Environmental Studies

Adequacy and Equity under Neoliberal Climate Governance: Assessing the Paris Moment Timmons Roberts, Ittleson Professor of Environmental Studies; Professor of Sociology Brown University, Institute at Brown for the Environment and Society Dr. Roberts will speak on the current paradigm of international climate change governance, including synthesis of important developments at the 21st Conference of the Parties in Paris, starting November 30. What are the prospects for the Paris climate change negotiations?

Drilling, Scanning, Poking and Prodding: Getting Under Antarctica’s Icy Skin Jill Mikucki, Assistant Professor of Biology, Middlebury College Antarctica’s subglacial environments are difficult to access because they are covered by thick (up to 4 kms) ice. Only recently, through the development of novel drilling technology, have we been able to get a glimpse of Antarctica’s deep, ice-covered biosphere. In this talk I will present highlights from these ‘first-ever’ sampling expeditions with a focus on the microbial life making a living in this cold, dark world.

ENVS 0401 Senior Seminar Presentations

ENVS 0401 Senior Seminar Presentations

Professor Robert Stolz, University of Virginia

This large-scale, site-specific installation celebrates the passage of knowledge, experience, and hope from one generation to another. By slowly crisscrossing colorful, oversized ribbons within an expansive environment, the performers alter the color, density, and time signature of space, creating a world in which each movement and architectural detail is illuminated. Developed by Tzveta Kassabova with the Dance Company of Middlebury and guest performers. Location: Outside Mead Memorial Chapel on Oct. 8th. Rain date is Oct.

Overburden is the story of a fiery, pro-coal right-winger and a tenacious, environmentalist grandmother as they take on the most dangerous coal company in America. These two lives intertwine as Betty and Lorelei unite to launch the first wind farm in coal country and to rebuild their fractured community.

Professor Kathy Morse (History) and Postdoc Alicia Peaker (DLA) will discuss the goals, process, successes and stumbles in having students build a series of collaborative, digital exhibits to mark 50 years of environmental studies at Middlebury. Fifty Years of Green, built using Omeka & Neatline, showcases the work of students in a Spring 2015 Environmental History course (HIST 222). During their talk, Kathy and Alicia will reflect on collaborative digital work; modifying an existing course with an experimental project; and student reactions to learning new software and skills.

Maree ReMalia and her Pittsburgh-based collaborators present Landing/Shifting: Drop In, a series of interactive and participatory installations and performances that invite all members of the community to “drop in.” These events use dance, visual art, sound, and video to explore the ways creative experiences foster resiliency, connectivity, and sustainable well-being. This first event will play with movement scores and installation concepts in conjunction with Katie Martin’s Dance Improvisation class. Sponsored by The Andrew W.