Spring 2024 Talks
For many years, the Mitchell Center has hosted an innovative Sustainability Talks series during the fall and spring semesters. The goal of these talks is to provide students, faculty, and interested citizens with opportunities to learn about: 1) the multi-faceted nature of sustainability problems; 2) the value of connecting different forms of knowledge and know-how in efforts to understand and solve such problems; and 3) the ways in which partnerships between universities and diverse stakeholders can facilitate efforts to identify and implement useful solutions.
All talks are Mondays at 3pm and are available via Zoom and in-person at 107 Norman Smith Hall, UMaine. For Zoom attendees, registration is required for each talk. Please go to individual event pages to register. Many talks are recorded and can be found on our YouTube site following the event.
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January 29
Marshes for Maine’s Future – Turning the tide on marsh loss in Maine
Chris Feurt, Director Coastal Training Program, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve; Research Associate, School of Marine and Environmental Programs, University of New England
February 5
Making Sausages: Creating “Our Maine,” a book exploring Maine’s rich natural heritage
- Aram JK Calhoun, Emeritus Professor of Wetland Ecology and Conservation, Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, University of Maine
- Malcolm “Mac” Hunter, Emeritus Professor, Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology, University of Maine
- Kent H. Redford, Principal, Archipelago Consulting, Portland, Maine
February 12 – RESCHEDULED FOR FALL 2024 SEMESTER
Penobscot Energy Resilience Initiatives
Gary Fearon, Director of Housing, Penobscot Indian Nation
February 26
From Global to Local: Bringing Climate Justice Goals to Maine
Ania Wright,
March 4
Making Space for Seafood in our Food Systems
Josh Stoll, Associate Professor, School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine; Faculty Fellow, Mitchell Center, UMaine
A recording of this talk is available
March 18
From Home, to Homestead, to Woodlot, to Park: Nature-Based Recreation as a Contemporary Link Between Society and the Natural Environment
Charlie Howe, Director of Parklands, Butler Conservation
A recording of this talk is available
March 25
Woven Wisdoms: The new Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledge and Science
Bonnie Newsom, Associate Professor of Anthropology, UMaine; citizen of the Penobscot Nation
A recording of this talk is available
April 1
The Menacing Moth of Maine: Understanding browntail moth and their outbreaks
Angela Mech, Assistant Professor of Forest Entomology, School of Biology & Ecology, UMaine
A recording of this talk is available
April 8 – TO BE RESCHEDULED FOR FALL SEMESTER
Penobscot Energy Resilience Initiatives
Gary Fearon, Director of Housing, Penobscot Indian Nation
April 15
Doing Research with Society – Addressing complex water-related challenges in South Africa
Nelson Odume, Professor & Director, Institute for Water Research, Rhodes University, South Africa
A recording of this talk is available