
September 28, 2023
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

Richard Benton
Executive Director, Climate Jobs Institute
Associate Professor, School of Labor & Employment Relations

Madhu Khanna
Director, iSEE
ACES Distinguished Professor of Environmental Economics, Department of Agricultural & Consumer Economics

Andrew Leaky
Director, CABBI
Professor & Head, Department of Plant Biology

Kaylee Lukacena
Research Development Manager
Center for Social & Behavioral Science