Special Events & Calendar> Future Events

Future Events

The Ursinus Environmental Studies Program is currently preparing to host a major conference on global climate change. This conference is part of the national Focus the Nation campaign to promote education about climate change by using universities, colleges, and high schools as loci for awareness-raising events. The national planning efforts, which to date include more than 500 institutions across the country, culminate in events during the week of January 27^th, 2008, with that Thursday, January 31^st, being national “Focus the Nation Day.” For more information visit http://academic.ursinus.edu/ftn/index.htm.  

We are planning a five day long event beginning on the evening of Sunday, January 27^th, 2008, with evening events on each night and culminating in a two-day conference all day on January 31^st and February 1^st (the Thursday and Friday of that week). Please visit this site for future updates. Eventually, we will post a formal conference site with registration information. 

Ursinus College was the first Pennsylvania institution to sign up for Focus the Nation (FTN). The Ursinus FTN Steering Committee has been busy planning our FTN events. Here are some of the things we have accomplished: 

• Our president, Dr. John Strassburger, provided FTN with a signed letter of endorsement. Dr. Strassburger was delighted to add his and the Ursinus name to the list of institutions formally supporting FTN.
• We have convened a permanent Steering Committee to proceed with our plans for FTN Ursinus. The permanent steering committee is comprised of students, faculty members, staff, and alumni.
• We have the following events planned and confirmed:

·         An address by Richard W. Alley, climate scientist and member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

·         An address by Andrew Revkin, New York Times senior environmental correspondent.

·         An address by Richard Kerr, senior environmental, energy, and climate correspondent for the journal Science.

·         An address by climate scientist and expert on scientific uncertainty Henry Pollack.

·         An address by Timothy J. Ragen, Executive Director of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission.

·         A panel on ocean science and policy in the face of climate change featuring Dr. Ragen of the Marine Mammal Commission and Margaret Bowman, Director of the Lenfest Ocean Program of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

·         An address and exhibition of work by artist and environmental activist Sara Steele.

·         An address by sustainable business leader Judy Wicks, co-founder and co-chair of the national Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and owner and founder of Philadelphia’s White Dog Café.

·         Political forums featuring state and national politicians discussing climate change. We have invited U.S. Senators Arlen Spector and Robert Casey, U.S. Congressmen Jim Gerlach, Joe Sestack, and Patrick Murphy, PA State Senator John Rafferty, PA State Representatives Mike Vereb and Bob Mensch, and Governor Ed Rendell. Rafferty and Vereb have confirmed.

The permanent Steering Committee of Ursinus Focus the Nation is comprised of the following individuals: Students Elizabeth Angelo, Zakary Arnhold, Victoria Bisbing, Laura Cruz, Ashley Sacks, Ashley Schafer, Rachael Sussman, and Carolyn Vogt. Faculty members Mark Ellison, Kathryn Goddard-Doms, Mark Hudson, Leah Joseph, Shannon Mudd, Nick Principe, Rich Wallace, and Louise Woodstock. Staff members Andrew Feick and Wendy Greenberg. Alumni Nikita Borovik and Jenna Tomiello.