Spring Quarter, 2021
Tuesdays, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m NOTE: March 30 session ONLY - starts at 1:30 and ends at 3:00 p.m.
B. The Health of Our Planet: Past, Present, and Future, Faculty from the McCormick School of Engineering, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and the Chicago Botanic Garden
How do we assess the health of our planet? When we study the distant past, what changes do we see overall, and what are we discovering today that could raise concerns for the future? What are we doing now to protect our home, and what more can we do? This lecture series will examine the science behind these questions and more. We will explore the carbon cycle and patterns of extreme weather-related events. We will discuss the impact that these changes have made on plants and pollinators as well as changes in life cycle events, rising sea levels, man-made and natural ecosystems, vulnerable populations, and overall global health. Professors from Earth and Planetary Sciences, Political Science, Plant Biology, and Civil and Environmental Engineering will offer a broad range of expertise to the discussion of these topics.