[SustainableTompkins] Lecture on Sustainability to kick of 2008 Summer Institute that focuses on sustainability research

[Marian Brown]

This Thursday, July 10th, at 2:00pm in 323 Williams Hall at Ithaca 
College, the Ithaca College Academic Enrichment Services/Office of 
Multicultural Affairs Summer Institute will welcome its 2008 Summer 
Scholars with an opening lecture and presentation titled, "What is 
Sustainability and where did it come from?" Presented by Jason Hamilton, 
associate professor of ecological biology at Ithaca College, who is the 
featured faculty member for this year's Summer Institute, this lecture 
will explore the evolution of sustainability and the role it plays in 
dealing with our current environmental, social, and economic dilemmas.

This kickoff event is free and open to the public.

This year's three-week Sumer Institute will focus on sustainability and 
issues related to environmental conservation and what it means to us 
individually and collectively. Robert Earl, Assistant Director of Career 
Services and Yolanda Clarke, Director of Academic Enrichment Services 
and Co-Director of the Summer Institute will coach students as they work 
in groups of 4-5 to research a particular interest from broad topics 
based on the theme, and they will link their selected interests to the 
various career fields to develop a comprehensive, well researched 
presentation. Students will examine how sustainability efforts influence 
or impact /medicine and health care,/ law and public policy, 
environmental preservation, computer information and technology, 
business and the economy, education, human services work, mass media and 
communications, the arts and humanities, etc. Students must engage in 
critical intellectual inquiry, but they are also allowed to be creative 
and innovative in their styles of presentation.

On Monday, July 28th, the Summer Institute Colloquium will take place. 
This is the opportunity for the student groups to showcase their 
introductory knowledge or expertise on sustainability in a competitive 
oral presentation. Individuals from the surrounding Ithaca community, 
Ithaca alums, and Ithaca faculty and staff will judge each group 
presentation based upon preset criteria, with prizes awarded for the 
best efforts. As a result of this experience, we hope that students will 
become more “Earth Conscious” and interested in sustainability research 
as they develop and strengthen their public speaking, research, and 
presentation skills.