As MIT prepares to issue a new Plan for Action on Climate Change later this spring, it is important that we assess both progress to date and areas where new and more ambitious action is necessary. To that end, the Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR) is working with a variety of units throughout the Institute to solicit ideas for how MIT can enhance its actions to address climate change.

Many members of the MIT community have been engaged on issues of climate change with diverse partners. This is the second of two webinars that VPR will be co-hosting for members of our community to learn about and offer their thoughts on the benefits and challenges of tackling the climate crisis from a variety of perspectives.

MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative Director John E. Fernandez has organized a forum on April 1, which will include three conversations between current students, faculty, staff and alumni who have been working in various ways to address the climate crisis. The motivation behind this forum is the value inherent in highlighting an all-of-MIT approach to engagement.

Agenda

2:05 pm Introductory remarks

• Maria T. Zuber, Vice President for Research and E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics, MIT

2:15 pm Panel 1: Engaging in learning

Speakers

• Pervez S. Agwan C/O '21, Co-President, MIT Energy Club;
• John E. Fernández '85, Director, MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative;
• Timothy Gutowski, Professor, MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering;
• Kate Trimble, Senior Associate Dean & Director of the Office of Experiential Learning; MIT Office of the Vice Chancellor

2:45 pm Panel 2: Engaging in the transition

Speakers

• Gail Greenwald ‘75, Launchpad Venture Group;
• Lucy Milde SB ‘20, Mechanical Engineering;
• Kiara Wahnschafft ‘21, Chief of Staff, MIT Undergraduate Association;
• Caroline White-Nockleby, Doctoral student, MIT History, Anthropology and Science, Technology & Society

3:15 pm Panel 3: Engaging in an uncertain future

Speakers

• Megan Black, Associate Professor, MIT Department of History;
• Diana Chapman Walsh, Member, MIT Corporation; 12th President of Wellesley College;
• Megan Guenther ’21, Undergraduate Research Assistant, MIT Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Studies;
• Desiree Plata, Associate Professor, MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

3:50 pm Closing remarks

• Richard Lester, Associate Provost for International Activities, MIT

Learn about the speakers.