February 24-28, 2025
Join the Center for the Environment and partners across WashU for Environmental Research & Creativity Week, Feb. 24 – 28.
This week of events will showcase the exciting environmental work throughout the WashU community, share innovative knowledge, and foster collaboration between faculty, students, staff, and partners.
Registration is now open – please register for each event separately.
Monday, February 24
Environmental Research Symposium
Center for the Environment
1:00-5:30pm | Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman hall
This half-day symposium will bring together scholars, students, staff and partners to highlight environmental research across the university and beyond.
The symposium will feature:
1:00-2:15pm | Keynote: “A Vision for the Future in Three Acts,” Julie Zimmerman, Vice Provost for Planetary Solutions, Yale University
2:15-3:15pm | Panel: “What is higher education’s role in addressing environmental challenges?” Featuring Center for the Environment Scholars
3:30-4:30pm | Graduate student lightning talks
4:30-5:30pm | Poster session and networking reception with drinks and light fare.
Tuesday, February 25
Cannibal Capitalism: The View from Trump’s America – 2025 Faculty Book Celebration
Center for the Humanities
4:00-6:30pm | Umrath Lounge, Umrath Hall
The Center for the Humanities Faculty Book Celebration will feature keynote speaker Nancy Fraser on her book “Cannibal Capitalism: How our System is Devouring Democracy, Care, and the Planet – and What We Can Do About It.”
Safeguarding Human Health on a Rapidly Changing Planet – S.T. Lee Lecture
McDonnell International Scholars Academy
5:00-7:30pm | Clark-Fox Forum, Hillman Hall
Samuel Myers, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health and founding director of the Planetary Health Alliance will present.
Wednesday, February 26
Early-Season Blooms Tour – Arbor Walk
WashU Arboretum cohosted event
10:00-11:15am | Starting location: bottom of Brookings Hall steps, Tisch Park
Join the WashU Arboretum on a guided Arbor Walk around campus to enjoy and learn about some of the earliest spring blooms and leaves on our campus. This tour will feature everything from basic plant identification to science-humanities connections in our Arboretum. Expected walking distance 1.5 miles (2.4 km).
Are We Toast? Humanities Under Capitalism – 2025 Faculty Book Celebration
Center for the Humanities
Noon-1:30pm | Olin Library Room 142
Day two of the Faculty Book Celebration includes a panel discussion with Nancy Fraser and featured WashU faculty members.
Bovine Interventions: Thinking with Animals in Enlightenment Venice – Visiting Speaker Karl Appuhn
Department of History
1:00-2:00pm | Umrath Lounge, Umrath Hall
Karl Appuhn, Associate Professor of History and Italian at New York University, presents a lecture as part of the Department of History Colloquium series. Light refreshments will be provided.
Transformative decarbonization research led by WashU – Alumni Webinar
University Advancement cohosted event
6:00-7:00pm CST | Virtual
Learn about WashU’s CURB decarbonization research initiative featuring the project’s leader Joshua Yuan, Chair of the Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering in McKelvey Engineering.
Thursday, February 27
Tropical Forest February – Explore St. Louis’ Only Tropical Forest
Living Earth Collaborative cohosted event
9-10:45 a.m. | Missouri Botanical Garden
The Living Earth Collaborative – an innovative biodiversity partnership between the St. Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, and WashU – will host an event exploring the hyperdiversity of plants and animals in the world’s tropical forest; highlighting the St. Louis region’s strengths in tropical forest ecology and conservation.
Seeds: Containers of a World to Come – Gallery Tour
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum cohosted event
Noon-1:00pm | Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Examine the relationship between plants, humans, and land through the works of 10 contemporary artists. Led by Curator Meredith Malone, this tour will explore the works of the exhibition Seeds: Containers of a World to Come, focusing on the way in which they reflect on and reframe our understanding of current environmental challenges and our connection to the natural world. The exhibit is open Feb. 21 through July 28 at the Kemper Art Museum.
Extractivism in the Americas – Visiting Speaker Celina Osuna
Center for the Humanities
Environmental Arts & Humanities Working Group
5:30-7:00pm | Kuehner Court, Weil Hall
Scholar and artist Celina Osuna, Assistant Professor of English at University of Texas El Paso, will present on issues of environmental art and extraction at the U.S.-Mexico border. This talk is in conjunction with the Extractivism in the Americas exhibit at the Des Lee Gallery, which runs Feb. 7 through March 7. Dinner will be provided.
Friday, February 28
Sustainable Innovations in Research – WashU School of Medicine Sustainability Tour
School of Medicine Sustainability cohosted event
10:30-11:30am | Starting location: Central West End MetroLink station
Learn about sustainable buildings, landscapes, and labs during a tour of WashU’s School of Medicine campus. The tour will include a walkthrough of campus and a visit to the Piston lab, where scientists will share the sustainable practices the lab has implemented for their research.
Sustainability Alumni Chat – Career Panel
Center for Career Engagement
1:00-2:00pm | Virtual
Join the Center for Career Engagement to hear from alumni in environment and sustainability across consulting, government, corporate, and non-profit spaces, with backgrounds including international studies, economics, environmental science, and engineering. Bring your questions! This event is intended for WashU Students.
WashU’s Environmental Ecosystem – Lab & Studio Crawl
Center for the Environment
1:30-3:30pm | Starting location: 1st Floor Brauer Hall, concludes Weil Hall
Learn about the people, places, and processes that contribute to the rich environmental landscape at WashU. This curated series of lab and studio tours will highlight the modes and methods of various disciplines across the Danforth Campus.
Let’s Celebrate – End-of-Week Reception
Center for the Environment
3:30-4:30pm | Kuehner Court, Weil Hall
Unwind after a full week of programs at this celebration of the myriad work happening across the WashU environmental community. Drinks and light fare will be served.