Clara Weybright ’20 is a Climate Futures Fellow with the , in partnership with MCC U.S. 听Read on to hear about how she helped to connect 91短视频 students to lobby for climate justice earlier this spring. This article was published last week in Anabaptist World magazine. []

***

Nearly a year after graduating from 91短视频, I found myself back in the middle of an 91短视频 class I鈥檇 taken my junior year: Environmental Risk and Policy.

The class, taught by Doug Graber Neufeld, professor of biology and director of the Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions, introduced me to the world of environmental policy and eventually connected me to the .

Now, I had the opportunity to return to that same class to teach the students how to advocate for just policies that address climate change 鈥� an issue that has become my full-time job this year through a fellowship with CSCS, in partnership with MCC U.S.  

I was eager to share this knowledge because I鈥檝e become convinced the most effective way that we can get our nation to address climate change is through collective pressure on policymakers.

While individual actions to reduce our own carbon footprints are important, we need to act on the national and global levels too.

Our faith mandates that we confront injustice. Migration, public health and food production are all impacted negatively by climate change.

At the end of the class, the students met with staff in their senators鈥� offices to discuss federal funding for the Green Climate Fund. Supported by multiple countries, the fund helps low-income countries adapt to the pressures of a changing climate and reduce their own emissions.

The students were attending these meetings at a strategically beneficial time, as Congress was beginning the annual appropriations process.

None of these students had met with staff in a congressional office before. Some were nervous, but they carefully prepared a series of talking points and went into their meetings equipped to share their perspectives. Accompanied by either Neufeld or me, they told stories and asked questions of the congressional staff members.

What follows are excerpts from five students鈥� reflections after their meetings. I鈥檒l let them tell you, in their own words, why you should start advocating for improved climate policies:

From Rodrigo Barahona, a sophomore who met with staff of Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia:

As much as we can change our lifestyle to promote environmental sustainability, policies play a massive role in the way environmental issues are handled. Meetings such as this one provide a unique opportunity of connecting with those who have the capacity to achieve major strides on any particular issue. While meetings might have felt short and inconsequential to some, just the act of letting policymakers know what we deem important could make a big difference in the long run.

From Andrea Troyer, a sophomore who met with staff of Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia:

I found this experience life-giving because I was making an impact on a sustainability issue I deeply care about. The worries and tension eased up a lot when we learned that Sen. Warner would very likely support the Green Climate Fund and that energy and the environment are topics he finds important. [The staff member] even said, 鈥淚 wish Senator Warner was on this Zoom because he would agree with each of you,鈥� which put a smile on my face.

I think it鈥檚 important that we continue advocating because it brings the perspectives of all people to light to address issues that citizens care about. I would tell others who are considering visits to their public officials to do it. We need political participation more now than ever, and it鈥檚 life-giving to advocate for an issue one passionately cares about.

From Anika Hurst, a first-year student who met with staff of Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania:

[The meeting] was a little frustrating because it felt like we were not going to make a drastic difference in the decisions or opinions of the congressman and his [staff]. However, it was still a good experience that taught me a lot about advocacy and the importance of voicing beliefs even if there might not be an immediate result. 

I would tell others [interested in advocating] to continue to find ways to reach out and connect with their local officials. If more people connect with them and voice their opinions, then the representatives will gain a better picture of the public鈥檚 beliefs, and they may be more willing to do some more research and advocate on the public鈥檚 behalf. 

From Levi Geyer, a junior who met with staff of Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa:

I wanted to make sure I conveyed my passion for the subject and decided to use the story of my family鈥檚 farm to accomplish this. Story has a powerful honesty, a non-aggressive way of taking a firm stand. I spoke of our farm and how we are making changes to be more environmentally friendly. I wanted to show [the staff member] that we were willing to make changes and imply that he and other Iowans could, too.

From Micah Buckwalter, a sophomore who met with staff of Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia:

Climate change is something I am passionate about fighting, but sometimes it feels overwhelming to think of how much destruction has already been done and how much needs to happen for us to make significant change. Through this experience, I realized that advocating [to] our senators and representatives to show them how important this issue really is can be a great way to make an impact.

***

The advocacy these students did is something anyone can do. Visiting a legislator鈥檚 office, either in person or virtually, is straightforward. You don鈥檛 need to have an in-depth understanding of the policy. You simply need to understand its relevance and connect it to your personal convictions and stories.

Every year, MCC U.S.鈥檚 advocacy offices are joined by the efforts of thousands of constituents around the United States. Now, the world has gained 15 more young advocates who are equipped and empowered to advocate for climate justice.

To join these students鈥� efforts, see , . Also, keep an eye out for a forthcoming Climate Advocacy Resource, published through CSCS鈥檚 .

Hannah Daley ’17 has made scientific waves in the 91短视频 (91短视频) community for years 鈥� investigating water quality in the Bergton area watershed, researching caffeinated athletes with James Madison University’s chemistry department, and studying atmospheric chemistry at the University of Michigan Biological Station. 

That last experience inspired her to enroll in the University of Maryland’s atmospheric and oceanic science doctoral program. Now, she’s making waves in the sky 鈥� measuring aerosols and greenhouse gases by plane. Her two current research projects are focused on the pandemic’s effect on airborne pollutants and a smoke plume that made its way to Maryland all the way from a West Coast wildfire. 

Daley spoke with 91短视频 News about her work below.

What led you to the atmospheric and oceanic science program? 

I knew I wanted to study atmospheric science in the 8th grade. I went to 91短视频 for its environmental sustainability program and its general sustainability campus culture. After my first year as an environmental sustainability major, I added a chemistry major. Throughout my time at 91短视频, I was fortunate to gain an exceptional amount of research experience, an opportunity I don’t think I would have had if I went to a larger university. My research experience and recommendations from exemplary faculty mentors like Professors Jim Yoder, Tara Kishbaugh, and Doug Graber Neufeld led to further research experience outside of 91短视频.

I was drawn to the University of Maryland (UMD) for a few key reasons. First, UMD is located within an hour of major government research agencies 鈥� including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 鈥� many of which are housed on campus in conjunction with the graduate department. The majority of graduate students actually hold their offices at these sites. 

Second, I am from Maryland, and it gave me the opportunity to be closer to my parents and many siblings 鈥� I am the youngest of six. Third, UMD is ranked ninth in the world for our geoscience programs. And fourth, I was drawn to the interesting research opportunity to perform fun, hands-on science.

Do you actually get to fly the planes that are collecting the data? 

I do not get to fly the plane! That would be fun, but the types of flights we do requires years of experience. We often fly low to the ground or at night through cities which can be dangerous for an inexperienced pilot. Our pilot Nizar is amazing! He has been flying for decades and now teaches people to fly. When I am on the flights I typically sit in the back and monitor the instruments to make sure everything is reading right.

What kinds of applications could come out of your assessments of carbon monoxide and carbon concentrations during Maryland’s lockdown?

When we talk about future climate or air quality, these are forecast assessments based on computer models. Many scientists spend their whole career tweaking these models for even the slightest improvement. And the accuracy of these models is based on how well models predict particular events. 

For example, how well do models predict hurricane track and intensity, or pollution transported from a smoke fire plume. During Maryland’s lockdown, how does a drastic decrease in traffic impact local air quality? This provided a unique event in which scientists can test how well models performed, and then improve them to be more robust. Air quality assessments could also lead to more informed policy decisions, which could potentially impact vehicle emission standards. 

For instance, Maryland recently released their greenhouse gas reduction plan, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by 50% by 2030. During lockdown, traffic was roughly reduced by 50%. This gave us a unique opportunity to research how close Maryland would be to this goal if legislative and consumer decisions consistently reduced traffic by 50%, or if half of drivers switch to electric vehicles.

What’s interesting about the smoke plume? 

I am studying a smoke plume that originated over the US West Coast and reached Maryland on September 16, 2020. This plume was aged about 10 days and travelled thousands of miles to get to Maryland. That in itself is interesting to me! It’s just another fascinating reminder that we are all connected! 

I was the research scientist on board the aircraft as we were spiraling up to our planned peak height of 10,000 feet. I was stunned when I saw the instruments reading carbon monoxide and black carbon values two orders of magnitude higher than usual! I knew it would be an amazing data set if we could just fly vertically through the rest of the plume. Excited, I told the pilot what I was seeing, and he decided to keep flying up. We normally don’t fly higher than 10,000 feet because the aircraft is not pressurized, and we don’t want to be deprived of oxygen. Despite the drop in pressure, I stayed alert. We ended up reaching 15,000 feet above ground level and captured the whole plume’s vertical profile 鈥� 8,500 to 14,000 feet.

Smoke plumes can transport carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and ozone, making air quality dangerous for many humans, animals, and plants. Fortunately, in this case study, the plume stayed high in the atmosphere and did not negatively impact the air we breathed at the surface. This smoke plume was unique in that the particles were very large and reflective. There was black, brown and organic carbon present. 

When analyzing the plume, I am looking to validate other instruments that monitor smoke plumes and to assess the unique chemical and physical properties of this plume. For instance, did the ground-based instruments accurately capture the plume’s height and density, and did our air quality models predict its composition? 

Do you know what kind of work you’d like to do after graduation?

One of my favorite parts of our group is how close we work with local and regional government agencies. We have quarterly meetings with the Maryland Department of the Environment where we share what we’ve been working on and what we鈥檝e learned. The policy impacts our research has is very tangible, especially with ozone-based regulations. It satisfies my drive to help people. After I graduate, that aspect is something I really want to continue. I am heavily considering working with NOAA, EPA, NIST, or as a contractor for nonprofit environmental organizations. Most students in my program take the government agency route.

On December 5, 12 graduate students in 91短视频鈥檚 MS in Biomedicine program defended their original research in a virtual oral presentation. Their work ranged from laboratory experiments with cardiac proteins and African clawed frogs to public health inquiries on and off campus.

Since 2013, the master鈥檚 in biomedicine program has helped graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research component is just one unique curricular offering. Students also benefit from a unique approach to cadaver dissection, which many alumni say has provided optimal preparation and a strong background for the rigors of medical school. Several articulation agreements with professional health schools enhance opportunities to matriculate and continue with career goals.

Each oral defense is evaluated by professors in the MS in biomedicine program, committee members, other faculty and other graduate students.

The research component brings graduate students into mentoring relationships with faculty, alumni and other professionals across many disciplines. Committee members for this round of research projects included Doug Graber Neufeld, professor of biology; Daniel Showalter, professor of mathematics; Jeff Copeland, professor of biology; Scott Barge, vice president of institutional effectiveness; Kristopher Schmidt, professor of biology; Ryan Thompson, director of the psychology program; and Tara Kishbaugh, director of the biomedicine program.

Master’s candidates and their research topics include:

Josephine Awotoye: Predictors of not having a primary care provider in the United States: a cross sectional analysis of the 2018 behavioral risk factor surveillance system;

Mecca Baker: Direct and indirect regulation of cell cycle genes by HLH-25 in Caenorhabditis elegans;

Luz Contreras: Health literacy and demographics in Spanish speakers in Harrisonburg, Virginia: a two-part survey questionnaire with self-reported sections;

Cesar Corona Gutierrez: Which neurons play a role in lifespan extension in Drosophila melanogaster;

Jessica Hindle: The effects of nicotine and glyphosate-based herbicide on orofacial cleft;

Carmen Meacham: The effects of progesterone and estrogen on the feminization of Xenopus laevis;

Jennifer Rojas: The effects of electronic cigarette liquids on immunity and lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans;

Jessica Saunders: Investigating young Black Christians’ attitudes towards medicine in America;

Sukriti Silwal: Effect of bovine milk and NovaMin on the demineralization and remineralization capacity of teeth;

Kristen Snow: analysis of cardiac troponin levels as an indicator of recovery time and myocardial infarction reoccurrence;

Gene St. Val: Influences of transportation, insurance and demographics on DSM-5 cross cutting symptom measures and treatment adherence;

Benjamin Wright: The role of unc-53 in ced-3 mediated apoptosis in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The term “environmental justice” is increasingly joining the common lexicon of activists and community leaders. The movement addresses massive problems like climate change and racism 鈥撎齜ut rather than siloing these struggles, looks at their intersections: how social issues and environmental crises play off one another, and how marginalized communities often bear the brunt of environmental degradation.

Take, for example, work that 91短视频 (91短视频) Professor Doug Graber Neufeld has done . The dams’ history, having been introduced at the hands of British colonizers who forced local residents to build them, had to be addressed. But when building these sand dams became a collective endeavor that was cohesive with locals’ community values, they became an effective and climate change-resilient method of water storage.

Or look at the stream restoration work that biology students and faculty conducted in the rural area around Bergton, Virginia. They were joined in the project by students at 91短视频’s , who interviewed community members about their social climate concerning aquatic ecosystems and water quality.听

It’s a field that students at 91短视频 have been calling for more education in 鈥� prompting faculty and staff to create a new environmental justice minor.

Professor Jenni Holsinger, who oversees the minor, said student interest has been building in the relationship between social and environmental issues. 

“Environmental justice is touched on in multiple courses, but not often named, and students have asked for a more explicit focus,” Holsinger said. “The minor will provide an interdisciplinary space to bring together students who are majoring in natural science programs and with students from other majors.”

The interdisciplinary minor will benefit students going into a variety of fields, including public health, urban planning, public administration, community organizing, humanitarian aid, engineering, and law. It includes an upper level course specifically focused on environmental justice, in which students analyze problems such as water rights, internal colonialism, and pollution, and the social movements that have responded to those issues. 

“Our students have a strong interest in the intersection between environmental and the social sciences, and the environmental justice minor will allow them to delve deeper into prevalent injustices around environmental harms and marginalized communities,” said Professor Jim Yoder, director of the environmental sustainability program in which the new minor is housed.

While students can begin working towards the minor now, the new course will debut in the 2021-22 academic year.

Other courses included in the minor cover sustainable food systems, race and gender, community health, urban sociology, and marginalized voices in Hispanic America: providing a wide-angle lens to examine the intersections of environmentalism with different social justice movements.

“The curriculum is also extremely relevant to events from this summer,” Holsinger explained. “It provides a perspective to help us understand the ways that our experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic are connected to historical and current anti-Black racism through structural patterns of injustice around environmental harms and benefits.”

Participants in the minor will also have opportunities to construct community-based research projects in response to local environmental justice issues.

“This type of experiential learning is a promising way for students to be involved in addressing the interrelated issues of poverty, health, and environmental conditions,” said Holsinger.

This was neither the end of the semester we anticipated nor the graduation we expected, but it is the semester we have completed and the graduation we celebrate, said Dean David Brubaker this past weekend to a virtual celebration for graduates from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

Those words encapsulate the whirlwind experience of the last nine weeks, as our semester was completely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This was not the semester we anticipated, but it was the semester we completed.

And what choice did we have but to persevere, adapt, be flexible and patient, flatten one curve as we were being slung faster on an accompanying learning curve of what exactly to do with ourselves, our bodies and minds in this strange new world.

The following collection of photos and text is a snapshot of the semester, collected in real time and revisited now, for those of you who are more peripheral to 91短视频. It might help to give a sense of how faculty, staff and students responded in and out of classroom — in true 91短视频 fashion, with resilience, empathy and commitment.

Here we go (online)!

Some of the first on campus to sense an impending switch were employees in Information Systems. They began thinking about remote learning during 91短视频’s spring break the first week in March, and in anticipation, beefed up their HelpZone articles on a variety of relevant topics.

By March 12, when 91短视频 announced a move to online learning, IS had reviewed and increased capacity of all systems and equipment (including webcams, laptops and Chromebooks) necessary for online teaching and campus operations. Needless to say, they were busy.

Two graphs from Jenni Piper, director of User Services, tell the story:

First Helpdesk Tickets. The green line shows last year’s demand and the blue line this year’s.

And second, the number of daily Zoom meetings hosted through the campus account, beginning in early March.

After hosting a training for faculty March 13 and the shift to online the classes the next week, IS handled 64 tickets on March 16, something of a watermark that shows when faculty and staff began to engage with the reality of a move to remote work.

Pedagogues thinking positively

91短视频 10 days into the online shift, I asked a few professors how things were going. Some of their answers are included below. I was particularly struck by the positive perspective of veteran educator Carolyn Stauffer, professor of applied social sciences:

In reality, what we鈥檙e experiencing now is the presence of hybrid education. We鈥檝e had the chance to meet in-person for the first part of the semester and now I get to know each participant’s online presence as well. It鈥檚 wonderful to be able to build on the assets of both sides of that equation!

Solo field trips

Professor Doug Graber Neufeld‘s “Natural History of the Shenandoah Valley” course syllabus was packed full of fantastic field trips to local natural wonders and lab experiences (like taxidermy practice below).

With his students scattered in mid-March, the field trips turned into independent explorations, such as Katelyn Dean‘s below. Here she holds morel mushrooms she and her dad found in the George Washington National Forest, just one find shared during class time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the highlight of my day to hear students who daily recount the joy they find in now recognizing the animals, plants and rocks around them,” Neufeld said. “In such unusual times, experiencing the beauty and complexity of the natural world together has been a unique source of hope for us.鈥� Read more about this class.

Conversations continue

In Professor Marti Eads’ class “Ways of War and Peace,” students met virtually with Reverend Masayuki Sawa, the pastor of a Reformed (Calvinist) congregation in Japan.听He spoke of his perception of contemporary Japanese attitudes toward World War II and Japanese perceptions of the US and our own military actions, then and now, among other topics.

The class was slated to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. Instead, guest speaker Gillian Steinberg, an educator at the Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy in the Bronx, and her students from the Modern Orthodox Jewish tradition met online with 91短视频 students.

This conversation and the de-brief afterwards held richness and nuance, Eads said, with several classmates opening up about their own religious experiences, choices and identities. Recognizing the common humanity, despite labels — “just the idea of all of us sitting together talking and all of us from different groups” was a moving experience, said one of her students. []

Creating community with virtual high fives

Engineering professor Esther Tian (pictured above at top right) continued teaching synchronous classes, preferring the structure and the presence of students. “It is also good for students to see each other and talk to each other before class as they would in a classroom.

We do high fives, thumb-ups (and downs) during class, we find out new features of Zoom and use them right away. It has been fun. I also found that one-on-one and small group Zoom sessions were working really well in answering students’ questions as well as advising..”

Senior Collin Longenecker, visible below Tian in the photo above and also at right, was an embedded tutor with a first-year engineering course. Though initially he wasn鈥檛 sure how Zoom sessions would work, he adapted well: 鈥淭he students pop in and out and they can share their screen with me. It is almost like I am in the engineering lab looking over their shoulder trying to help them troubleshoot the problem. I have been helping a few students that I had not helped before we went to online school which is cool.”

Read more about 91短视频 tutors at work during online classes.

The power of community to enhance learning was the top tip in a blog post titled ” by Dean (and chem prof) Tara Kishbaugh for fellow organic chemistry teachers using the same texbook. “Community Matters,” she began. Use the relationships that have already been built to help students continue asking questions and learning in small peer groups. And she reminded readers, you can still greet each student individually when they enter your Zoom classroom.

Tech fails/wins: ‘chipmunky’-ness and new relationships

Professor Mark Sawin teaches U.S. History 103, from World War I to the present, with a focus on “power and paradox.” Sawin tried to do a synchronous class on Zoom and “it rather hilariously and spectularly failed,” he reported.

“So, since then, I’ve been pre-recording all my lectures on Panopto so students can watch them asynchronously, and with that program, you can adjust my speed. At 1.5 speed, I start to get rather chipmunky… at .5 speed I sound like the television show ‘Drunk History.’ I’m not sure if that amuses students, but it certainly amuses me.”

With the lectures available at any time, he began using normal class time as an open forum where students could drop in and ask questions.

“I’ve had some wonderful 1-on-1 conversations with students that I would never have had in our normal class setting. In this sense, our ‘social distancing’ has actually provided some closeness that wasn’t there before, and for that I’m grateful,” Sawin said. “I’ve also been pleased and touched by the grace that students have extended to us as we struggle to move our classes online. And I believe we, too, are showing that grace, focusing on the learning objectives and the big important ideas, and allowing a lot of latitude when it comes to the many wifi issues, isolation stresses, and general quarantine chaos we’re all learning to live with.”

Grace and connection

That grace is something education professor Paul Yoder has also experienced. Students in his classes are pre-service teachers and as a pedagogical specialist himself, the shift to online classes provided ample room for discussions around topics related to the digital classroom.

He wrote: “The key word in my planning for weekly class sessions via Zoom has been connection. We have taken time for each of the 18 students to rate how they are doing on a scale of 1-10 and then share with the group. Last week I sent individual emails as a follow up to the few students who placed themselves on the low end of the scale. I have also been excited to hear from some of my advisees who have shared their affirmations of how professors are providing flexibility as needed.  Particularly as we recognize that not all of us have the same level of internet access, I know that living into an ethic of care is essential.”

Nancy Heisey, seminary dean, also used check-ins with her classes, which often included adult students who juggled many responsibiliities, including pastors working in ministry settings.

“We take time every period to share ‘how it鈥檚 going’ and encourage one another. Some students are struggling with a household where everyone is working on line in a crowded space鈥攕pouse tele-working, children trying to do homework, and seminary student worrying about class work and how to get a video service up for their congregation鈥檚 Sunday service.

“I鈥檝e been amazed, though, at the depth of engagement鈥攖his morning, my New Testament students each did a creative rendering of a parable of Jesus. They were funny, sobering, and encouraging!”

Hearing some of those needs led seminary professor Sarah Bixler to host an April 1 online gathering that drew 32 pastors, including 22 alumni, from four denominations and eight states. This has led to a free online series for pastors. Check it out here.

A wider global market for CJP

Innovation happened quickly during the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding鈥檚 facilitation class, co-taught by Professor Catherine Barnes and Amy Knorr. Students usually practice skills they鈥檝e learned in person by helping clients with a planned discussion, strategic visioning or group dialogue. With face-to-face options limited and practice still required, students moved online.

Above, one group produced an online strategic planning for Shenandoah Green, a local environmental group, including a circle process, a historical reflection using a digital timeline that folks could fill in, and a card sort, a way of getting ideas out into the open and then grouping them together. “Board members at Shenandoah Green were delighted,” said Knorr, who helps coordinate practice settings for CJP students.

In the midst of the pandemic, CJP also hosted several online gatherings for alumni to connect and share resources.

And significantly, center staff moved quickly to adapt the Summer Peacebuilding Institute to online classes, expedite a new hybrid graduate degree program in transformational leadership, and prepare upcoming semester classes for online delivery.

The massive disruption and accompanying move towards online learning and programs have created new opportunities, said Executive Director Jayne Docherty, especially in a previously untapped market of prospective participants who could not have afforded to travel or would not have been issued a visa in the current environment.

鈥淚n the face of the pandemic, many people are waking up to the fact that our societies have become more unequal and unjust and that we are teetering on the edge of violent confrontations between social subgroups. Some of those people are saying, 鈥楾his can鈥檛 continue. This is just wrong. What can I do? I want to be part of the solution.鈥� By moving our programs online quickly, we have helped channel their energy and impulse to help others in ways that prevent violence and address injustices.”

’12 hours ahead of our students’

As daily reports arrived into faculty in-boxes about the closure of practicum and internship placements to students, the nursing department focused on making sure their seniors could graduate on time and join the fight against covid-19.

For one cohort, that meant three 12-hour shifts at a local hospital. For others, they logged clinical hours (and their supervising professor also took calls) at a special covid-19 public health hotline.

“The faculty were meeting hour to hour, staying 12 hours ahead of the students as we were making decisions,” said Professor Melody Cash.

Eventually, a waiver allowed faculty to substitute simulation hours for live clinicals and all 16 seniors finished out the semester in good standing, ready to join the workforce.

It’s the small things…

Marci Frederick (above), director of Sadie Hartzler Library, and Professor Kevin Seidel dressed in academic regalia in honor of their senior seminar students for their last Zoom class meeting.

Congratulations, 91短视频 family, on the end of the semester we did not anticipate.

We celebrate.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the highlight of my day to hear students who daily recount the joy they find in now recognizing the animals, plants and rocks around them … In such unusual times, experiencing the beauty and complexity of the natural world together has been a unique source of hope for us.鈥�

Professor Doug Graber Neufeld

For Professor Doug Graber Neufeld and his students in the 鈥淣atural History of the Shenandoah Valley鈥� course, there is one small consolation to the loss of a full slate of exciting field trips when courses at 91短视频 abruptly moved online and students scattered to homes far away.

Spelunking.

鈥淎t least we got that in,鈥� Neufeld said. 鈥淭hey really loved it.鈥�

鈥淚 have never been before and I always love a good challenge,鈥� said Morgan Pletch. 鈥淲hile it was beginner level, I still had a blast!鈥�

鈥淭he caving was sort of out of my comfort zone,鈥� said Katelyn Dean, 鈥渂ut I absolutely loved it. It was an experience I鈥檒l never forget, of a different side of nature than I鈥檝e ever seen before.鈥�

That鈥檚 the kind of learning Neufeld loves to hear about. He waits the better part of two years to teach this course. It鈥檚 special in part because of the sheer variety of disciplines covered, but also the opportunity to take students out into the field. The shared experiences of birdwatching, caving, hiking, interacting with wildlife, searching for native wildflowers, and conducting fieldwork with biologists create a unique comraderie and strong bonds. 

Pletch got that right away: She had taken Neufeld鈥檚 intro to biology class during the fall and jumped at the chance to take another class with him that also included so many field trips. The somewhat rare mix of older and younger students and lots of engaging experiences together meant  鈥渃onnecting with my peers on a level a student does not typically get in other classes.鈥�

As they weather these times of loss and disruption, Neufeld says his students now experience the course in a different way. 鈥漌hile we all keenly feel the disappointment of not being together in person, I think we鈥檝e all come away from this year鈥檚 class with a unique understanding of how important nature is to our own mental and physical health.鈥� 

Naturalist John Muir, whose birthday is coming up the day before Earth Day, once said, 鈥淚n every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.鈥�

The field assignments have continued in creative ways. Lab coordinator Brinton Domangue, who manages 贰惭鲍鈥檚 greenhouse, supplied videos of a botany walk through the Bennett鈥檚 Run area in Bergton and the James Madison University Edith J. Carrier Arboretum. [Read more about Brinton’s love of plants in this profile.]

And the students continue to get out into nature — wherever is convenient and safe, Neufeld said. Sometimes that means a backyard. 鈥淲e’re being pretty careful on what we suggest to them, telling them if it is safe to be at a local park or woods, that’s great, but not to take any risks with it.鈥�

One day, Pletch spotted a sharp-skinned hawk in her driveway. She scrambled for a photo and shared it later (right).

A salamander hunt, a documentation exercise in a local woodland park of their choice, a birding expedition timed for spring migration — these journeys provide gifts of solitude and discovery. 

Back home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Chelsea Brubaker says the class has given her a good reason to get outside and away from the computer she sits in front of 鈥渇or hours at a time.鈥� She has learned to identify more plants and tests her skills on a nearby rail trail, or at two favorite destinations further away: Chickie鈥檚 Rock County Park and the Clarence Shrock Park at Governor Dick.

Pletch says her go-to spot is Crockett Park near Warrenton in Fauquier County. In her first year of college studies as a biology major, the breadth of the class has broadened her horizons beyond established interests in human anatomy and physiology. 

鈥淚 am so glad that I decided to take this class,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has opened up interests that I didn’t even know I had.鈥� 

She鈥檚 thought about many possibilities for the future, from 鈥渢eaching at the secondary level to becoming a physician or even continuing research at a higher level institution.鈥� Figuring out 鈥渨hat I鈥檓 being called to do鈥� is still part of her time at 91短视频.

Discovery in one鈥檚 backyard has also been a theme with Dean, a biology major from nearby Broadway. For the past five years, she and her dad spend time in the woods foraging for wild edibles.

It started with learning more about ramps, she said. 鈥淚 was so intrigued with the fact that there are all of these edible mushrooms and plants out in the woods around us that people don鈥檛 really know about or pay attention to. And so, I researched information about where to look and what time they grow. I even listened to podcasts about people from other states finding them in their area.鈥�

Dean shared in a recent class meeting the natural clues she uses to find morels, including looking for certain kinds of trees and waiting for signs like blooming wild violets and the height of mayapples. On a recent excursion, she was pleased to recognize even more species — wintergreen, hemlock and liverleaf flowers — that she had learned from class. And she and her dad spotted an American woodcock, a rare find.

Neufeld treasures hearing about these finds and says he鈥檚 already excited to teach the course again.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the highlight of my day to hear students who daily recount the joy they find in now recognizing the animals, plants and rocks around them,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l be sending each other pictures and accounts of our nature sightings well after the end of the semester. In such unusual times, experiencing the beauty and complexity of the natural world together has been a unique source of hope for us.鈥�

President Susan Schultz Huxman was among several administrators, faculty and staff to travel to Kansas City, Missouri, for the multi-day event. Huxman arrived early for meetings and listening sessions with Mennonite Higher Education Association, Mennonite Education Association and Mennonite Schools Council. During the conference, she provided a university update at a evening alumni reception.

The biennial conference, which is often preceded by other meetings of Mennonite organizations, gathers church representatives and members for worship, fellowship and learning, as well as for more formal discernment and decisionmaking.

91短视频 student’s advocacy leads to youth delegate vote

One such decision 鈦犫�� delegates voted on a bylaw change allowing youth participants to serve in future conferences as official voting delegates 鈦犫�� was from the group Step Up, founded by 91短视频 senior and Student Government Association Co-President Leah Wenger.

“The program is designed to educate young people about church business, encourage them to listen and learn from those around them, provide them places and people to network with, prepare them to become future leaders, and to promote participation in the larger church delegate body,” Wenger said. In additional to serving as a delegate from Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Wenger worked with three others, including Lorren Oesch ’19 to organize orientation for the youth participants and additional programming throughout the week.

The conference is also a meeting place for youth and young adult groups. 91短视频 admissions staff, including Director of Admissions Matt Ruth ’06, represented the university at the Mennonite Higher Education Association鈥檚 booth, which highlighted the academic offerings of the five Mennonite colleges and universities.

Faculty, joined by alumni, engage and teach

Sarah Bixler 鈥�02, Eastern Mennonite Seminary faculty member, was the convention鈥檚 prayer coordinator and co-led, with Hendy Stevan Matahelemual MA 鈥�19 (leadership), a daily evening prayer session focused on the church. She also was involved in four workshop sessions, including two that she co-led with her husband Ben Bixler 鈥�03, MA 鈥�13 (religion) that explored 鈥淩-rated鈥� scripture texts in the youth ministry context and Bible study in the congregation.

Eastern Mennonite Seminary dean Nancy Heisey听MDiv ’94 led her workshop participants in new ways of presenting biblical stories and broader biblical themes to audiences who bring no previous familiarity to their learning.

Emeritus Professor Dorothy Jean Weaver ’72 hosted three New Testament study workshops engaging with perspectives on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, stories of resilience, and the theme of power in the Gospel of Matthew. Read more about Weaver鈥檚 scholarly work on this topic.

With growing interest in the new Voices Together hymnal, music editor and new music professor Benjamin Bergey 鈥�11 co-led three sessions with general editor Bradley Kauffman in anticipation of the 2020 release. He also joined a co-presenter to discuss how the 20 songs from the contemplative Taize community that are included in the hymnal might be integrated into regular and Taize-style worship.

The came prepared to engage and share its vision. The center co-hosted a networking event for young adults with Mennonite Creation Care Network, joining current college students with recent graduates to explore issues and encourage active engagement through their churches.

Executive director Doug Graber Neufeld, a biology professor at 91短视频, also hosted a general interest meeting, with a special invitation for those wanting to explore ways that congregations can engage with climate issues.

Climate Future Fellows Michaela Mast, Harrison Horst and Sarah Longenecker, all 2018 91短视频 graduates, shared about their experiences producing two seasons of the 鈥淪hifting Climates鈥� podcast. Read more here.

One workshop presenter didn鈥檛 have to travel far. Annette Lantz Simmons, a graduate of the and its 2018 Peacebuilder of the Year, led a workshop on trauma, resilience and leadership. Simmons, a certified STAR (Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience) trainer, is executive director of the Center for Conflict Resolution in Kansas City (which also employs three other CJP graduates).

A number of 91短视频 alumni, too many to list in this article, contributed to activities and/or were delegates or participants at the conference. The information in this article was compiled from the MennoCon program book.听

A campus culture that 鈥渞espects students鈥� right to protest鈥� 鈥� that nurtures both students and the social movements they create, and embraces student activism as being the result of new knowledge at the core of liberation 鈥� benefits the entire community, said Hinojosa, a professor of history at Texas A & M. In their activism, students think critically, lead outside the classroom, practice civic engagement, and develop a greater sense of social responsibility.

Hinojosa鈥檚 August 14 address on the conference theme of 鈥淏eing or Becoming a Third Way University鈥� began the two-day event鈥檚 broader discussions around campus engagement, civic collaboration and diversity and inclusion, goals that are articulated in the university鈥檚 strategic plan.

鈥淒r. Hinojosa鈥檚 address was a helpful invitation as we anticipate the return of students to campus,鈥� said Provost Fred Kniss. 鈥淐ultivating students鈥� abilities to engage with the world is central to our mission, and as an institution we can also learn from their desires for change.鈥�

Conferences an annual tradition

贰惭鲍鈥檚 faculty-staff conferences bookend each academic year, with the fall event providing gathering in fellowship and renewal of the community鈥檚 common purpose and goals.

Braydon Hoover, director of development and annual giving and frequent conference emcee, pointed out that common vision in his welcome: 鈥淲e鈥檙e all here for the exact same purpose 鈥� to prepare every single one of our students to distinctively serve and lead in a global context,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hether you coach on the grass or you cut it, whether you teach 18-year-olds or students a little older, whether you work remotely or right here on campus, whether you took a break this summer or work diligently all year round, and even whether you hail from the titular religious tradition or another completely different, we 鈥� all of us 鈥� are 91短视频.鈥�

The event included workshop sessions, worship and fellowship opportunities, and what鈥檚 become an annual favorite, 鈥淪torytelling,鈥� featuring members of the campus community sharing about their journeys to, towards or within the 91短视频 community. Fall storytellers included professors Johonna Turner and Esther Tian; Jasmine Hardesty, director of development and planned giving; and Scott Barge, vice president of institutional effectiveness.

The event was also a forum for announcements about the upcoming academic year, including the observance of MLK Day with extensive service and learning opportunities replacing scheduled classes.

Keynote speaker calls for empowering synergy

Hinojosa knows what it means to envision a different university. While a student at Fresno Pacific University in California, he joined student movements to encourage the hiring of more diverse faculty and expansion of the curriculum and academic programs.

鈥淗ow could a university in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, surrounded by a large Latinx population and located in an area that gave birth to the greatest and most successful farm workers civil rights movement, not teach a course on this?鈥� he said.

The synergy between his own student activism and intellectual engagement 鈥� the 鈥済rowth of political consciousness and understanding of history,鈥� his own and his people鈥檚 鈥� was both personally empowering and beneficial to the campus community.

Now a tenured professor of history at Texas A&M University, Hinojosa also directs the history department鈥檚 undergraduate studies and is co-founder and co-director of the Latina/o Studies Working Group sponsored by the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research.

Sharing his pedagogical philosophy that asks 鈥淪o what? Now what?鈥� with his students in courses about social movements, Latinx history, gender, comparative race and ethnicity, Hinojosa has become a resource, guide and mentor to diverse student activists.

This role 鈥� and the work of activism itself 鈥� is 鈥渕essy鈥� and 鈥渃haotic,鈥� but 鈥渕ore important than ever,鈥� he said.

In considering the role of the 鈥渢hird way university,鈥� Hinojosa noted the history of socially progressive Christians. While 鈥渄istorted forms of Christianity got the most play,鈥� they quietly went to work in communities around the world.

鈥淎 third way university must build on this radical tradition,鈥� he said.

In response to a question from Director of Multicultural Services Celeste Thomas, Hinojosa elaborated on additional ways of supporting black and brown students in the predominantly white university setting: listening to the voices and perspectives of marginalized students, hiring diverse and/or culturally competent faculty and staff, providing safe community spaces for these students, and prioritizing issues and the history of diverse communities in curriculum and academic programs.

Beyond the keynote

Afternoon breakout sessions offered faculty and staff opportunities to learn more about distinctive programs that link to core values of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 mission and vision. 听

Various restorative justice initiatives and programs were highlighted in a special session hosted by professors Johonna Turner and Carl Stauffer, who co-direct the housed in the . Jon Swartz, associate dean of students, talked about restorative justice as it relates to the campus community and highlighted the growth, and growing interest, in RJ-related trainings. Meg Sanders, director of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 Graduate Teacher Education program, spoke about the new master鈥檚 degree and graduate certificate in restorative justice, as well as the integration of RJ principles and practices into professional training courses offered by the university.

Director Kimberly Schmidt presented on the , 贰惭鲍鈥檚 Washington D.C.-based program offering cross-cultural urban studies, internship and community living experience. She was joined by Associate Director Ryan Good and Program Assistant Karlyn Gehring.

Doug Graber Neufeld presented on the , a collaborative initiative of 91短视频, Goshen College and Mennonite Central Committee to lead Anabaptist efforts to respond to the challenges of climate change. Neufeld, a biology professor at 91短视频, directs the center.

The initiative recognizes institutions that 鈥渟et high-performance goals, demonstrate and report measureable progress towards those goals, and support network activities,鈥� according to a press release.

The 鈥淥n Track鈥� performance mark recognizes institutions that have set their own carbon reduction goals in the Climate Action Plan and then matched their annual goals with submitted data.

“Sustainability is a core value at 91短视频 that grounds our mission and vision,” said President Susan Schultz Huxman. 鈥淭he Marks of Distinction award affirms our long-time commitment to its practice. We are proud to be part of the Climate Leadership Network and to do our part in inspiring innovative action for climate progress.”

“We’re delighted to be recognized for 91短视频’s historical commitment to sustainability,鈥� said Professor Doug Graber Neufeld, executive director of the Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions. 鈥淭his award reflects on the dedication of many who have over the years who have worked to made 91短视频 more sustainable both in setting goals to reduce our carbon impact, and in documenting how those goals are met. Recognition as a leader among our peer universities will spur us to setting ambitious goals that help us take responsibility to reduce our climate impacts.”

To remain eligible, the institution must continue to be an active participating signatory by contributing annual dues and reporting annual data.

Marks of Distinction are awarded in three categories: performance, participation and goals. Fifteen different Marks of Distinction recognize various accomplishments such as progress towards carbon neutrality, use of renewable energy, and more.

The Climate Leadership Network comprises more than 600 colleges and universities in every state and the District of Columbia which have committed to take action on climate and prepare students through research and education to solve the challenges of the 21st century.

Click here to view the , where 贰惭鲍鈥檚 emission reduction targets are listed through 2020.

The nine-member board 鈥渂rought a huge range of expertise to our discussion,鈥� said the center鈥檚 executive director , a biology professor at 91短视频. 鈥淭he meeting was an opportunity to get feedback on our activities and think about how we might want to adjust our plans. I have so many new ideas that my head is spinning.鈥�

Board of reference members Ben Brabson, professor emeritus of physics at Indiana University, Bloomington, and Shantha Alonso, executive director of Creation Justice Ministries, praised the work so far 鈥� especially 鈥渢he evidence-based shaping of the center鈥檚 mission and programs,鈥� Alonso said.

Joining Alonso and Brabson on the board are:

• Ray Martin, lead donor and honorary chair;
• Russell De Young, retired NASA engineer;
• Mitch Hescox, president/CEO, Evangelical Environmental Network;
• Chad Horning, chief investment officer, Everence;
• Lawrence Jennings, lay pastor, Infinity Mennonite Church, New York City;
• Jacqui Patterson, director, NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program;
• Lyubov Slashcheva ’11 D.D.S.;
• Vurayayi Pugeni, humanitarian relief and disaster coordinator, Mennonite Central Committee Canada.

Careful groundwork leads to plans in motion

This is the second major meeting since the center was founded in May 2016, funded by a $1 million donation from Martin, a Goshen College (Indiana) alumnus who worked in international development and global health. The collaborative initiative, which includes 91短视频, Goshen and Mennonite Central Committee, seeks to advance thinking and action in Anabaptist and other faith communities to mitigate climate change.

A May 2017 consultation at Goshen drew 25 representatives from Mennonite organizations to set the mission and objectives for the center.

鈥淭hat 10 months since that consultation has been really important to developing a mission-focused, data-driven foundation,鈥� said Graber Neufeld. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much we can try to do towards our goals, but we want to focus our efforts on making the most impact, and it鈥檚 taken some time to find out what that means.鈥�

Following a winter 2017 survey of Anabaptists, the center has rolled out a slate of programs focused on student leadership, pastoral and congregational leadership, and support for research into best practices and innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Graber Neufeld says that continuing to build strategic partnerships will be key to the center鈥檚 success. Founding partner Mennonite Central Committee, for example, is a member of Alonso鈥檚 ecumenical organization, .

听鈥楢 new, able and unique partner鈥�

CSCS will be a 鈥渘ew, able and unique partner,鈥� said Alonso, who welcomed the board of reference meeting as a way to learn more about the Mennonite faith and its connection to sustainable climate solutions. 鈥淐SCS can not only draw more Mennonites into care for God鈥檚 creation, but also be a witness of peacemaking and simple living for the broader climate movement, as well as the general public.鈥�

听From a personal perspective, veteran climate scientist Brabson said his participation was a rare opportunity to 鈥渇orm new friendships with a magnificent group of people dedicated to doing God鈥檚 work on Earth.鈥�

He praised the center鈥檚 strong financial and organizational foundation and its careful goal- and action-oriented planning to spend resources where they have maximum impact.

Outreach to other faith communities is happening 鈥渂y word and by example from the Mennonite tradition,鈥� Brabson said. 鈥淢oral agency, so well represented by the Mennonite tradition, is critical to the survival and enhancement of all of our lives, especially the disenfranchised among us.

鈥淒iscussion is good, but without action, very little benefit results,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he center鈥檚 careful planning bodes well for the ability of the center to deliver on its promise.鈥�

James Souder received the 2017 Ice River Springs Master鈥檚 Scholarship for Sustainability from the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), a North Carolina-based charity that 鈥渁wards and recognizes excellence in master鈥檚 and doctoral solid waste management research and education.鈥�

Souder graduated from 91短视频 in 2013 with an environmental and social sustainability degree and minors in , and . This spring he will complete a master鈥檚 degree in environmental management at Yale with a specialization in industrial ecology and green design.

Research to close the loop

Souder鈥檚 research 鈥淐losing the Loop and Increasing Material Recovery in Supply Chains and Production Systems鈥� reflects his focus on innovations for waste management and pollution prevention. It involves embedding recycling information on or in products so that automatic sorting machines can reduce human error and ultimately divert recyclables from landfills.

According , only two percent of plastic packaging material is recycled into the same or similar-quality applications, and just eight percent more is recycled into lower-value applications. The rest is leaked to the environment, dumped in landfills, incinerated or lost to recycling processes.

鈥淥ur consumption patterns as a society are linear, where most products are made, used and finally disposed,鈥� Souder听 said. 鈥淚 want to move us towards a circular system, where materials can continue to be used while minimizing our impact on the environment and human health.鈥�

The topic arose during an earlier project that Souder was working on for a green engineering and sustainable design course at Yale, in which his group designed a prototype for a machine that would separate bar-coded recycling items.

鈥淲e have a long way to go to improve our collection systems, focusing our efforts on waste streams that have the largest environmental impact throughout the product鈥檚 life, and designing our products so the materials can be easily separated and recovered,鈥� Souder said.

The EREF scholarship is funded by Ice River Springs, an Ontario-based company that touts its own plastics recycling facility and 鈥渃losed-loop production.鈥�

鈥楴ot surprised鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e not surprised at all that James received this award,鈥� said Dr. , professor of biology and director of听the . 鈥淛ames showed an exceptional ability to combine his skills from different disciplines in addressing real-world problems. He has consistently worked to making a better world, and he exemplifies what we train our students to do once they graduate.鈥�

In a 2017 Q&A, Souder said that 91短视频 provided him with 鈥渁 holistic framework of sustainability that incorporated society and economics into environmental topics,鈥� he said. 鈥湻〔驯�檚 structure allowed me to explore environmental issues from a variety of academic disciplines, ranging from economics to ecology and photography鈥�. The variety of courses I was able to take, along with 贰惭鲍鈥檚 global focus, provided a strong framework which I鈥檓 able to build on for further study.鈥�

After graduating from 91短视频, Souder participated in the program, and later deferred his acceptance into Yale to serve as a photojournalist in Burkina Faso through Mennonite Central Committee鈥檚 Serving and Learning Together program.

Following completion of his master鈥檚 degree at Yale this spring, Souder plans to work on projects that will 鈥渕ake meaningful and measurable positive environmental changes on a global scale.鈥�

To earn the rating, institutions must submit materials through AASHE鈥檚 Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS) every three years. 91短视频 first received the award in 2014.

STARS recognizes sustainability efforts by universities around the world in three focus areas: curriculum and research; operations; and planning, diversity and engagement. It defines sustainability as 鈥渆ncompassing human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for all generations.鈥�

鈥淚nstitution-level innovation is a vital component of environmental stewardship and addressing ever-growing concerns about climate change,鈥� said Professor , director of the Center for Sustainable Climate Solutions. 鈥淭he steps 91短视频 has taken provide a strong foundation for the ongoing work of increasing sustainability.鈥�

In recent years the university developed a Climate Action Plan. It was also recognized for its work on a collaborative nitrogen footprint study, said Jonathan Lantz-Trissel, who as 贰惭鲍鈥檚 former sustainability coordinator led the months-long reporting process for both the 2014 and 2017 STARS ratings.

The report is 鈥渁 useful tool for self evaluation and directing further efforts,鈥� said Gregory Sachs, 贰惭鲍鈥檚 building automation coordinator, including collaboration 鈥渨ith the broader church, community and beyond to mitigate the global effects of climate change, particularly for the most vulnerable.鈥�

On its extensive 2017 application, these and many other sustainability efforts:

• Eighty-nine percent of its academic departments offer sustainability courses, with at least one sustainability-focused degree at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, and a quarter of research-producing departments engage in sustainability research.
• Four active student groups focus on sustainability:听, the听, and Divest91短视频. (A fifth group, the Coalition for Climate Justice, is also now active.)
• The campus boasts five gardens that raise produce for the campus.
• Facilities improvements included lighting upgrades, the installation of efficient heat pumps, and window switches that disable heating and cooling to individual rooms when windows are opened.

贰惭鲍鈥檚 2014 rating was in part for its three LEED gold-certified residential halls, the massive solar array on the Hartzler Library, and its recycling program. At the time it represented seven years of sustainability efforts, both grass-roots activism on campus and the 2007 adoption of education for sustainability as a re-accreditation requirement. 91短视频 is accredited by the .

The seminar, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 20 in Science Center 106, is free and open to the public.

Graber Neufeld will describe three (MCC) projects: sand dams for community water harvesting in semi-arid regions, conservation agriculture for increased crop production in rainfed agriculture, and solar disinfection for clean water supplies in urban slums of Nairobi.

Rigorous monitoring and experimentation is playing a key role in the successes of these projects, which promote changes in behavior and technology. Lessons coming out of this emphasis center on the importance of participatory approaches coupled with advances in understanding how social change happens and how individuals make decisions.

Graber Neufeld has worked for MCC on water-related projects twice, first for two years in Cambodia, and more recently for two years in Kenya [to view a blog about his family鈥檚 adventures, click .]

In addition, he works with water projects locally, with a focus on water quality impacts in area streams.

At 91短视频, he teaches courses related to environmental sustainability and health. He is also the first director of the , a collaborative effort of 91短视频, and MCC. [Read his reflections on the new center鈥檚 mission .]

Graber Neufeld received his BA from Tabor College and his PhD from the University of Texas, Austin. He held postdoctoral research positions at medical schools at the University of Arizona and the University of Otago, New Zealand, before coming to 91短视频 in 1998.

The Suter Science Seminars are made possible by the sponsorship of the and the co-sponsorship of supporting programs.