How higher education can advance sustainability is focus of K-State conference

The 2010 edition of Kansas State University's award-winning Sustainability Conference will focus on ways higher education can share ideas on sustainability and build new sustainability networks across the state.

The conference will be Jan. 29-30, 2010, at K-State. Presentations Friday, Jan. 29, will be at the K-State Alumni Center, and events Saturday, Jan. 30, will be at the K-State Student Union.

The conference's goal is to provide information that higher education colleagues -- students, faculty and staff -- can use in their own work, according to Ben Champion, director of sustainability at K-State. He said a conference priority will be discussion on how the higher education community in Kansas can cooperate more effectively toward serving statewide sustainability needs.

"Sustainability has become a very important word at universities, but we need effective partnerships to bring meaning to that word," Champion said. "In the overlap between environmental stewardship, smart planning and saving money on resource costs, universities have a responsibility to serve their own needs and those of society. They can bring action on their own campuses that radiate outward through our partnerships and research."

The conference will feature a variety of panel sessions, poster presentations and more by experts on topics dealing with sustainability, including climate science, sustainable communities and facilities, education in sustainability, environmental issues, policy and law, and much more.

The keynote speaker for the conference will be Debra Rowe, president of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development. Rowe will present "Kansas as a National Model for Statewide Sustainability Networks" at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in Banquet Rooms C and D at the Alumni Center.

The U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development includes individuals, organizations and institutions in the nation dedicated to education for sustainable development. It acts as a convener, catalyst and communicator working across all sectors of American society.

Champion said the conference is geared toward university students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, extension agents, leaders in education, commerce, government and nonprofit entities, as well as the general public.

Source: Kansas State University