UGC 2021 Virtual Gathering Session Information

Ermias Kebreab is a renowned scholar and skilled administrator with extensive experience in sustainable agriculture and animal science. Alongside his leadership of the World Food Center, Dr. Kebreab serves as the Associate Dean of Global Engagement in the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences at UC Davis, and through both positions he oversees the advancement of the college’s international goals while working in collaboration with extensive internal and external partnerships to magnify the grand challenges facing our global food systems.

José Eduardo Villalobos (he/him), Professor, EARTH University

José Eduardo Villalobos Leandro is a professional in soil and water science. José works as a professor at EARTH University in the Soil Management and Precision Agriculture areas. He specializes in the integration of layers of information (soil, plant, and remote) for a successful farm diagnosis, optimizing the productive efficiency of farms through sustainable soil management and precision agriculture. He is the coordinator of the Precision Agriculture Center, where the team is currently implementing projects and providing precision agriculture services to farmers. He has a master’s degree in Soil and Water Science from the University of Florida.

Jiana Choi (she/her), Undergraduate Student, UC Davis

Jiana Choi is a 4th year Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems major focusing specifically on food system and society. Since 2019 Jiana has worked at the UC Davis Student Farm as a Lead Student Farmer where she co-coordinates a food access program where students grow, glean, and donate food to students in need.

Arnold Katende, Undergraduate Student, EARTH University

Arnold Katende is a final year student of agriculture sciences at EARTH University in Costa Rica. While at EARTH, he co-founded a social venture GenFarm Financial enterprise which empowers small-scale farmers in Uganda through financial literacy trainings, access to agricultural inputs and markets for their produce. He also founded Joint Organic Aquaponics which offers trainings to local communities and seeks to improve climate change, hunger, and unsustainable farming methods through growing fish and plants together in a constructed ecosystem. His Aquaponics project uses 90% less water, no chemicals, requires less land and is more productive than conventional agriculture. Arnold plans to return to Uganda to work on both these projects after his graduation from EARTH University.

Moderated by:

Joanna Regulska (she/hers), Vice Provost and Dean, Global Affairs, Professor, Gender, Sexuality an Women’s Studies, UC Davis

Joanna Regulska is Vice Provost and Dean – Global Affairs, and professor of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, University of California, Davis. With over thirty years of international experience, she has led and initiated diverse educational, research and partnerships projects. In 2020 she was named as one of 23 founding members of the National Academy for International Education and in 2019 was recognized by the Institute for international Education as “SIO of the Year.” She holds Ph.D from University of Colorado, Boulder.

Arturo Condo (he/him), President, EARTH University

Dr. Arturo Condo is President of EARTH University, an innovative global institution educating leaders for sustainable development, especially for rural areas of the world. At EARTH, Dr. Condo has led the design and implementation of the school’s 5-year Strategic Plan. He has guided the creation of EARTH Futures, a new global platform at EARTH which seeks to advance transformational leadership education and develop innovative solutions to transform the lives of millions in rural areas of developing regions. He served as President of INCAE Business School between 2007 and 2015, and for two decades, he was Dean of the MBA, Director of the Latin American Center for Competitiveness and Sustainable Development (CLACDS) and professor of strategy, competitiveness, and sustainable development. He has a Doctorate from Harvard Business School in business strategy and competitiveness and was recognized as a “Distinguished Scholar” in his MBA at INCAE. In 2006, he was named to the Inaugural Class of the Central American Leadership Initiative (CALI), an Aspen Institute Fellowship. In 2007, the World Economic Forum (WEF) recognized him as a Young Global Leader (YGL).

Day 1 Block A Sessions

Students Leading the Way in SDG Engagement

How can students inspire change and foster engagement in sustainability? By examining two case studies out of McGill University, participants will develop an understanding of how they can create meaningful opportunities for passive and active engagement in the SDGs. Participants will be guided through the steps taken to organize McGill’s inaugural SDG Week, in which 10 student groups gathered to create dialogue around the SDGs and the development of a Student SDG Guide, which offers undergraduate students practical information about how they can become more involved in engaging with the SDGs in courses, research, and extracurricular activities.

Presenters

Karen Oberer, PhD (she/her), Sustainability Officer, McGill University

Karen has studied, taught, and worked at McGill University for over 15 years. She has a PhD in English Literature and is currently completing an online Master’s in Environmental Practice at Royal Roads University in British Columbia. Her current role at the Office of Sustainability involves monitoring McGill’s sustainability achievements and reporting them to internal and external parties, including the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability Higher Education (AASHE). An avid birder, Karen oversees the McGill Staff Birding and Outdoors group in her spare time.

Geneva Yang (she/her), SDG Intern, McGill Office of Sustainability, McGill University

Geneva is in her last year of an undergraduate degree at McGill, pursuing Joint Honours in International Development and Psychology. She is the SDG Campus Coordinator at McGill and an intern at the McGill Office of Sustainability. She is passionate about sustainable development and founded the McGill SDG Student Hub, which has initiated and organized multiple student-engagement events on sustainability and the SDGs, including the inaugural McGill SDG Week and the #knowyoursdgs social media campaign.

Moderated by: Amanda Wendt (she/her), Professor, EARTH University

Dr. Amanda Wendt (USA and Costa Rica) is the Professor of Graduation Projects and Research at EARTH University, Costa Rica. She earned her M.Sc. and Ph.D. at the University of Connecticut, United States, where she studied tropical forest regeneration and ecology. Before joining EARTH University, Amanda developed research management and teaching experience in numerous professional appointments. She has worked for more than 15 years as a restoration project manager, and has used forest landscape restoration as a tool for education and community engagement.

From Eco-San Latrines to Diversity in Ocean Science: Driving Sustainable Change Through Collaborative Student Projects

Students are eager to connect with the world, getting close to both challenges and potential solutions. The UN SDGs provide powerful frames for exploration, allowing students to connect their interests with collective goals and emerging technologies. While experiential learning is opening new opportunities for engagement, students are eager to go even farther, connecting with ecosystems and communities, and engaging with technology-based innovation, deepening their learning while making meaningful contributions. This panel presentation will share two diverse approaches to student projects that are addressing the SDGs through collaborative engagement. A group of engineering students from the University at Buffalo will share their experiences designing a sustainable, self-sufficient Eco-San latrine for an NGO in northern Tanzania that has the potential to empower rural communities through enhanced sanitation, school attendance, and agricultural production. A second group of projects focusing on diversity in Ocean Sciences will be introduced, with a focus on technologies that can support protection, innovation, and sustainability. Projects will be framed within a scalable model for project-based learning, digital badges developed by the University at Buffalo Experiential Learning Network, and future trends in technology-based innovation.

Presenters

Mara Huber (she/her), Associate Dean for Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning, Director of Experiential Learning Network, University at Buffalo

Dr. Huber serves as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Research and Experiential Learning and Director of the Experiential Learning Network (ELN) at the University at Buffalo. Her work focuses on catalyzing high-impact collaboration through scalable engagement and learning models. She is the founder of the ELN Project Portal, a comprehensive web-based system that connects students with mentored projects, including those focused on global collaboration, and supporting their engagement through digital badges. She leads an annual study abroad trip to Tanzania that focuses on social innovation and women’s empowerment and is a frequent speaker, mentor, writer, and facilitator.

Charlotte Rutnick (she/her), graduate student, Water Resources Engineering, University at Buffalo

Charlotte is a graduate student at the University at Buffalo. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering and is currently working on a master’s degree in water resources engineering. Charlotte is passionate about clean water and ensuring it is accessible to everyone regardless of economic status.

Ashley Perez (she/her), undergraduate student, Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, University at Buffalo

Ashley is a rising senior at the University at Buffalo, studying environmental engineering. The Eco-San Latrine project aligns with her passion for empowering groups of people to live sustainably with their natural environments. She plans on continuing her education in engineering sustainability to design a modern world that is more inclusive of the environment and equitable for all.

Nia Gillam (she/her), remediation engineer and recent graduate, University at Buffalo

Nia Gilliam is a remediation engineer in New Jersey and a recent graduate from the University at Buffalo with two bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Engineering and Biology. She has been an active team member of the Engineering Intramural, Designing Sustainable Latrines for Raranya, Tanzania, since September 2020 and was awarded the 2020 Community Service Award from her engineering department. During the panel presentation, Nia will take part in discussing the process of designing the sustainable latrine, the current status of the project, the potential impacts this latrine can have on the community in Tanzania, and the next steps that are needed to ultimately see this project through.

Michael Brewster (he/him), Founder and CEO, Sprung-brett RDI

Michael Brewster is the founder and CEO of Sprung-brett RDI Inc., founded out of the University of Waterloo, Waterloo Canada in 1998. Sprung-brett RDI is a Research Development and Integration firm that specializes in systems design with a focus on electric actuation and propulsion and advanced modeling of complex mechatronic and biomorphically inspired hybrid systems. Sprung-brett RDI’s US company is newly relocated at MassRobotics in Boston, Massachusetts. Sprung-brett has worked with the Canadian Space Agency, and the US RDI firm has collaborated with the US DoD – SBIR programs with AFRL and NAVAIR research initiatives.

Human Dignity as the Strategy for Reduced Inequalities

At Tecnológico de Monterrey, we have invested in a model of Human Dignity as the umbrella for our diversity, inclusion, and equity strategies. We have created different strategies for a more inclusive and safer community, in which we hope our actions have an impact on sustainability, reduction of inequalities, and addressing the intersection of gender equality and violence. In this session, through different voices from our university community and our partnerships, we will explore ideas, best practices, and challenges that we have encountered in our search for inclusion, dialogue, representation, and eliminating gender-based violence.

Presenters

Maryangel García-Ramos (she/her), Diversity and Inclusion Office leader, Tecnológico de Monterrey

Maryangel is a Mexican woman that has worked for Disability Rights, Diversity & Inclusion, and Social Development innovation for the last 12 years. Living as someone with a physical disability, she is truly passionate about changing the “single story” disability conversation that happens in Mexico and the world. She is the leader of Diversity & Inclusion Office at Tecnológico de Monterrey, creating and leading the D&I strategy for community representation of People with disabilities, LBGT+, women, cultural diversity, generational diversity, and socio-economic diversity, with all its intersectionality. She is a member of the Social Development Board and People with Disabilities Citizen Board. She is also the founder of the Mexicanas con Discapacidad, an organization and movement with the goal of creating a national network of women living with a disability in Mexico, for the community to see and listen the voices of so many women through their stories and political advocacy, in order to strengthen our collective power and seek our representation in the different forums of decision making and influence.

Felisa González Gómez (she/her), Director for the Center of Human Dignity, Tecnológico de Monterrey

Felisa is the Director for the Center for Human Dignity at Tecnológico de Monterrey. She has a 30+ years outstanding career as an academic and manager in local, regional, and national positions within different instances of Tecnológico de Monterrey. She has vast experience in the identification, empowerment, and development of human talent, favoring mediation and conciliation, process analysis, and improvement.

Adriana Rojas (she/her), Alliances and Transparency Leader, Tecnológico de Monterrey

Adriana’s focus areas are corporate affairs, international strategy, negotiations, fundraising, and international protocol. At TEC she was the Director at Boston Office (Harvard University) and at Yale University; Director of international protocol and honors programs; and Director of Asia Pacific. She is now the Leader of Strategic Liaisons at the Center for the Recognition of Human Dignity. Adriana has collaborated with different Associations and Consortiums (APRU, RIMAC, APAIE, APEC, etc). Adriana teaches Asian studies, Mexican and Latin American culture, International perspective and negotiations, and Intercultural studies. She has been speaker in the USA, Japan, Malaysia, China, Thailand and UK.

Developing Sustainable Solutions for Female Entrepreneurs in a Rural Mexican Community through Academic and Social Partnerships

An engaged group of students and teachers applied principles of human-centered design to create technical solutions for women in a rural region of North-central Mexico. Students from the US created prototypes for cropping systems, and students from a Mexican university designed and constructed improved solar dryers for food preservation to support the women’s entrepreneurial efforts. This project, evolved from an established Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) teaching partnership and the involvement of a community partner (Fundacion Diversa Coahuila), enabled learning in a real-world context. We will explain how a Partners of the Americas 100,000 Strong in the Americas grant was used to fund travel and give students an opportunity to put their academic knowledge to practical use. We will also share the methodology and tools used throughout this project as they pertain to human-centered design.

Presenters

Laura Penman (she/her), Associate Professor of Biology, Monroe Community College

Laura Penman teaches courses in human biology, sustainability, and greenhouse management for Monroe Community College in Rochester, New York. She often incorporates global themes into her courses and has used interdisciplinary and cross-cultural collaborations to identify and analyze solutions to sustainability problems. She has taught several Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) classes with Dr. Maria Luisa Lopez Segura at Tecnológico Nacional de México-Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna. Laura has also enjoyed online teaching collaborations with institutions in Jordan, Iraq, and Nigeria around sustainability themes.

Dr. Maria Luisa López Segura (she/her), Professor of Chemistry, Tecnológico Nacional de México-Campus Laguna

Dr. López teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Sustainability, Environmental, and Industrial Engineering. Her current research concerns the design, automation, and modeling of a solar dryer for a rural community, fostering civic engagement, civic professionalism, and service learning. She has COILed several semesters with Professor Laura Penman (MCC-SUNY), and together they were awarded a 100,000 Strong the Americas Innovation Fund Grant in 2018.

Moderated by: Sally Crimmins Villela (she/her), Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs, State University of New York

Sally Crimmins Villela, Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs and Senior International Officer for SUNY, is a language and culture specialist focused on Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. She is responsible for system-level strategic vision; international academic programs; enrollment initiatives; education abroad; international student and scholar services and curricular internationalization, overseeing the premier university-based virtual exchange entity – the SUNY COIL Center. She is an elected member of the Executive Committee of APLU’s Commission on International Initiatives, serves on ACE’s Commission on International Engagement and Global Engagement, and is an Executive Board member of the Mexican Fulbright Commission – COMEXUS.

Collaborating Across Institutions to Advance Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

In 2020, the UGC launched a global CoP (community of practice) of faculty, students, and staff to explore ways to advance Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) through international partnerships, including creating online courses on the SDGs that students from around the world could take together as a form of virtual study abroad. The CoP currently comprises six institutions: Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA, United States), McGill University (Canada), Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (Mexico), University of Cape Town (South Africa), University of Geneva (Switzerland), and University of Edinburgh (Scotland). In this session, Georgia Tech and Tec de Monterrey will share key activities and takeaways from the CoP’s first year as well as some specific programs they have developed to advance multi-institutional collaboration for ESD at their own institutions. Presenters will include faculty, staff, and a student. At different points in the session, presenters will engage participants in conversations about opportunities and challenges that support their ability to advance ESD, particularly through curricular integration. Presentations and discussion will revolve around the question: How does multi-institutional collaboration add value to student learning for sustainable development? Ideas will be shared via Jamboard to encourage broad participation. The Jamboard, together with a variety of tools and platforms for advancing ESD, will be shared out after the session.

Presenters

Luis Fernández-Carril (he/him), Sustainability and Climate Change Officer, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education

Dr. Luis R. Fernández-Carril is a researcher in ethics and climate change policy. He has been a professor at Tecnológico de Monterrey since August 2014 teaching courses on Environmental Ethics and Philosophy of Science. He currently serves as Coordinator of Sustainability and Climate Change within the Vice-Presidency of Inclusion, Social Impact and Sustainability at Tecnológico de Monterrey. He was recently appointed as a member and Lead Author of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for the 6th Assessment Report. He served as legislative advisor and later as Chief of Staff of the Special Commission on Climate Change of the Senate of the Republic, LXIII Legislature from 2015-2018. His main lines of research are environmental governance and international climate negotiations, adaptation and resilience to climate change and environmental ethics. He has published articles and lectured nationally and internationally at renowned venues such as Oxford University, UNESCO Paris, Yale University and Glasgow Caledonian University in Scotland.

Amy Henry (she/her), Executive Director of International Education, Georgia Institute of Technology

Amy Bass Henry is the Executive Director of International Education at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The Office of International Education collaborates across campus to expand the Institute’s global learning and innovation network and to develop cross-culturally competent, globally-minded leaders. Amy earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia and a Master of Science in International Affairs at Georgia Tech. She served as co-lead for the Global Community of Practice on Youth Action Toward the U.N. SDGs. She currently serves as a member of the planning committee for the annual International Engineering Colloquium and as an Executive Committee member for the Global Leadership League.

Rebecca Watts Hull (she/her), Service Learning and Partnerships Specialist, Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain, Georgia Institute of Technology

Rebecca Watts Hull is a Service Learning and Partnerships Specialist for the Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain and an Adjunct Academic Professional in the School of History and Sociology at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Serve-Learn-Sustain (SLS) is the Institute’s campus-wide academic initiative preparing students to use their disciplinary expertise to create sustainable communities in collaboration with community, nonprofit, business, and academic partners. Dr. Watts Hull’s research and teaching has included environmental history and governance, sustainability, campus-based organizing and advocacy, and social movements. Rebecca also has extensive professional experience in environment and sustainability education and outreach, curriculum design, and environmental advocacy.

Thiago Esslinger (he/him), Georgia Tech undergraduate student, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, RCE Greater Atlanta Leadership Circle

Thiago Esslinger is a fourth-year undergraduate student at Georgia Tech studying biochemistry and earth & atmospheric sciences and conducting undergraduate research in paleoclimatology. Thiago has served in numerous leadership and founding roles with sustainability organizations and initiatives on campus where he has worked to advance environmental awareness, expand student opportunities and education in sustainability, enhance sustainability-related communication and collaboration, and increase environmental impact considerations for university investments and events. He has also actively contributed to the Georgia Tech strategic planning process for 2020-2030 and is a Leadership Circle Member of the UN RCE Greater Atlanta Network. Outside of his sustainability work, Thiago is an accomplished violist/violinist, having performed at Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House, and is constantly curious to learn more and help where he can.

Plenary: Connecting People to Real World Sustainability Projects

This plenary session will introduce two free global websites that increase human activity and organizational capacity for the Sustainable Development Goals. ProjectsThatMatter.org (https://projectsthatmatter.org/) is a free website that makes it easy for faculty, staff, researchers, and practitioners to find the help they need from pro-bono volunteers, graduate students, and top-level undergraduate students who have the skills and are eager to assist with project planning, project implementation and management, and evaluation (locally or virtually). This site quickly matches people with skill sets, interests, and availability to meet project and research needs, nationally or internationally, saving many hours that it would normally take to recruit students or volunteers at multiple, cumbersome websites. The partner site, For Good, connects highly motivated young people, students and graduates, through age 35, with forward thinking organisations seeking to progress sustainable development. For Good (https://forgood.nus.org.uk/) collaborations take place through research, project, or placements to support the organisations in their efforts to address real-world challenges connected with social, environmental, and economic sustainability. These sites are provided by the US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development and the UK’s National Union of Students.

Presenters

Dr. Debra Rowe (she/her), President, US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

A Professor for 40 years, Dr. Rowe is President of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development. Debra works with higher education networks for sustainability. She co-authored for UNEP a Global Guidance document about Education on Green Jobs and Greening the Workforce. Dr. Rowe heads the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium, the Disciplinary Associations’ Network for Sustainability and is Senior Advisor to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. She leads the Sustainability Education and Economic Development Resources. She holds an MBA, an MA in Psychology, and a PhD in Business from the University of Michigan and a BA from Yale.

Wendy Olmstead (she/her), Senior Fellow, US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

As California State University Stanislaus’ first Sustainability Coordinator, Wendy Olmstead led the university through its first AASHE STARS report to a Silver rating in May 2020 and is currently working with the university’s Council for Sustainable Futures to draft a 5-year sustainability strategic plan. Wendy is a Fellow for the Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium and a Senior Fellow with the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development. From Northern Ontario, Wendy earned her bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Studies and master’s degrees in Ecology & Sustainability and Public Administration from Stanislaus State. She is also a part-time lecturer in the university’s Department of Political Science and Public Administration.

Day 2: 28 September 9:00 a.m.-1 p.m. ET

Keynote Speaker: Brighton Kaoma

Global Director

United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UNSDSN)

When his home township kept experiencing acute food insecurity, shortage of clean and safe drinking water, energy deficit and flood-induced displacements, Brighton Mukupa Kaoma, decided to turn to radio to speak about climate and environmental crises in his home township of Kitwe, Zambia at the age of 14. His message has been consistent: the state of the planet is broken, consequently, the fallout of the assault on our planet is impeding our efforts to eliminate poverty, instability, displacement, conflict, and imperilling food security in Africa. But we have a moral responsibility to safeguard future generations. What we need is less talk but urgent action!

With an audience of about 2 million weekly listeners, his small campaign created a global ripple effect, inspiring thousands of young people across the globe to take climate action. In the last 10 years, Brighton has been heavily involved in a number of youth social justice and entrepreneurship organisations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the USA as a pro-bono adviser, project manager, and executive director.

At the age of 21, he was awarded the Queen’s Young Leaders award by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace for his exemplary leadership as a social entrepreneur and climate innovator. He was invited to Washington DC for an exclusive meeting with President Barack Obama where they discussed issues of climate justice in Africa and the United States. In 2016 he became the first African to win the Global WWF International President’s Award. In 2019 he was named among The Outstanding Young Persons of the World by the Emperor of Japan and Junior Chamber International(JCI) Osaka Chapter, Japan. Brighton is a Mandela Washington Fellow, Global Youth Ambassador of the Children’s Radio Foundation of South Africa, One Young World Ambassador, and an ex UNICEF Climate Ambassador. His work has also been recognised by Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel, UN Secretary General António Guterres, and Prince Harry among others.

For 4 years, Brighton worked as the Country Manager of the Children’s Radio Foundation of South Africa, before joining World Wide Fund for Nature International(WWF). He has consulted with municipalities and social entrepreneurs in Malmo, Sweden( Climate Policy), Hong Kong (Social Entrepreneurship), and Hawaii( Public Private Partnerships). He co-founded Impact Hub Lusaka and Karton Logistics in Zambia. He’s the current global director of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network( UN SDSN) Youth Initiative and holds the Masters of Public Administration(MPA) with Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University in the USA.

Day 2 Opening Plenary: the Millennium Fellowship

Millennium Campus Network (MCN) is a platform for undergraduates making a difference. MCN and the United Nations Academic Impact present the Millennium Fellowship, drawing over 25,000 applicants annually and supporting Millennium Fellows on campuses in twenty nations (learn more at www.millenniumfellows.org). In this discussion, we will share what students worldwide are doing to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The discussion features several current and past Millennium Fellows sharing their social impact work and how they have leveraged their time as undergraduates and Millennium Fellows to make a difference in their own communities.

Presenters

Sam Vaghar (he/him), Executive Director, Millenium Campus Network

Noha Al-Khalqi (she/her), Programs Director, Millenium Campus Network

Abigail Canales Ibarra (she/her), Partnerships Manager, MCN & Millennium Fellowship Alumni

James Odhiambo (he/him), Executive Assistant, MCN & University of Nairobi

Thiago Esslinger (he/him), Georgia Tech undergraduate student, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, RCE Greater Atlanta Leadership Circle

Regina Vargas, Millennium Fellowship Fellow

Moderated by: Ramu Damodaran, founder and former lead, United Nations Academic Impact

Ramu Damodaran joined the United Nations Department of Global Communications in 1996; his responsibilities in the Department have included oversight of relationships with civil society, the creative community and celebrity advocates, publications (including as Chief Editor of the UN Chronicle), the Dag Hammarskjold Library and the United Nations Academic Impact which he was asked to devise and lead. He has also been secretary of the United Nations General Assembly’s Committee on Information since 2011. He completed his career with the United Nations in May 2021. His earlier Secretariat assignments included the Departments of Special Political Questions and Peacekeeping as well as speechwriting in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. He was spokesman for the “Durban Review” human rights conference in 2009 and has fulfilled a range of speaking engagements on behalf of the Organization over his career. As a member of the Indian Foreign Service, where he was promoted to the rank of ambassador, he served as executive assistant to the Prime Minister of India between 1991 and 1994 and earlier in the Ministries of External Affairs, Home Affairs, Defence, Planning and Human Resource Development. Before joining government service in India, he worked as a television news anchor, radio producer and host, and university correspondent for All India Radio and the Hindustan Times Evening News. His radio feature on university students in Delhi won the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union award. Ramu also served as President of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council.

Day 2 Block A Sessions

Proyecto 5+5: COIL with an SDG focus

Developed in response to the inability of many students to study abroad, Proyecto 5+5 is the result of five Latin American institutions working together towards two main goals: the expansion of their COIL activities and awareness of SDGs. By following a program logic model, and the internationalization cycle proposed by Knight and De Wit (2007) at a minor scale, these institutions worked strategically to create the Proyecto 5+5+ in which five institutions, from five countries and with five professors each, collaborated together to create a COIL project to advance five of the UN SDGs. We will share the phases of the Proyecto 5+5 from the awareness phase until the reinforcement phase, serving as an example of how to develop COIL methodology and SDGs.

Presenters

Brenda García Portillo (she/her), Director of Internationalization at Home, Universidad de Monterrey

Brenda García Portillo is Director of Internationalization Projects at the University of Monterrey. Brenda has 20 years of experience in the area of international education. Currently, her main responsibilities are the coordination of both the Intercultural Competence Training Program at the UDEM and the internationalization at home activities such as COIL. She is a co-founding member of the LatAm COIL consortium and is part of the steering committee of the IVEC conference. She is also the creator and coordinator of the ODUCOIL platform for ODUCAL and content developer and consultant for the PIC AMPEI US -MX program. In her tenure as COIL coordinator, she has managed to position UDEM among the Mexican HEI’s with the highest participation in COIL projects nationwide. She has been an active member of the Mexican Association for International Education (AMPEI) since 2001 and served as Coordinator of the Northeast Chapter. She was member of the board of directors of SIETAR-Mexico (2017-2018). She has a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and a Master’s Degree in Education, both from the University of Monterrey. She has a Diploma in Internationalization of Higher Education from Colegio de las Americas, as well as several certificates in the subject of Intercultural Competences and International Education from North American and European institutions. Currently she is studying for a Diploma in Intercultural Studies from the University of British Columbia in Canada.

María Carolina Serrano (she/her), International Relations Director, Universidad de la Sabana

María Carolina holds a BA in Communication and Journalism, an Executive MBA, graduate studies in Strategic Management and Innovation, and is a DAAD “Management of Internationalisation” alumni. For eleven years she has worked in the field of International Education, six of them as the Head of the International Affairs Office at Universidad La Sabana, in Colombia. She has led the international strategy of the University with a strong focus on mainstreaming internationalisation, faculty development, and strengthening institutional capacities for global engagement. She has been a speaker in international conferences like NAFSA, EAIE, AIEA and LACHEC and has led workshops on internationalisation strategy and internationalisation of the curriculum in Colombia. She is also part of the board of the Colombia Challenge Your Knowledge Network of accredited universities (CCYK) and a professor at EDIME-INALDE Business School in the field of People Management in Organizations.

Carlos Ramírez Sánchez (he/him), Director of International Office, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez

Moderated by: Luis E. Gillen (he/him), Professor, EARTH University

Luis Gillen is an EARTH University Professor for the course Integrated Waste Management since 2019. He holds a Master´s degree in Environmental Engineering Sciences from the University of Florida and a Profesional Master´s degree in Project Management from Universidad Interamericana de Costa Rica.

Examining Students’ Engagement in Blended Learning: A Case Study of African Development University

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic brought blended learning into the limelight as an indisputable means of teaching and learning. In Niger, African Development University is the only university implementing blended learning. This study seeks to examine factors that affect students’ participation in a blended learning environment, using African Development University (A.D.U) as a case study. The study will focus on how learner’s characteristics and experience influence the cognitive and emotional engagement of learners in a blended learning environment. Quantitative data collected from students in a cross-sectional survey will be analyzed using regression analysis or structural equation modeling to explore the phenomenon. This study will help educational institutions that have adopted blended learning to improve students’ participation and guide institutions that intend to adopt blended learning on how they can improve students’ participation. Education Administrators will find the study useful in developing policies that will enhance students’ participation in blended learning.

Presenters

Pearl Gyan-Amponsah (she/her), Faculty Associate, African Development University

Avapine Benedicta Apebo (she/her), Faculty Associate, African Development University

Reinforcing the SDGs through Open Innovation

The University Global Coalition Working Group on Open Innovation for the SDGs gathers institutional and student leaders putting into practice open innovation to drive positive change. How do we build open, interdisciplinary, non-judgmental spaces where youth can thrive in creating innovation for the SDGs? What is the experience of students in not only taking part in but co-creating these environments? How do their SDG projects and initiatives connect to the impact needs of international organizations and business communities, and how does the latter support moving meaningful ideas forward? We will discuss these questions and more with several partners in open innovation.

Presenters

Jonas Haertle (he/him), Chief, Executive Director Office, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

As the Chief of the Executive Director Office, Jonas Haertle develops and oversees strategic projects for UNITAR and supports the Executive Director with the Institute’s strategy, mission and activities. From 2010 to July 2018, Mr. Haertle was the Head of the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), an initiative founded by the United Nations Global Compact and leading business school associations. He led the global secretariat and build PRME into the world’s largest initiative on responsible management education. From 2007-2010, he was the global lead of the UN Global Compact’s Local Networks in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Mr. Haertle has written and contributed to a number of publications and academic articles on corporate sustainability and education and serves on the advisory boards of a number of education organisations. He holds a master’s degree in European Studies of Hamburg University in Germany. As a Fulbright scholar, he also attained a MSc degree in Global Affairs from Rutgers University in the USA.

Afroditi Anastasaki (she/her), Partnerships Consultant, Office of Executive Director, UN Institute of Training and Research(UNITAR

SDG Reporting: A Voluntary University Review Workshop

To think comprehensively and strategically about how to engage the SDGs, a handful of universities have undertaken Voluntary University Reviews (VURs), modeled on Voluntary Reviews conducted by cities and countries around the world. In this session four universities will present their VUR processes, sharing their reasoning for pursuing VURs, methodologies, experiences, and lessons learned. Session attendees will have an opportunity to share their own experiences and processes around SDG-related reporting, and to pose questions about VURs to the panelists. The session will be an important step for creating dialogue, reflection, and community among universities that are engaging their campuses and documenting their efforts to advance the SDGs.

Presenters

Alexandra Hiniker (she/her), Executive Fellow for Sustainability Initiatives, Carnegie Mellon University

Jason Ens (he/him), Executive Director, Academic Policy, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives, Concordia University

Jason Ens is Executive Director, Academic Policy, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives at Concordia University. Jason is responsible for conducting strategic visioning and planning exercises at the university and helping to develop and lead strategic initiatives stemming from these exercises. In recent years, Jason has been heavily involved in the introduction of cluster hiring, the creation of the SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation, the formation of the Future Skills Innovation Network, the development of the Next-Generation Cities Institute, and the institutional commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Jason holds a PhD in English from the University of Washington.

Jolynn Shoemaker (she/her), Director, Global Engagements, UC Davis

Alberto Garrido (he/him), Vice Provost of Sustainability and Quality, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Alberto Garido is Professor of Agricultural Policy and Natural Resource Economics and Vice-Rector of Quality and Efficiency at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). He has a Bachelor Degree (with MSc recognition) in Agricultural Engineering (1989), a Master’s of Science in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis (1992) and a Doctoral Degree in Agricultural Economics from the UPM (1996). He was a visiting Professor at the University of California, Berkeley (2005-2006). As Vice-Rector for Quality and Efficiency of UPM, he is in charge of national and international accreditations, institutional accreditations, internal auditing and control service, institutional intelligence and data unit, and the University sustainability and SDGs policy.

Moderated by: Gbemi Disu (she/her), Executive Director, Carnegie Mellon University Africa

Gbemi is the Executive Director of Carnegie Mellon University Africa. In her role, she provides administrative, strategic, and operational leadership to drive the institution’s vision of educating the next generation of African technology leaders and supporting the acceleration of inclusive digital transformation of Africa. A global citizen, Disu has 15 years of experience in higher education, financial services, and energy sectors in several countries across 4 continents, and is also one of the founding members of the University Global Coalition which aims to increase the awareness and role of higher education institutions on the SDGs.

Powering Purpose-led University-Urban Partnerships for the Goals

How can universities exploit their convening power, knowledge ecosystem, and student networks to work in cities with public, private, and plural institutions? Tackling the SDGs demands radical collaboration to deliver locally-rooted, globally connected solutions. With cities the habitat of the future, this panel session will examine the role of universities in purpose-led urban sustainability transformations.

Presenters

Wendy Maria Purcell (she/her), Academic Research Scholar, Harvard University

Juan Azcárate (he/him), Deputy General Director of Energy and Climate Change, Madrid City Council

Juan Azcárate is the Deputy Director of Energy and Climate Change at the Madrid City Council. With a B.S. in chemical sciences (Complutense University of Madrid), he has developed his professional career within the Environment and Mobility Area of the city of Madrid, playing different positions related to the management and urban environmental control. Highlights include the development of the Madrid Roadmap towards Climate Neutrality, which includes measures focused on urban mobility (electromobility or low carbon urban freight), energy efficiency in buildings and public space, and nature based solutions for adaptation to climate effects and the management of monitoring tools such as the inventory of greenhouse gases emissions and urban climate impacts. He is also responsible for the commitment and participation of the city of Madrid in international networks such as Climate-KIC Deep Demonstration, Cities Climate Leadership Group C40, and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

Thomas Osdoba (he/him), Senior City Advisor, EIT Climate-KIC

Thomas Osdoba joined EIT Climate-KIC in 2018 as a Senior Advisor. He created and launched Healthy, Clean Cities, Europe’s leading effort to help cities respond to the climate emergency and build inclusive and prosperous communities. The initiative has helped to inform the European Commission’s ‘Mission for 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030’. He brings an exemplary history of leadership and innovation, spanning public, private, nonprofit, and academic sectors. He has served as a policy expert, leading practitioner of sustainable development projects and programs, thought leader and innovator in urban sustainability and economic development, and creative entrepreneur and innovator at the leading edge of social enterprise and sustainable finance. He helped create and then led the University of Oregon’s Center for Sustainable Business & Innovation. He helped transformed the demographic profile of students attracted to the program, built partnerships with businesses, achieved unprecedented graduate placement success, and collaborated with faculty to design and deliver cutting-edge learning and research. The Princeton Review rated it the top green MBA program in the country from 2016-18. Oregon’s ‘Sustainable City Year’ has been a nationally-recognized program for the University and select cities to build an intensive collaboration across all departments.

Carlos Mataix (he/him), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Moderated by: Leah Nichols, PhD (she/her), Executive Director, Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), George Mason University

Leah Nichols is the Executive Director of George Mason University’s Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), where she leads the ISE team in creating connections – locally, globally, and across disciplines – to put Mason’s research and scholarship into action. Previously, Nichols worked in integrative roles at the National Science Foundation (NSF), and she has published articles on the production of actionable knowledge and contributed to the US Fourth National Climate Assessment. Nichols earned a PhD from the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California, Berkeley, and a BS in environmental engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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Block B Sessions

Farming around the World: Globally Empowering Student Farms

Students farms have immense potential for catalyzing a supportive and welcoming network among them. As a strong agricultural institution concerned with sustainability, UC Davis offered fertile ground for such work, especially through the student-run and already well-established UC Davis Student Farm. We will present an overview of our envisioned project “Farming Around the World” and the first concrete action we took with it: the “First Global Student Farm Symposium.” We hope to inspire youth towards sustainable farming and to expand their perspective toward a global vision, while demonstrating that with current technology, starting a conversation is only a few clicks away. Ultimately, by promoting a look inwards and outwards, through techniques of design-thinking, we hope to provoke action, which can be as small and unpretentious as learning together how to grow basil in your backyard or as big as bridging connections between university student farms.

Presenters

Anca Barcu, PhD Student, University of California, Davis

Andressa Vidigal Rosenberg (they/their), PhD Student, University of California, Davis

Nadia Moukanni (she/her), PhD Student, University of California, Davis

Nadia Moukanni is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Soils and Biogeochemistry Graduate Group at UC Davis. She joined the California Soil Resource Lab in the winter of 2017. She has a bachelor’s degree in Soil and Water Management from Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine in Morocco. After graduating, she worked for almost two years as a quality manager at Frigodar, a Spanish food processing company. As a student and a quality manager, she had the opportunity to engage with local farming communities across the country. Later she joined the Global Education for All Fellowship at UC Davis where she had the opportunity to work with students, faculty, and staff across boundaries and differences of culture and to witness the capacity and resilience of the human connection.

Akshaya Karthikeyan (she/her), B.S. Cell Biology, University of California, Davis

Akshaya Karthikeyan recently graduated with a major in Cell Biology and a minor in Computational Biology. She currently works as a Research Associate at Bio-Rad Laboratories in the Process Chromatography department. As an undergraduate, Akshaya was involved in multiple organizations on campus including Project Rishi, Morning Sign Out, and Global Education For All and performed research in an analytical chemistry lab. Through her academic and extracurricular experiences, she has had many opportunities to expand her interest in raising global awareness and exploring sustainable solutions for global issues and hopes to continue these efforts. In her free time, Akshaya likes to paint, photograph, and grow houseplants.

Moderated by: Joanna Regulska (she/hers), Vice Provost and Dean, Global Affairs, Professor, Gender, Sexuality an Women’s Studies, UC Davis

Glocal (globally local) Exchange: A Learning Community in Response to Pandemic Food Insecurity

Collaborative online international learning (COIL) is an inherently authentic learning pedagogy where faculty curate a project, often transdisciplinary, for students from two or more countries to work collaboratively. The transdisciplinary nature of COIL is an ideal teaching strategy to infuse the UN sustainable development goals into students’ learning. Local realities result in differences in approach, but the shared goals provide a uniting framework. Faculty serve as the nodes of interconnection, recruiting, and facilitating, in order for the students to have a voice without being steered by “assigned” objectives or outcomes. Through this virtual exchange, the audience will work with instructors, current and alumni students, and local farmers intimately aware of food insecurities. Together we can focus on fresh ideas and solutions to hometown problems, emphasizing commonality to learn from each other with local solutions regarding food security and healthy living.

Presenters

Hope H. Windle (she/her), Community Development Lead, SUNY COIL Center

Dr. Robert Hellström (he/him), Professor of Geography, Bridgewater State University

Penny Orton (she/her), COIL Specialist, Durban University of Technology

Dudu Sokhela (she/her), Senior Lecturer, Durban University of Technology

Dr. Dudu Sokhela – D Nursing (2016) is a Senior Lecturer in the Post Basic Degree programme for Registered Nurses who are training to be Nurse Specialists in Primary Health Care. She is currently lecturing in Nursing Research and is a Postgraduate Coordinator. She has conducted research in the area of Primary Health care, Health Systems Management, and has special interest in Community Health Nursing. She has coordinated many Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects, partnering with students from different programmes.

Moderated by: Luis E. Gillen (he/him), Professor, EARTH University

Strengthening the Local Value Chain of Research to Boost Development and Overcome Global Underrepresentation

This session will highlight a new research initiative, the Feed the Future Advancing Local Leadership, Innovation and Networks (ALL-IN) research program, a scalable and sustainable example of how the traditional US-led model of research collaborations can be redesigned to support the emerging research capacity of local partners, with supportive collaboration from US universities. ALL-IN researchers at African institutions are the leaders within these collaborations, leveraging their local knowledge, skills and ideas to build actionable evidence for promoting resilience and empowering rural families and communities to share in inclusive agricultural growth. Through lively conversation, this session will delve deep into how a restructuring of the value chain of research will lead to transformative impacts through locally-produced evidence and policy and draw the research community closer to achieving the SDGs.

Presenters

Jane Mariara (she/her), Executive Director, Partnership for Economic Policy

David Ameyaw (he/him), President/CEO, International Centre for Evaluation and Development

Charles Amoatey (he/him), Program Director, Development Impact West Africa (DIWA), Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration

Tara Chiu (she/her), Associate Director, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resilience at the University of California, Davis

Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development: Embedding Research-based Education for Sustainable Development in Research Active Universities

Winner of the 2020 International Green Gown Award for Student Engagement and 2020 AASHE Campus Sustainability Research Award, the Vertically Integrated Projects for Sustainable Development (VIP4SD) programme at the University of Strathclyde represents an innovative approach to embedding credit-bearing, Research-Based ESD in undergraduate curricula. VIP4SD is embedded in the curriculum and enables students to work in partnership with experienced researchers and academics across different disciplines (including engineering, business, science, and humanities and social sciences) and years of study on student-centred, SDG-focused research projects. The session will explore the challenges the programme coordinators have encountered in taking the program from pilot to a scalable, mainstream educational offering across the whole institution. The session will also reflect on the pivotal role the programme has played in paving the way for a broader ESD agenda to emerge at Strathclyde (ESD@Strath) and how it influenced the strategic plan of the University to commit to embedding ESD across curricula.

Presenters

Dr. Scott Strachan (he/him), Senior Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde

Dr. Louise Logan (she/her), Learning Enhancement Officer, University of Strathclyde

Moderated by: Jonas Haertle, Chief, Executive Director Office, UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)

Coordinating Holistic Social Impact Education

Koç University Social Impact Forum (KUSIF) was established in 2012 as a Research and Practice Center, creating social impact by enriching future leaders, academia, and staff with experiential learning, advanced knowledge, and valuable networks on social impact, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability. KUSIF brings a holistic approach to social impact education in the campus in three dimensions: 1- Academic activities (courses and speciality track), 2- Social Impact Lab (incubation program and student fellowship), 3- Community Impact (trainings, networks, and resources open to the public.) KUSIF uses the SDGs as a catalyzer, encouraging young change makers to connect knowledge and practice. This holistic approach is scalable for global stakeholders looking to create organizations addressing the 2030 agenda.

Presenters

Muhammed Yunus Aktaş (he/him), Project Specialist, Koç University Social Impact Forum

Dr. Gonca Ongan (she/her), Managing Director, Koç University Social Impact Forum

Agata Fortuna (she/her), Project and Training Senior Specialist, Koç University Social Impact Forum

Moderated by: Amanda Wendt (she/her), Professor, EARTH University

Interdisciplinary Learning and Research: UN SDGs Across an Equitable and Inclusive Curriculum

Integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) into an inclusive and equitable undergraduate curriculum can provide all students with the knowledge and skills necessary to identify, understand, and contribute solutions to big global problems. A significant challenge is that the perspectives and methods of single disciplines are inadequate to address big global problems. How can students and faculty collaborate with others from different disciplines and with diverse perspectives to identify, understand, and address the complex challenges facing the world in the 21st century? High Impact Practices (HIPs) can effectively engage students through shared learning and inquiry. However, are HIPs such as undergraduate research accessible to all students, in particular working class and minority groups? We will outline our approach to making inclusive curricular change at the institutional levels at Bridgewater State University (BSU), with the UN Sustainable Development Goals providing a unifying framework for faculty and students. This work was supported by an institutional Academic Innovations Grant, and a grant from the CUR/NSF Transformations Project.

Presenters

Jacquelynne Boivin (she/her), Assistant Professor of Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Bridgewater State University

Dr. Jacquelynne Boivin is a former elementary school teacher whose research specialization is in multicultural education and anti-racist pedagogy. She teaches the math methods course to elementary teacher candidates and integrates her knowledge of project-based, place-based education with her multidisciplinary approach to fostering conceptual understanding of mathematics. She also teaches a course titled, “Deconstructing Racism: Yourself, Your World, Your Schools,” which looks at the personal and systemic systems that perpetuate racial segregation of US schools. Her greatest passion is authentically connecting academics with social justice.

Edward Brush (he/him), Professor of Chemistry, Bridgewater State University

Ed Brush is professor of chemistry at Bridgewater State University, where he teaches organic chemistry and introduction to green chemistry. He received his Ph.D. from Penn State University, and B.Sc. from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre PA. He is co-PI on a curriculum project to integrate interdisciplinary learning and research across the curriculum via connections to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He serves on the advisory board for the Green Chemistry Commitment, is a member of the ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement, and was a guest editor for the Journal of Chemical Education special issue on “Systems Thinking, and Green and Sustainable Chemistry.”

John Kucich (he/him), Professor of English, Bridgewater State University

John J. Kucich is a professor of English at Bridgewater State University, where he teaches courses in English, English education, and sustainability and recently served as coordinator of the Sustainability Program. He is the former editor of The Concord Saunterer, the journal of the Thoreau Society, and the author of Ghostly Communion: Cross-Cultural Spiritualism in 19th Century American Literature (2004) and several recent essays on the intersections between Native and European American cultures. His edited collection of essays, Rediscovering the Maine Woods: Thoreau’s Legacy in an Unsettled Land, was published in 2019.

Inkyoung Kim (she/her), Associate Professor of Political Science, Bridgewater State University

Inkyoung Kim is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Bridgewater State University, where she teaches courses in globalization, international law, and environmental politics and served as co-coordinator of the Sustainability Program. Her research interests include regional environmental cooperation, transboundary pollution, regionalism, government, and politics in East Asia, and sustainable consumption patterns. She is a contributor to journals such as International Relations of the Asia-Pacific and International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics and edited volumes such as Routledge Handbook of Japanese Foreign Policy and Routledge Handbook of International Trade Agreements.

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Block C Sessions

Creating a Global Learning Community Through Digital Storytelling

Teaching and learning the art of digital storytelling creates a global learning community that supports the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Co-teaching a fully online course on digital storytelling at SUNY Empire State College brings together students from the United States, Canada, Czech Republic, and Albania, in a model that others can learn from and adapt for their institutions. As part of this learning experience, students develop individual digital narratives about such themes as mobility and empowerment. They also produce a culminating collaborative digital story about a specific cause that they research and advocate for as a team. Team story topics have included racism and social justice, COVID-19 and pandemic art, and Violence Against Asians.

Presenters

Sheila Marie Aird, Ph.D. (she/her), Associate Professor, European Academic Programs, Director Center for International Education, SUNY Empire State College

Thomas P. Mackey, Ph.D. (he/him), Professor of Arts & Media, SUNY Empire State College

Moderated by: Joanna Regulska (she/hers), Vice Provost and Dean, Global Affairs, Professor, Gender, Sexuality an Women’s Studies, UC Davis

Joanna Regulska is Vice Provost and Dean – Global Affairs, and professor of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, University of California, Davis. With over thirty years of international experience, she has led and initiated diverse educational, research and partnerships projects. In 2020 she was named as one of 23 founding members of the National Academy for International Education and in 2019 was recognized by the Institute for international Education as “SIO of the Year “. She holds Ph.D from University of Colorado, Boulder.

Healing a Generation: Higher Education Curricula for Venezuelan Journalism Students Living Under Structural Violence to Promote a Transition into Democracy

Teaching, under situations of extreme social instability and violence, demands creating educational strategies that encourage learners to reposition themselves and become agents of change. According to Joanne Benham Rennick, students must be helped to move beyond the savior/victim state of mind to a context where they can engage with others through small acts of solidarity, openness, listening, and acceptance. “As they make connections and gain confidence, they are frequently emboldened to act” (Rennick, 2015). Action-oriented reframing engages the learner into a metacognitive reflection that leads to individual and societal transformation. Amid the challenges that Venezuela faces today, it is of pivotal importance that our educational systems train citizens that positively impact their communities, schools, and public and private organizations. Using the power of ethnographic narrative grounded in the students’ voices, the goal of this work is to demonstrate how the implementation of an integral transformative pedagogical strategy, whose content framework is based on finding solutions for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), can transform the quality of life of media and journalism students, empowering them to act for the common good and facilitate a democratic transition.

Presenters

José Luis Jiménez (he/him), Professor/Collaborative Online International Learning Coordinator, Andrés Bello Catholic University

Moderated by: Sally Crimmins Villela (she/her), Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Affairs, State University of New York

Planeación e inclusión social: claves para la territorialización de los ODS en Colombia

La propuesta consiste en presentar mediante un taller la labor que viene realizando Colombia para implementar la agenda 2030 y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) en los territorios subnacionales, priorizando el enfoque de inclusión social, importante en un contexto en el que la pandemia ha recrudecido las desigualdades. Desde 2019, Colombia cuenta con una estrategia de difusión e inclusión de ODS en la formulación de los Planes de Desarrollo Territoriales (PDT); por lo que en nuestro taller presentaremos las tres etapas de dicha estrategia. El taller cuenta con un momento interactivo en el que se les pedirá a los participantes que rastreen, en dos PDT, el ODS 10 y el 16. Identificaremos palabras, ideas, programas y acciones que muestren el trabajo proyectado para su cumplimiento en el territorio.

Presenters

Jolie Guzmán Cantillo (she/her), Professor and researcher in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, the Universidad del Norte, Colombia

Egler Olano Mendoza (she/her), Researcher at the Institute for Political and Institutional Development-IDEPI, the Universidad del Norte, Colombia

Ángel Tuiran Sarmiento (he/him), Professor and researcher in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Universidad del Norte. Colombia and Academic Director of the Institute for Political and Institutional Development-IDEPI

Partnerships in Research, Academics, and Operations to Advance the SDGs: A Case Study of George Mason University

The Mason Sustainability Council (MSC) is an institution-wide initiative (SDG#17) integrating Mason’s research and academic strengths in sustainability with campus operations to create an ecosystem that mitigates Mason’s impact on the global climate (SDG #13), creates learning laboratories on our campuses (SDG #4), and further establishes Mason as an institutional leader in higher-education sustainability (SDG #16). The MSC is comprised of Mason’s academic and operational leaders, faculty, staff, and undergraduate and graduate student representatives who meet monthly. The Council is currently launching multiple task forces to address specific institutional sustainability challenges. This session will include a context-setting introduction from the co-coordinators of the MSC, followed by a moderated discussion exploring lessons learned and key challenges with audience members who may be implementing similar strategies at their institutions.

Presenters

Leah Nichols, PhD (she/her), Executive Director, Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), George Mason University

Greg Farley (he/him), Director of University Sustainability, George Mason University

Biruk Haregu (he/him), Graduate Research Assistant, Institute for a Sustainable Earth (ISE), George Mason University

Biruk Haregu is a Graduate Research Assistant with the Institute for a Sustainable Earth and a Ph.D. student in the Schar School of Policy and Government studying international development policy and the political economy of development in Africa. His research interests include structural transformation in Africa, agricultural and manufacturing policy in Ethiopia, food security, and the impact of climate change in developing countries. Before joining Mason, he spent five years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, working on economic and environmental policy with the United Nations. Haregu holds an MPP from the University of Maryland and a B.A. from James Madison University.

Scaling Sustainable Impact through University-Based Social Innovation Accelerators

In this session, we will reflect on Duke University’s experience designing and leading interdisciplinary learning “accelerators” to identify, assess, and support social enterprises with promising innovations in a variety of fields. Through partnerships with institutions such as UNICEF, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the World Economic Forum, Duke has helped participating social enterprises, predominantly operating in low- and middle-income countries, achieve greater sustainability, effectiveness, and scale of impact. At the same time, these programs have increased the engagement of students and faculty in meaningful opportunities for experimentation, innovation, learning, civic engagement, and knowledge development in fields of sustainable development.

Presenters

Krishna Udayakumar (he/him), Director, Duke Global Health Innovation Center, Duke University

Matthew T.A. Nash (he/him), Adjunct Professor of the Practice & Managing Director, Social Innovation, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative

Taylor Conger (she/her), Program Manager, Duke-UNICEF Innovation Accelerator, Duke Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative

Closing Plenary: Mapping International Higher-Ed Climate Change Networks: Present Activities and Future Prospects

During the past two decades, the number and breadth of international university networks focused upon climate change has grown dramatically. Today, there are more than 30 that claim this focus with more growing. It is thus timely to take stock of these networks – to gather their details in one place, inventory them across critical dimensions (e.g., purpose, membership, impact), and determine how, collectively, they have impact (as well as potential gaps, overlaps, and redundancies). This session shares preliminary results from ongoing work undertaken by UGC members across three countries, including a framework for examining international, inter-university networks; key results from this climate mapping; and lessons and learnings going forward.