APRIL 2025

NEWS FROM THE SCHILLER INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND SOCIETY

WELCOME FROM LAURA J. STEINBERG

As the days warm and spring blossoms appear, I’m thrilled to announce numerous events we’ve planned throughout April.

First, we invite you to attend our series of three public symposia highlighting research conducted by recent recipients of our Schiller Institute seed grants. We kick off next Tuesday (April 8) with insights from the social and cognitive sciences on the clean energy transition and childhood well-being. 

The next day, the series continues, focusing on advances in environmental and health research. A week later (April 16), the series closes with a focus on Africa, with presentations exploring community public health, peace education, and mental health impacts of climate variability. Learn more and register below. 

If you are looking for an opportunity to get in touch with your creative side, we hope you’ll explore our series of hands-on workshops centered on the theme of art and sustainability. The events will take place as part of EcoPledge’s Green Week and the Boston College Arts Festival and are offered in collaboration with the BC Writing Center and Studio Art.

These events help close out what has been an exciting semester. In February, the Institute hosted Nobel Prize winner and MIT professor Moungi Bawendi as the third and final presentation of our 2024–25 Distinguished Lecture Series, which garnered our largest crowd yet, with nearly 150 people in attendance. I hope you will take a moment to read about our distinguished lecturers, as well as other recent events—including our second annual COP symposium and our third annual Eagles Sustainability Competition—later in this newsletter.

Please take a moment to explore these opportunities and more below. I look forward to connecting with you at our upcoming events.

Professor Laura J. Steinberg

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

Schiller Seed Grant Symposia Series »

Recent recipients of Schiller Institute grants will showcase their research in three public symposia. April 8 and April 9 focus on climate change and health, and April 16 highlights student and faculty work in Africa. Join us and learn more!  »

Engineers Without Borders Open House »

On Monday April 7, come learn about Engineers Without Borders from EWB-BC students who recently attended the annual conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event is open to all and pizza will be served.

Green Week workshops: Art and sustainability »

In celebration of EcoPledge’s Green Week and in collaboration with Arts Fest, the BC Writing Center, and Studio Art, we are hosting a series of interactive workshops—including poetry, votive-making, and nature-based sketching—linking art and sustainability.

BC talks AI »

Institute Professor of Climate Science and Society Yi Ming and Schiller Affiliated Faculty George Mohler are leading an interdisciplinary committee organizing the research section of BC’s upcoming conference on AI to be held May 14. Register to attend.

Nobel Prize winner Moungi Bawendi draws record crowd: Schiller’s 2024–2025 Distinguished Lecture Series »

Nobel Prize winner Moungi Bawendi spoke to a record crowd as part of the 2024–25 Schiller Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. Philippe Ciais, an influential climate scientist, and V. Balaji, a climate modeling pioneer formerly with NOAA, also spoke. Read more.

Third annual Eagles Sustainability Competition »

Interdisciplinary groups of students proposed ways to fill the gaps in BC’s sustainability culture, through the third annual Eagles Sustainability Competition. This year’s teams tailored their suggestions to the Office of Sustainability. Read more.

COP29 Symposium spreads word from Baku to BC community »

On February 21, representatives from the BC COP29 delegation offered their impressions and lessons learned from the Baku, Azerbaijan event. The symposium featured a panel, a poster session, and a keynote speech by Esquire Henry, an internationally respected youth advocate. Read more.

Tian highlights BC’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Institute Professor of Global Sustainability Hanqin Tian highlights BC’s initiatives to advance SDG 6: clean water and sanitation for all. His piece is part of a broader effort spearheaded by the Strategic Alliance of Catholic Research Universities (SACRU) to emphasize members’ commitments to SDGs.

Huang promoted to full professor 

Congratulations to the Institute’s Professor of Renewable Energy and Sustainability and Professor of Chemistry Jier Huang on her recent promotion to full professor! 

Tenure-track position for Schiller postdoc

Yongfa You, a postdoctoral researcher in Institute Professor of Global Sustainability Hanqin Tian’s group, received a tenure-track assistant professor position at Virginia Tech, and will start there this August. Learn more about Yongfa.

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