanostructures." Arun Majumdar, Almy & Agnes Maynard Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science and Engineering, UC Berkeley.
Contact: web.mit.edu/mitei/news/seminars/

Wednesday 4/15/2009

4:00p - 5:30p Seminar in Environmental Economics and Policy
(Littaur-382, Harvard Kennedy School, 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA)
"Uncertainty, Extreme Outcomes, and Climate Change Policy." Robert Pindyck, MIT.
Contact: Jason Chapman, Jason_Chapman@ksg.harvard.edu, 617-496-8054

5:00p The Future of Energy
(Science Center D, 1 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"A View of Nuclear Power in the World's Energy Future." Richard Garwin, IBM Fellow Emeritus.
Contact: Lisa Matthews, lisa_matthews@harvard.edu, 617-495-8883

8:00p Environmental Action Committee Meeting
(Spindell Room, Quincy House, 58 Plympton St., Cambridge, MA)
Everyone interested in learning about the EAC and/or learning how to help make a difference for the environment is welcome.
Contact: Caitlin Rotman, caitlin.rotman@gmail.com

Thursday 4/16/2009

2:00p Solid Earth Physics Seminar Series
(Hoffman Faculty Lounge, 4th Floor, 20 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
"Boundary layer transitions in rotating convection and dynamo systems." Jonathan Aurnou, Simulated Planetary Interiors Lab, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, UCLos Angeles.

2:00p - 5:30p A Symposium to Honor Institute Professor of John Deutch
(Lecture Hall 10-250, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA)
Celebrating the 70th birthday of MIT Institute Professor John M. Deutch and in recognizing his manifold contributions.

6:00p Harvard Museum of Natural History Exhibit Opening Lecture
(Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA)
Neil Shubin, provost of The Field Museum of Natural History, Professor of Anatomy at the University of Chicago.
Contact: hmnh@oeb.harvard.edu, 617-495-3045, www.hmnh.harvard.edu/lectures_and_spe...