Join us for this special Mass on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, patron of the environment, as we pray for and celebrate those individuals who work in pursuit of a just, sustainable future. Fr. John Jenkins, C.S.C., will preside. Fr. Terrence Ehrman, C.S.C., will serve as the homilist. Fr. Jenkins serves as the President of the University of Notre Dame and has led the University’s efforts to be a role model for sustainable citizenship rooted in Catholic mission. Fr. Ehrman investigates the relationship between theology and science, particularly the life sciences of ecology and evolution and contributes to the University’s strategic sustainability progress as a member of the Water Strategy Working Group.  This Mass will be live streamed on the Campus Ministry website.   Sponsored by Campus Ministry, the Center for Social Concerns, Notre Dame International, The Minor in Sustainability, ND Energy, the Environmental Change Initiative, and the Office of Sustainability.  

To celebrate the feast of St. Francis, members of the Notre Dame community around the world will be responding to Laudato Si's call to care for our common home with local action. Please join with Notre Dame faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends around the world as we make a collective effort, inspired by St Francis of Assisi, and united by the same concern for our global ecosystem, to protect and conserve this beautiful place we call home. Global Day of Action is sponsored by Notre Dame International, Office of Sustainability, Campus Ministry, ND Energy, the Environmental Change Initiative, the Center for Social Concerns, and the Minor in Sustainability.

The University of Notre Dame Du Lac would not be itself without the campus lakes, and the lakes wouldn’t be themselves without the wide variety of things that live in and around them! In honor of ND's Global Day of Action, join the Office of Sustainability Staff for a campus “BioBlitz”. You can register your interest at this link. This is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get a snapshot of an area’s biodiversity. This is one way we can work together to understand our ecosystem. Help us reach our goal of 100 observations around the campus lakes -- there will be prizes for top contributors. To participate, please download the iNaturalist app to your mobile device and ensure it is fully charged. This can be used to collect photos and observations of any wildlife, plants, and other living things you find around the campus lakes. This app will track your findings and connect them back to campus. Any observations collected between 8am and 8pm will be counted for the Blitz event. There will be three “shifts” during which the Office of Sustainability Interns & Staff will be posted near the Grotto (rain location: Office of Sustainability) educating participants on how to use iNaturalist. 9am-11am 1pm-3pm 5pm-7pm  More information on BioBlitz events can be found by clicking here: Guidance for participants:Make sure you take clear/good quality photos Try to take more than 1 photo per observation. 2-3 is best and take them from multiple angles. Make sure your geo privacy setting is “open” 

Please join the Environmental Change Initiative for a virtual seminar presented by Michael Ross, Professor at UCLA Department of Political Science.  More information is to come. REGISTER FOR THE SEMINAR Originally published at environmentalchange.nd.edu.

Native plants are critical for pollinators and people in northern Indiana - and across the world. This St. Francis Week, all tri-campus students are invited to get to know some of the plants that also call this region home. Brett Peters, Assistant Director of the Notre Dame Linked Experimental Ecosystem Facility (ND-LEEF), will introduce many unique species, their habitats, and how the ND-LEEF team supports ecological research. After you’ve “met” the plants, you will learn how to transform them into paper alongside Julie Tourtillotte. Tourtillotte is a professor of Art at Saint Mary’s College where she teaches drawing, fibers and video art.  Chipotle dinner and s’mores will be available. RSVPs are required and available at this link. Due to very limited capacity, this particular event is for students only. Sponsored by the Environmental Change Initiative, Saint Mary’s College Art Department, Notre Dame International, Office of Sustainability, Campus Ministry ND Energy, the Center for Social Concerns, and the Minor in Sustainability.  

Indiana University South Bend will host James Hansen, Director of the Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions Program Earth Institute at Columbia University for their 2022 Bender Scholar-in-Residence Lecture. As both a pioneering scholar of climate change and an environmental activist, James Hansen is often called "the father of global warming." His 1988 testimony to Congress was a watershed moment for our growing awareness of its perils, and his global climate models have been instrumental to our understanding of climate change. In Storms of My Grandchildren, Hansen details how fossil fuels are changing our climate and the threat that this poses to all living things, including humanity. He drew national attention to this threat when he was arrested on multiple occasions for protesting in front of the White House against the Keystone Pipeline. An electee to the National Academy of Sciences, he has received numerous prestigious awards and been featured as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. Reception with light hors d'oeuvres to follow the lecture. Originally published at energy.nd.edu.

The Signs of the Times series connects campus to community experts around justice topics. The theme for the 2022–23 series is Leadership in Justice and Hope. In October, we are excited to host Jan McGowan, Park Interpreter of St. Joseph County Parks.  learn more

The 12th annual National Drive Electric Week (9/23-10/2) will be celebrated in the Michiana area as part of First Fridays in South Bend on Friday, October 7.  Co-hosted by the South Bend Office of Sustainability, Michiana Area Council of Governments, and Drive Clean Indiana, owners of electrical vehicles are encouraged to bring their EV to the event and share their personal experiences with attendees. If interested, please register to participate here! Attendance Anyone interested in learning about the benefits of driving an electric vehicle should register to attend here!! Attendees will ...Get behind the wheel and experience an electric vehicle first hand! Hear from electric vehicle drivers about their experiences. Learn what electric vehicles are available locally (both new and used). Learn how and where to find electric vehicle charging stations. Learn what purchasing incentives are available. Test drive an EV from local dealerships, pending availability. And more!Models on display may include ...Electric: Ford Mustang Mach-E; Tesla Models S, X, 3, Y; Chevy Bolt; Nissan LEAF; Fiat 500ePlug-In Hybrid: Toyota Prius Prime; Chrysler Pacifica mini-van; Ford C-Max; Honda Clarity; Kia NiroNewer in Michiana: Kia EV6; Kona Hyundai; ;VW I.D4; Chevy Bolt EUV And more!To learn more, contact event organizers, or sign-up to volunteer for the event, click here.   Originally published at energy.nd.edu.

Get behind the wheel and experience an electric vehicle first hand! Hear from electric vehicle drivers about their experience. Learn  which electric vehicles are available locally (both new and used), how and where to find electric vehicle charging stations, what purchasing incentives are available and more!  Test drives may be available from dealerships, pending availability.  Electric vehicle owners are welcome & encouraged to bring their electric vehicles to the event (sign up to participate to bring your vehicle). Your vehicle can be a static display, or you can choose different levels of interaction with the public depending on what you are comfortable with.     The event is hosted by MACOG and the City of South Bend Office of Sustainability.     For more information, including registration, visit the Drive Electric Week Event page.   Additional details will be provided at a later date.

Steven E. Koonin, founding Director of NYU’s Center for Urban Science and Progress, led the Center from 2012 until 2018. The consortium of academic, corporate, and government partners pursued research and education activities to develop and demonstrate informatics technologies for urban problems in the “living laboratory” of New York City. Prior to his NYU appointment, Prof. Koonin served as the second Under Secretary for Science at the U.S. Department of Energy from May 2009 through November 2011. In that capacity, he oversaw technical activities across the Department’s science, energy, and security activities and led the Department’s first Quadrennial Technology Review for energy. Before joining the government, Prof. Koonin spent five years as Chief Scientist for BP plc, where he played a central role in establishing the Energy Biosciences Institute. Prof. Koonin was a professor of theoretical physics at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) from 1975-2006 and was the Institute’s Provost for almost a decade. He is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the JASON advisory group. Prof. Koonin holds a B.S. in Physics from Caltech and a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from MIT (1975) and is an adjunct staff member at the Institute for Defense Analyses. Colloquium sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy Originally published at energy.nd.edu.