There is an abundance of research at Illinois focused on climate, environment, and sustainability. The impact of this research cannot be fully realized without social innovations that can shift decision-making and behavior in a climate friendly manner. Thus, the Center for Social and Behavioral Science (CSBS) and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) are co-sponsoring the Summit on Building Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research on Sustainability: Incorporating Social and Behavioral Science. The goal of this half-day, interactive event is to facilitate social and behavioral scientists’ collaboration with scientists in other fields on climate, environment, and sustainability on our campus.

Date: Friday, October 6, 2023
Time: 8:30am – 1:00pm  
Location: Illinois Conference Center (I Hotel) Alma Mater Room

Agenda

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. | Event check in. Light breakfast served.
9:00 – 9:05 a.m. | Welcome and agenda preview
Eva Pomerantz, Director, Center for Social and Behavioral Science (CSBS)
Madhu Khanna, Director, Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
9:05 – 9:15 a.m. | Introductory Remarks: Institutional Importance of Climate, Environment, and Sustainability (CES); Research and Incorporating Social and Behavioral Science (SBS)
Susan Martinis, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation
Kelvin Droegemeier, Professor, Atmospheric Sciences, LAS
9:15 – 10:00 a.m. | Panel Discussion: Vision of SBS + CES
Andrew Leakey, Director, Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI)
Richard Benton, Director, Climate Jobs Institute
Madhu Khanna, Director, iSEE
Eva Pomerantz, Director, CSBS
Venetria Patton, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will moderate
10:00 – 10:15 a.m. | Coffee Break
10:15 – 10:35 a.m. | Illinois Researcher Spotlight
Carena van Riper, Associate Professor, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, ACES  
10:35 – 10:55 a.m. | Illinois Researcher Spotlight
George Deltas, Professor, Department of Economics, LAS
10:55 – 11:15 a.m. | Illinois Researcher Spotlight
Leona Yi-Fan Su, Assistant Professor, Department of Advertising, College of Media
11:15 – 11:30 a.m. | Researcher Spotlight Q&A Session
Jeremy Guest, Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, GEC
Arden Rowell, Professor, College of Law
11:30 – 11:45 a.m. | Coffee Break
11:45 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Brainstorming Session: What can the departments do to support CES interdisciplinary research?
12:15 – 12:55 p.m. | Networking and Lunch
12:55 – 1:00 p.m. | Closing remarks and next steps

Planning Committee