February 23-27, 2026
Join the WashU environmental community for a week celebrating and showcasing the exciting, diverse environmental work happening at WashU and beyond.
Monday, February 23
Research Exchange: Geoscience and the Environment
Geospatial Research Initiative
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Olin Library Room 142
Join fellow researchers and students for an interdisciplinary exchange focused on developing collaborative research projects connecting geospatial and environmental research.
Environmental Research Symposium
Center for the Environment
1 – 5:30 p.m. | 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, featuring:
Keynote by Tony Reames: “Powering Change: How the Energy Transition is Shaped by People, Places and Policy”
University of Michigan – School for Environment and Sustainability
Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice
Director of the U-M SEAS Detroit Sustainability Clinic
Research Highlights: Researchers will share brief, impactful updates on their work, highlighting the scale, scope and diversity of environmental research at WashU.
Graduate Student Lightning Talks: This fast-paced session will showcase the exciting work of WashU’s environmental graduate student community. These 5-minute talks will give brief, impactful glimpses into emerging research.
Apply to present a lightning talk, applications are due Jan. 26
Poster session and Networking Reception: Enjoy drinks, light fare, and each other’s company while you explore the diverse environmental research being conducted by our talented community.
Submit a poster abstract today, submissions are due Jan 28.
Lab Supply Swap
Green Labs Program and the Circularity Center
Various times | Eric P. Newman Education Center Room 303 & 304
Help keep usable items out of landfills while saving labs money. WashU labs are invited to donate surplus lab supplies and equipment and acquire needed lab materials for free.
Tuesday, February 24
Climate Change in Concert
Center for the Environment
3 – 4:30 p.m. | Umrath Lounge
Join composer Christopher Stark, Associate Professor of Composition and violinist Clara Kim for a performance of four works exploring humanity and climate change.
The concert will include a Q&A with Stark and Kim and will be followed by a networking reception; light fare is included.
Tyson History Project Roundtable
Tyson Research Center, Center for Humanities
Noon – 1 p.m. | Danforth University Center Room 276
Explore the complex history of the land on which Tyson Research Center sits, and the humans who have made use of its terrain and ecological features over thousands of years.
Join this roundtable discussion featuring a team of researchers, including archivists, historians, and undergraduate students, studying the history of this site through Indigenous presence, extractive practices, and military occupation.
Wednesday, February 25
Distinguished Knight Lecture & Political Science Speaker Series with Dr. Michael Ross
Environmental Studies & Political Science
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. | Umrath Lounge
Join the Environmental Studies Program and Department of Political Science for a guest presentation by Michael Ross, professor in the Department of Political Science and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA.
Evoking Environmental Objects in 500 Words
Office of Public Scholarship
3 – 4:30 p.m. | Danforth University Center Room 240
Develop your science communications skills in this interactive workshop with the Office of Public Scholarship.
Participants will be guided through an exercise focusing on a single environmental object and then write a very short essay about your topic. This workshop is open to WashU graduate students.
Technology, Data & Engineering Student & Alumni Networking Reception
Center for Career Engagement
5:15 – 6:15 p.m. | Whitaker Atrium
Alumni will share their experiences and offer career advice and guidance at this networking reception. Students and alumni will participate in industry-specific networking discussions.
Drinks and appetizers will be provided, and business casual attire is encouraged. This event is open to WashU Students and Alumni.
Thursday, February 26
Miocene and Pliocene climate from Earth’s oldest ice cores with John Higgins
Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Rudolph Hall Room 301
Join the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences for a guest presentation by John Higgins, Professor, Department of Geosciences, Princeton University.
Hope In Action: Conservation Success Stories
Living Earth Collaborative
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | The Living World at the Saint Louis Zoo
Join the St. Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden and WashU experts for a special evening showcasing successes in biodiversity conservation. Meet more than 15 organizations who are working every day to protect the plants and animals that make our region—and our planet—extraordinary.
Friday, February 27
Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering Seminar with Desirée Plata
Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering
11 a.m. – Noon | Whitaker Hall Room 100
Join the Department of Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering for a guest presentation by Desirée Plata, Distinguished Climate and Energy Professor at MIT’s School of Engineering.
WashU Environmental Lab & Studio Crawl
Center for the Environment
1:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Various locations
Learn about the people, places, and processes that contribute to the rich environmental community at WashU.
This curated series of lab and studio tours will highlight the unique work of various researchers across the Danforth Campus.
Alumni Chat: Sustainability
Center for Career Engagement
1 – 2 p.m. | Virtual
Join the Government, Policy & Social Impact Career Community to connect with alumni working in the sustainability career. This event is open to WashU Students.
End of Week Reception
Center for the Environment
3:30 – 4:30 p.m. | Weil Hall, Kuehner Court
Unwind after a full week of programs at this celebration of the myriad work happening across the WashU environmental community.
