On April 18, 2019, Brian Stewart, professor of physics, environmental studies, and integrative sciences, hosted his 12th Annual Earth Week Rant on the subject of “Tipping Points: Physical, Ecological, Social, and Personal.” His yearly talks inform the greater Wesleyan community on the evolution of climate change and challenge them to actively work to counter its effects.
ostfeld ’10, envs students meet with ct lawmakers
Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies (and Wes alum) Rosemary Ostfeld, PhD ’10 and her students from ENVS344 / Renewable Energy and Negative Emission Technologies joined with members of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) on a visit the state capitol in Hartford earlier this month. Environmental studies majors in the group included Caroline Sgaglione ’19, Catherine Xi ’21 & Maggie Humphrey ’21. While there, Ostfeld and her students discussed renewables, green technologies, and the importance of making the environment a priority with State Reps Michael Winkler & Quentin Phipps and fellow Wesleyan University alums State Senator Matthew Lesser ’08 and State Rep Mike Demicco ’80.
coexist t-shirts: now available
Our first-ever small-batch coexist t-shirts, handcrafted with eco-love. Made with conventionally grown cotton in a zero-waste facility, using 60% less water in production than standard tees (even higher than organic) and printed with eco-friendly inks by Middletown’s own cinder + salt, our soft and stretchy coexist t-shirts are free for our current environmental studies majors with a limited quantity available for $10/each for anyone else! Email me for more info!
poulos researches fire effects in arizona
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Helen Poulos traveled to Arizona in March 2019 to research fire effects of the 2018 Pinery Canyon Fire on agaves in the Chiricahua Mountains. Poulos is working on the project in collaboration with Wes astronomy major Hunter Vannier ‘20.
While in the Grand Canyon State, Poulos also spent time researching the effects of the 2017 Frye Fire on mixed conifer forests of the Pinaleño Mountains, a project in collaboration with Dr. Don Falk at University of Arizona.
sunrise shines light on the green new deal
Wes students & faculty learned about the Green New Deal at a Town Hall event here on campus–one of hundreds of events organized nationwide by Sunrise Movement, cofounded by COE alum Evan Weber ‘13. Last night’s event, organized by WesDivest and Wesleyan Climate Action Group and cosponsored by the COE, featured Sunrise Movement rep Lauren Maunus, a senior at Brown U studying enviro science with a focus in environment & inequality. Lauren is on the leadership team of the Energize RI Coalition and the RI Green New Deal Research Council, and helped start Sunrise RI.
parker committed to breaking down communication barriers in environmental journalism
Meaghan Parker, executive director of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), visited Wesleyan University earlier this month to present “Talking about the Weather: Communicating Complexity in the Era of Climate Change,” an event sponsored by the College of the Environment. As a previous editor at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Parker’s work has a strong focus on actionable ideas that can realistically be implemented in journalism and education. Her talk emphasized the roles that journalists play in environmental education, from raising awareness to holding politicians accountable, and how journalists can be more effective at communicating the intricacies of the environmental movement, current events, and the subtle relationships they often have with each other.