OCTOBER 2024

NEWS FROM THE SCHILLER INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND SOCIETY

WELCOME FROM LAURA J. STEINBERG

The Schiller Institute is thrilled to announce the inaugural cohort of Schiller Affiliated Faculty, a group of extraordinary faculty who extend the reach and impact of the Institute. In September, we welcomed BC’s new faculty members with a festive reception in the Schiller Convening Space and an invitation to stay connected with the Institute. For an overview of all our recent activities, please take a look at our newly released 2023-24 annual report. 

The report celebrates the achievements of grantees from Schiller’s research funding opportunities, and highlights the many activities that Schiller co-sponsors with student groups like Undergraduate Government Boston College (UGBC), Entrepreneurs for Social Impact, and MakeBC. 

The summer of 2024 was a time for international engagement. The Institute led an amazing group of students on an immersive research and fact-finding mission to help guide climate change adaptation in Zanzibar. Listen to students’ experiences in the course on the Discover Boston College podcast. Under the aegis of Institute Professor of Climate Science and Society Yi Ming, the Institute hosted 160 researchers from around the world for a conference aimed at deciphering the role of clouds in climate and precipitation modeling. Institute Professor Hanqin Tian, director of the Center for Earth Systems Science and Global Sustainability at the Schiller Institute, served as lead author for a highly publicized report warning of the increasing role of nitrous oxides in the global climate system. And, faculty grantees and students from our internal grants programs traveled to many places including Uganda, Chile, Kenya, South Africa, and England. 

As the academic year shifts into high gear, we are preparing a full schedule of events for you to participate in this year. Please join us!

Professor Laura J. Steinberg

Seidner Family Executive Director, Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society

Schiller Abroad event showcases students’ experiences »

This Thursday, October 3, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., join us in the Schiller Institute Convening Space to hear from a panel of students who have traveled abroad with our international programs. Learn more.  »

Hack the Heights to take place October 5–6 »

Hack the Heights, BC’s annual hackathon, will take place in the Schiller Institute Convening Space at 245 Beacon on October 5 and 6. Participants form teams, create a project in a 24-hour period, and compete for prizes. Learn more.

Fall Faculty Social Hour October 23 »

Our first faculty social hour of the year will take place October 23 from 4 to 6 p.m., providing attendees a space to connect with faculty with shared research interests in energy, environment, and health. Register here.

Scholar of technology and society, danah boyd, to visit BC »

The Schiller Institute is partnering with the Lynch School to bring leading researcher danah boyd to campus to discuss human-centered data science on November 13. Learn more.

The global nitrous oxide budget »

Boston College climate researchers lead the most comprehensive worldwide assessment to date of this potent greenhouse gas. Read more.

Largest meeting of international climate modeling conference held at Boston College »

Scientists from around the world gathered at Boston College this summer to discuss clouds and cloud cover, one of the most complicated variables in predicting the course and effects of climate change. Read more.

Community engagement course brings students to Zanzibar »

This summer, seven undergraduates traveled to Zanzibar for the continuation of our Working For and With Communities program, which gives students the opportunity to work alongside people around the world to explore solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Read more.

Huang secures Department of Energy grant

Schiller Core faculty Jier Huang, along with Dunwei Wang in Chemistry and Xiaoyi Zhang (a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory), will develop a new time-resolved spectroscopic technique at the advanced photon source, Argonne National Laboratory.  

Documentary screening of Eating for Tomorrow

On September 30, the Institute, along with BC Dining, EcoPledge, and Real Food, hosted a screening of Eating for Tomorrow, highlighting sustainable food production. BC Dining provided a delicious plant-forward meal and opening remarks.

Announcing our student-facing email list, the Schiller Scoop

Responding to student requests for additional ways to engage with the Schiller Institute, we will be launching our bi-weekly student-facing email list. Sign up to get the Scoop.

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