Sustainability Digest 071015

SUSTAINABILITY DIGEST

The Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability provides this list to announce seminars, meetings, colloquiums, lectures, brown bags, announcements of interest, and job opportunities to the Institute community. If you have items you’d like to add please submit them to Cindy.Zisner@asu.edu before 5 PM Wednesday. This digest is sent out on Friday morning. You may subscribe, unsubscribe, or change subscriber settings at http://lists.asu.edu/archives/giosasu.html under the Options where it says Join or Leave GIOSASU. You can see archives of list messages at the same address.

The Sustainability Digest will be taking a break Friday July 31 and Friday August 7. Please send items occurring those weeks and early August to be included in the July 24 Digest. The Digest will resume Friday August 14.

NEW ITEMS

Institute Events

1. PhD Defense: John Harlow

Other Events - On Campus

2. Raising Backyard Chickens

3. Urban Farming Workshop Series: Integrated Pest Management

4. Security & Sustainability Forum Webinar: Recycling Waste CO₂ to Fuels

5. Security & Sustainability Forum Webinar: Megatrends – The Food, Water, Energy Nexus

News and Announcements

6. UGEC Viewpoints: Natural Infrastructure: A Clear Path towards Urban Resilience?

7. Exploring the effects of innovation

8. Q&A with Bruce Rittmann

9. Engineering student combines gaming, Fitbit tech to address childhood obesity

10. Arizona Department of Water Resource Drought Program

Other Jobs

11. Postdoctoral Fellow, Center for Science & the Imagination, Arizona State University

12. Sustainability Manager, University of Minnesota

13. Director, Resiliency, Urban Land Institute

14. Senior Renewable Energy Program Manager, Apple

15. Midwest Policy Manager, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, Dayton, Ohio

16. Sustainability and Energy Manager, University of Puget Sound

17. Director, Center for Collaborative Conservation, Colorado State University

18. Assistant, Associate or Full Scientist/Curator, California Academy of Science

19. Local Foods Coordinator — Local First Arizona Foundation (Phoenix)

EVENTS

Institute Events

Film Screening: Inhabit

(Wednesday, July 15, 2015) Inhabit is a feature-length documentary that offers an intimate look at permaculture people and practices. Doors open 6:30 p.m.; showtime 7:00 p.m. at Harkins Valley Art Theater, 509 S Mill Ave, Tempe. More information and RSVP.

NEW!

PhD Defense: John Harlow

(Monday, July 20, 2015) John Harlow will defend his PhD dissertation Populating and Facilitating Urban Sustainability Transition Arenas at 10:00 a.m. in room 481, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University at the Tempe campus. Faculty, students, and the general public are invited. More information.

Sustainability Series: Equity - Inclusiveness - Empowerment

(Thursday, October 15, 2015) Darren Chapman, TigerMountain Foundation will present Equity - Inclusiveness - Empowerment at 6:00 p.m. at the Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 S McClintock Dr, Tempe. More information and RSVP.

Other Events

On Campus

Democracy Conference 2015: By the People

(Thursday-Saturday, December 3-5, 2015) Arizona State University will be hosting a conference on participatory democracy, civic engagement and citizenship education. The event will be designed to share research findings, engage in provocative and meaningful discussions, learn from accomplishments and failures, and be inspired by innovative approaches, strategies, policies, tools and practices. The conference will bring together academics, students, practitioners, researchers, appointed and elected public officials, teachers, administrators, members of community organizations, and all those interested in participatory democracy, public engagement and citizenship education. The conference will combine academic presentations with practical workshops, We are interested in attracting theoretical and empirical contributions that are related to the three conference themes. Submission of abstracts is April 15, 2015. More information.

Off Campus

Citizens’ Climate Lobby Meeting and Conference Call

(Saturday, July 11, 2015) Citizens' Climate Lobby is a national organization dedicated to the implementation of a carbon fee and dividend plan as a market-based way of putting a price on carbon emissions. The Phoenix-area CCL group usually meets at 10:00 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month to plan its efforts. The location is as follows: Escalante Multi-Generational Center, 2150 E. Orange St. in Tempe. For more information, visit http://citizensclimatelobby.org or e-mail pe4rcaz@gmail.com.

NEW!

Raising Backyard Chickens

(Saturday, July 11, 2015) Rachel Bess, permaculturist, will provide a free workshop about keeping chickens in your backyard. At 10:30 a.m. in the Saguaro Room, Main Mesa Public Library, 64 E. First St, Mesa. Free and open to the public. More infomation.

19^th Annual Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference

(Tuesday-Thursday, July 14-16, 2015) The 19th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference (GC&E), will be held in the Washington DC area. As the longest running green chemistry conference in the United States, GC&E invites scientists, decision-makers, students, and advocates to come together, compare findings, and discuss the science of the future. Share your research with an engaged audience of your peers from around the world; learn from scientific trailblazers who are designing more sustainable chemistries and processes; find out how green innovations are inspiring new businesses and product lines. More information and registration.

GreenBiz Webcast: Extending the Team: The Role of Outsourcing to Achieve Sustainability Objectives

(Tuesday, July 21, 2015) GreenBiz Group partnered with Siemens in a comprehensive research study to determine what happens when internal sustainability teams seek outside resources to guide their efforts or outsource their activities. At 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. AZ). More information and registration.

NEW!

Urban Farming Workshop Series: Integrated Pest Management

(Thursday, July 23, 2015) Kelly Young, Maricopa County Cooperative Extension will present the Integrated Pest Management workshop to learn about controlling those garden pests from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Event Tent, Mesa Community College, 1833 W Southern Ave, Mesa. There will be another session on Saturday, July 25 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at George B. Brooks Sr. Community Schoool, 3146 E Wier Ave, Phoenix. Free but an RSVP is required. More information.

NEW!

Security & Sustainability Forum Webinar: Recycling Waste CO₂ to Fuels

(Tuesday, July 28, 2015) The Future of Sustainable Transportation Fuels webinar series will include the emerging technological possibilities for captured CO₂ from waste streams (or directly from the atmosphere) and using it as a pre-concentrated carbon source to produce transportation fuels, which falls in the space of “carbon capture and utilization” (CCU). From 10:15-11:45 a.m. MST. More information and registration.

NEW!

Security & Sustainability Forum Webinar: Megatrends – The Food, Water, Energy Nexus

(Thursday, July 30, 2015) Join the Security and Sustainability Forum and hosts – the National Council on Science and the Environment, the Willdan Group and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University -- in a free webinar as we explore the challenges and opportunities in meeting food, water and energy goals in developed and developing nations on a changing planet. From 10:15-11:45 a.m. MST. More information and registration.

GoDaddy Presents Private Screening of Code: Debugging the Gender Gap

(Thursday, July 30, 2015) Join us to see CODE, a film that examines the reasons why more girls and people of color are not seeking opportunities in computer science. It explores how cultural mindsets, stereotypes, educational hurdles, and sexism all play roles in this national crisis. At 5:30 p.m. at GoDaddy Scottsdale Auditorium, 14455 N. Hayden Rd, Scottsdale. More information. Please RSVP to jmercer@godaddy.com.

8^th Annual Conference of the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

(Thursday-Friday, August 20-21, 2015) Ryerson, Tsinghua and Oxford universities are pleased to announce that the 8th Annual Conference for the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (#AIE2015) will be held for the first time in Toronto, Canada. The AIE Conference was first held in 2008 at Tsinghua University in Beijing, consistently ranked as one of China's top institutions for higher learning, and has previously been hosted at the prestigious Oxford University in London, England. A truly international conference, the AIE has attracted more than 1,500 participants from more than 27 countries over the years. This year, conference participants will have the unique opportunity to experience Canada as an innovation nation. The AIE Conference provides a broad platform to convene scholars from around the world to present research and to stimulate discussions on critical research issues and new developments in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. We are currently welcoming proposals from current and emerging scholars, policymakers and industry partners, please see the Call for Papers. Deadline for proposals is April 15, 2015. For more information, please visit the conference website or contact Diana Cucuz at cucuzd@ryerson.ca.

Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative Lecture: Paolo Bacigalupi

(Thursday, September 17, 2015) In Paolo Bacigalupi’s most recent science fiction novel, “The Water Knife,” Phoenix is dried up and California and Nevada are not too far behind. The millions of people who rely on the Colorado River to survive are not only thirsty, but fighting for their lives. It’s a compelling story that captures a not-so-distant future. Will Phoenix eventually collapse? Will the river dry up? New York Times-bestselling author Paolo Bacigalupi will visit Phoenix to discuss “The Water Knife,” and the future of the Colorado River as part of ASU’s Imagination and Climate Futures Initiative. At the Tempe Center for the Arts, 7:30 p.m. Check for tickets starting August 25.

Workshop for PhD Students: Socio-Environmental Synthesis Research Proposal Writing

(Monday-Wednesday, September 28-30, 2015) SESYNC will host a 2½-day workshop designed to prepare graduate students to apply for graduate-level research opportunities at SESYNC. This workshop will provide graduate students with: introductions to SESYNC, socio-environmental synthesis research, team science, bridging natural and social sciences, and actionable science; networking opportunities to build professional relationships with other students, particularly those from different disciplines; and training sessions on the methods, challenges, and strategies associated with writing successful proposals, especially those related to the type of work SESYNC supports. The workshop is aimed at graduate students in the natural, social, and computational sciences; humanities; communications; and business studies. There is no fee to attend; attendees will receive support for travel, meals, and accommodations. Find complete details here. Deadline for applications is July 15, 2015.

Conference on Complex Systems 2015

(Monday-Friday, September 28-October 2, 2015) The annual European Conferences on Complex Systems (ECCS) have become a major venue for the Complex Systems Community since they were started in 2003. For the first time, this year, the conference will be held in North America to foster and multiply contacts between the European, North American and Asian communities working in this domain. CCS’15 will be a major international conference and event in the area of complex systems and interdisciplinary science in general. To be held at the Hilton Doubletree Fiesta Inn, Tempe. More information.

Homeland & Global Security Forum

(Wednesday-Thursday, October 14-15, 2015) The 17^th International Summit on Transnational Crime will take place in Geneva, Switzerland. Being a multidimensional platform this Summit brings together heads of state and government, intelligence agencies, and businesses address the key to global security challenges of our world. More information.

2015 Quality of Life Conference: The Future of Quality of Life

(Thursday-Saturday, October 15-17, 2015) The International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (ISQOLS), along with co-host ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, invite researchers from all disciplines, policy makers and practitioners from across the globe to participate in the 2015 Quality of Life Conference "The Future of Quality of Life." Join an exciting convening of quality of life thinkers to explore ideas, new approaches, and innovative thinking about dimensions of quality of life that impact us all, including immigration and inclusion, climate change and issues of resources, rapid urbanization and fascinating cultures intersecting in one of the US's largest cities. October 15 - 17, 2015 in Phoenix. More information.

AASHE 2015 Conference & Expo

(Sunday-Wednesday, October 25-28, 2015) AASHE 2015 Conference & Expo, themed Transforming Sustainability Education, will convene a diverse group of campus representatives including faculty, students, sustainability officers, staff, administrators and presidents together with business, non-profit, government and community members for a sustainable celebration. Expected to draw approximately 2,100 participants, AASHE’s annual conference remains the largest stage in North America for sharing effective models, policies, research, collaborations and transformative actions which advance sustainability in higher education and beyond. It will be held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. For more information.

VERGE 2015: Where Tech Meets Sustainability

(Monday-Thursday, October 26-29, 2015) See how technology accelerates sustainability solutions in a climate-constrained world. VERGE is GreenBiz Group's global event series focusing on the technologies and systems that accelerate sustainability solutions across sectors in a climate-constrained world. The event brings together the world’s largest companies, technology innovators, utilities and cities, creating a broad ecosystem of players to accelerate opportunities for business, the environment and society. The program focuses on transformative but practical, scalable, solutions-oriented exchanges through seven program tracks: Grid 2.0, Next-Gen Buildings, Smart Cities, Connected Transportation, Intelligent Supply Chains, Food & Ag Tech and Sustainable Water Systems. To be held at the Fairmont Hotel, San Jose, California. More information.

Chacmool 2015: Shallow Pasts, Endless Horizons: Sustainability & Archaeology

(Saturday-Monday, November 14-16, 2015) The Chacmool Archaeological Association and the Department of Anthropology present the 2015 Chacmool Conference being held at the University of Calgary. We encourage you to explore sustainability with us at the 48th Annual Chacmool Conference. More information.

Greenbuild: Monumental Green Conference and Expo

(Wednesday-Friday, November 18-20, 2015) Greenbuild is the premier event for sustainable building. Featuring three exhilarating days of uplifting speakers, unmatched networking opportunities, showcases, LEED workshops and tours of green buildings in Washington, DC, Greenbuild offers a place for thousands to gather and renew their commitment to the green movement. Expo will be held November 18-19 and the Conference November 18-20. More information.

21^st Century STEM: Integrate to Innovate Conference

(Thursday-Sunday, January 21-24, 2016) The Science Foundation AZ and the STEM AZ Education Collaborative are proud to partner to bring you the 21st Century STEM: Integrate to Innovate Conference. STEM integration is critical for developing the knowledge and skills our students, businesses, and communities desire and deserve. Critical thinking, creativity, and innovation are both goals and outcomes of educational practices that promote a transdisciplinary approach to STEM education. At the 21st Century STEM: Integrate to Innovate conference participants will engage in diverse sessions to explore and enhance STEM educational practices. Sessions will not only be outstanding learning opportunities for educators, many of them will include how business, informal education, early childhood experiences, and K-16+ classrooms create a nexus of learning that result in the 21st century graduate prepared for tomorrow’s world. The conference will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center, 100 N Third St, Phoenix. For more information.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW!

UGEC Viewpoints: Natural Infrastructure: A Clear Path towards Urban Resilience?

There has been an explosion of interest in the idea of “urban resilience”. The Rockefeller Foundation was excited enough about the idea to create the 100 Resilient Cities network, and the World Bank has developed its own methodology to assess urban resilience, to name just two efforts. Read more.

NEW!

Exploring the effects of innovation

In the not-too-distant future, it will become commonplace to see a car drive by with no one at the wheel. Self-driving cars have many benefits, but there are some surprising adverse effects to this new technology as well. ASU public affairs professor Kevin DeSouza is exploring how everything from self-driving cars to drones to artificial intelligence will affect society. Read more.

NEW!

Q&A with Bruce Rittmann

Bruce Rittmann is Director of the Biodesign Institute’s Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnology, a Regents’ Professor in Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering’s School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, and a Distinguished Sustainability Scientist in the ASU Wrigley Institute. His interests lie in better understanding microorganisms so as to take advantage of the services they can provide to humans and our environment. Read more.

NEW!

Engineering student combines gaming, Fitbit tech to address childhood obesity

Driven by her love for hiking, yoga and eating right, ASU student Courtney Van Bussum has created FitStart Kids, a tool that is changing the game for children who struggle with obesity. It combines Fitbit activity-tracking technology with a virtual game environment, leveraging the time kids spend looking at a screen into a way to help them adopt a healthy mind-set. Read more.

Tempe Sustainability Commission Opportunity

Tempe City Council just approved the establishment of a Sustainability Commission. The Commission will advise Council and staff on ways to help the Tempe's sustainability programs reach their full potential. Projects reflect goals surrounding water conservation, renewable energy, recycling, transportation, and sustaining city infrastructure. The Commission has requirements for members with specific areas of expertise. Volunteer applications are now being accepted online at the City of Tempe Boards and Commissions website.

EPA Launches 2015 Campus RainWorks Challenge

EPA is calling for entries in its fourth annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a green infrastructure design competition for undergraduate and graduate students. Student teams, working with a faculty advisor, will submit design boards, a project narrative, and a letter of support for a green infrastructure project on their campuses. This year, student teams will be encouraged to incorporate climate resiliency into their stormwater management designs. Registration opens September 1 and ends September 30. Teams must submit their entries by December 18, and winners will be announced on April 22, 2016. First-place teams will earn $2,000 to divide evenly among students, and a faculty prize of $3,000 to support green infrastructure research or training. More information: www.epa.gov/campusrainworks.

NEW!

Arizona Department of Water Resource Drought Program

June 2015 drought summary is online.

June Southwest Climate Outlook

The June 2015 Southwest Climate Outlook is online.

CLIMAS Podcast: June 2015

Tune into the Southwest climate podcasts on iTunes or Southwest Climate Change Network.