To attend this in-person event on September 18, PLEASE REGISTER at https://bit.ly/ActionReg so we can get a count for ordering food! Registration closes on September 5.   In his 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’: Care for Our Common Home, Pope Francis “urgently appeals” for a “new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet.” We, the Notre Dame Minor in Sustainability and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, invite you to enter into that dialogue by forming a team from your campus organization or local parish to participate in the two-part workshop, The Pathway to Ecological Citizenship and Spirituality, organized by the Catholic Climate Covenant and the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests. Part One of the Workshop is an online Webinar on September 11 that addresses the spiritual message of Laudato Si’. Part Two of the workshop is an in-person event on September 18 at Notre Dame that will be the live origination site for a national Webinar focused on climate change and how your organization or parish can become involved in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.  6:00 PM        Gathering reception with heavy hors 'd'oeuvres   6:30 PM         Begin live Webinar feed   Welcome by Fr. Emmett Farrell, Founder of Creation Care, Diocese of San Diego.   Opening Prayer by Fr. Stephen P. Newton, CSC, Executive Director, AUSCP.   “A Scientific Perspective of Our Climate Crisis” by Dr. Philip Sakimoto, Director of the Minor in Sustainability and Professor of the Practice in Physics and Astronomy, University of Notre Dame   “A Primer on the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform and Planning” by Notre Dame Alumna Dr. Christina Bagaglio Slentz, Director of Creation Care, Diocese of San Diego.   8:00 PM         Conversation and Dessert ReceptionParticipants coming by private car may drop off passengers at the McKenna Center and then drive across the street to the Morris Inn to obtain a parking pass and instructions on where to self-park. If you cannot come to Notre Dame, you may view the program part of the September 18 Part Two event online. For this, and to view the September 11 Part One Webinar online, register at https://bit.ly/ccc_AUSCP_EcologicalPathwayIf you have any questions about this event, contact Dr. Phil Sakimoto, Director of the Notre Dame Minor in Sustainability, at psakimot@nd.edu. Sponsored by the Minor in Sustainability, Office of Sustainability, Catholic Climate Covenant, Association of U. S. Catholic Priests, and Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.  Originally published at susminor.nd.edu.

🏆 A Sustainability Cup Dorm Competition Event as part of the 18th annual Notre Dame Energy Week 🏆Do you know all of the work Notre Dame has done to reduce its carbon footprint? Join GreeND as they welcome Mark Hummel, Senior Director of Utilities and Maintenance, to speak about the energy landscape on Notre Dame’s campus. Learn about geothermal, solar, hydroelectric, and efficiency projects that are combining to reduce our carbon footprint even as we continue to grow. Biography Mark has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering degree from Western Michigan University and is a licensed Professional Engineer. He has over 36 years of experience, primarily in the fields of commercial HVAC and energy production and distribution. He worked in the private sector for engineering consulting firms and a large temperature controls contractor prior to joining Notre Dame in 1994. Mark currently oversees a 7 member engineering staff as well as the Distribution Group and Building Controls Group within the Utilities Department. Vintage ND Energy shirts will be given out at this event while they last. Originally published at energy.nd.edu.

Sign up to take a guided tour of "green" spaces on campus and learn about the sustainability initiatives happening at Notre Dame. Only 20 spots are available, so don't wait to register! Registrations over 20 participants will be waitlisted and contacted if a spot becomes available. Register today with this link. This event is open to the public and weather-permitting.

🏆 A Sustainability Cup Dorm Competition Event as part of the 18th annual Notre Dame Energy Week 🏆 Registration is required for the Zoom link. Part of the 18th annual Notre Dame Energy Week: As the urgency of the climate crisis continues to grow, it will take more than science and engineering to implement the adaptations and mitigations necessary to guide us to a sustainable future. Join us for a panel discussion featuring recent Notre Dame graduates working across climate policy and nonprofit spheres. These alumni will share the experiences and insights they’ve gained, along with the challenges they’ve faced as they navigate a career advocating for the protection and stewardship of the world around us. Whether working on grassroots initiatives, crafting policy, or leading nonprofit organizations, panelists will share the passion and action that led them to where they are, as well as discuss how a career in this space not only takes into consideration the responsibility people have to care for the planet but also the duty we have to each other in working toward an equitable and sustainable future. This event is sponsored by the Sustainability Department of Notre Dame Student Government. Panelists Elsa Barron graduated in 2021 with majors in biological sciences and peace studies and has returned to Notre Dame this fall to begin a Ph.D. Her professional experience reaches across the fields of climate policy research, environmental journalism, and community organization. Most recently, she has worked as a research fellow at the Center for Climate and Security and as a program associate at the Institute for Climate and Peace, dedicating her early career to advancing the synergy between climate action and peace-building. Austin Matheny-Kawesch graduated in 2018 with a major in economics and minors in energy studies and public service. He leads communications for the Environmental Defense Fund’s Washington, DC, advocacy work and serves on the board of directors for Our Climate. He previously led communications for Oceana’s campaign to end offshore drilling, was a press secretary for Indiana’s Senate Democrats, and ran media operations for numerous Democratic campaigns. He also volunteered as communications director for Indiana Young Democrats and served as chair of the Young Democrats of America Environmental Caucus. Lucas Barreto graduated in 2024 with a degree in mechanical engineering. A Puerto Rico native, he now works as a project manager at Let’s Share the Sun–a nonprofit working to facilitate solar development and advance energy resiliency and availability in Puerto Rico. Vintage ND Energy shirts will be given out at this event while they last. Registration is required for the Zoom link.   Originally published at energy.nd.edu.

🏆 A Sustainability Cup Dorm Competition Event as part of the 18th annual Notre Dame Energy Week 🏆As part of the 18th annual Notre Dame Energy Week, Notre Dame’s chapter of the American Nuclear Society invites the public to join a discussion about nuclear energy presented by Peter C. Burns, the Massman Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. Professor Burns will give an overview of the current energy landscape and advocate for nuclear energy as being the safest, quickest way for society to combat climate change. Biography Peter C. Burns has focused most of his research over the past decade on the solid state and environmental chemistry of heavy metals, especially actinides including uranium, neptunium and plutonium. Much of this research is applied to nuclear waste disposal and understanding the mobility of actinides and heavy metals in the environment. The structures, compositions, stabilities, and thermochemistry of uranium compounds are studied in relation to the evolution of a geological repository for nuclear waste, as well as natural uranium deposits. Burns was formerly the Director of NDE. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba in 1994, his M.S. in Geology from the University of Western Ontario in 1990, and his B.S., the University of New Brunswick in 1988. Vintage ND Energy shirts will be given out at this event while they last. Originally published at energy.nd.edu.

🏆 A Sustainability Cup Dorm Competition Event as part of the 18th annual Notre Dame Energy Week 🏆 The global energy crisis affects us in many ways, from energy shortages and pollution to climate change. Fossil fuel-based energy production and traditional air conditioning systems are two of the most significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Since most energy production still relies heavily on fossil fuels, finding ways to produce energy more efficiently, reduce energy consumption, and recover waste heat is crucial. Join Notre Dame’s solar club, SunRise ND, as the Dorini Family Professor for Energy Studies, Tengfeir Luo, presents three examples of how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to design and optimize materials that address these energy challenges. These include AI-driven improvements in thermoelectric materials for recovering waste heat, the discovery of gas separation membranes for more efficient energy production, and the use of quantum computing to design energy-efficient windows. These examples highlight AI's promising role in tackling global energy challenges. Biography Tengfei Luo is a Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. Leading the MÖNSTER Lab (MOlecular/Nano-Scale Transport & Energy Research Laboratory) at Notre Dame, Luo’s research interests include engineering materials with tailored thermal properties, thermal management of electronics, improving efficiency of energy devices, designing molecules and systems for water desalination, high-sensitivity bio-sensing, and additive manufacturing. Vintage ND Energy shirts will be given out at this event while they last.   Originally published at energy.nd.edu.