Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

Tune in to this week's episode of Possibly, IBES' podcast with The Public's Radio!

Could we just fire our trash into the sun? - TPR: The Public's Radio We asked our listeners to send in their wildest ideas for addressing climate change. And one listener, thinking about all of the trash Americans throw into landfills, asked if we could send it somewhere else: the sun.

⭐ Career Spotlight: Christine Gaspar '96 ⭐

In celebration of IBES' 10th Anniversary, alumni shared how their education in environmental studies and sciences has fueled their curiosity, innovation, and diverse career paths, empowering them to make an impact beyond the classroom.

While serving as Executive Director of the The Center for Urban Pedagogy, Gaspar drew upon her background in environmental studies, architecture, and urban planning to bring together designers and community organizations working to demystify complex social justice issues.

As an environmental studies concentrator, "I learned how to be a leader within a group, and I also learned what it looks like to lead in a collaborative way," Gaspar recalled. "[The Urban Environmental Lab] was a thoughtful and challenging place, but also one filled with great joy, humor, and love."

https://ibes.brown.edu/news/2024-08-14/alumni-watch

Research spotlight: Voss Postdoc Jada Ko 🐢✨ Ko’s research bridges ancient and modern worlds, shedding light on turtles' fascinating histories and current conservation needs.

— In Sweden, Ko collaborated with the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities and Stockholm University to study animal remains excavated in Gansu, China, in the 1920s, discovering fauna that no longer exist in the region.

— In China, Ko studied turtle oracle bones from the Shang Dynasty period, uncovering insights about turtle selection and health over 3000 years ago.

— At a Han Dynasty tomb site in Shaanxi, China, Ko identified a subspecies of Asian Forest Tortoise, revealing its once-wide distribution and humans' historical impact on its populations.

— In Hong Kong, Ko participated in frontline conservation efforts for Beale's-eyed and big-headed turtles, collecting health data to protect these endangered species.

— Ko has established a bond with Stuie, a young female Galapagos tortoise living at a turtle sanctuary. Stuie is finching: extending her neck and standing still such that Ko can pet her.

Calling all alumni: On January 26, join the Brown Club of Greater San Francisco to discuss 'Elemental' by IBES faculty member Stephen Porder!

Porder — Brown's Associate Provost for Sustainability and Acacia Professor of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology and Environment and Society — will share his book and connect the periodic table with kitchen table issues surrounding climate change.

Part of the 1 Bear | 1 Book Alumni Book Club Series. Learn more and register to attend online: https://events.brown.edu/ibes/event/302770-1-bear-1-book-alumni-book-club-elemental-by

Couldn't make it to IBES' "Values at Risk" webinar earlier this month? Watch the recording to hear from experts about climate risk management, driving resilience, and recognizing nature as a vital economic asset. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiZ5pToWQd4

Celebrating its 10th year, IBES marked 2024 with groundbreaking achievements in its efforts to advance a just, sustainable future. Read the Institute's annual report to learn about the people, research, and initiatives that shaped this milestone year.

2024: A landmark year of impact for IBES Celebrating its 10th year, IBES marked 2024 with groundbreaking achievements in its efforts to advance a just, sustainable future.

Congratulations to the five projects awarded Fall 2024 seed grants from Brown Sustainability & Resiliency! Among them is IBES Postdoctoral Researcher Gavin Piccione, who will spearhead "Lead Exposure in Providence: Comprehensive Survey and Initiation of a Community Engagement Project for Safer Drinking Water."

The Office of Sustainability & Resiliency and The Climate Solutions Initiative are excited to announce that five campus projects have been awarded seed grant funding from our Fall 2024 call for proposals. Funding will be used to support education and research covering a diverse range of sustainability topics. Read more at the link in the comments below.

Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

What do the numbers on the bottom of your plastic products mean? - TPR: The Public's Radio If you've ever looked at the bottom of a plastic item, you may have seen a number surrounded by three arrows around it. Today we take a look into the meaning behind the numbers, and how they actually relate to recycling.

The IBES community is mourning the loss and celebrating the life of Professor Emeritus Harold Ward, the architect of environmental studies at Brown, who passed away earlier this month 🤍

During his decades-long tenure, Ward led the Center for Environmental Studies and worked with students to build the Urban Environmental Lab — still a beloved symbol of ingenuity, environmental consciousness and alternative living on campus.

Celebrating the life and legacy of Professor Emeritus Harold Ward Ward, the architect of environmental studies at Brown, passed away on December 4, 2024.

Congratulations to IBES alumna Maggie Bachenberg '22 and Trisha Ballakur '22! The duo's biking navigation app, Pointz, has earned them a spot on Forbes's 30 Under 30 list for Transportation & Mobility 👏 🚲

Pointz Pointz on the 2025 30 Under 30 - Transportation & Mobility - Pointz aims to be the Waze of bike navigation, helping riders find the safest routes. The

⭐ Career Spotlight: Jason K. Babbie ’98 A.M. ⭐

In celebration of IBES' 10th Anniversary, alumni shared how their education in environmental studies and sciences has fueled their curiosity, innovation, and diverse career paths, empowering them to make an impact beyond the classroom.

Since receiving his Master's in Environmental Policy, Babbie has spearheaded climate efforts at Confluence Philanthropy, led program design at the NRDC, created a key environmental initiative at Bloomberg Philanthropies, and has run multiple advocacy campaigns.

"Brown taught me the importance of asking a question properly," said Babbie, who currently serves on The Ocean Foundation's Advisory Board. "I have used [this skill] as an advocate, strategist, grant-maker, and program manager to advance local, state, federal, and international environmental solutions."

Learn more about Babbie: https://ibes.brown.edu/news/2024-08-14/alumni-watch

"Why is it so cold in libraries? How did wild turkeys return from local extinction? The world is full of complex environmental questions. But 'Possibly,' a student-reported podcast at Brown, is working to provide simple answers," The Brown Daily Herald reports.

Learn all about IBES' podcast with The Public's Radio:

‘Possibly’ podcast takes a bite-sized approach to tackling environmental questions The student-reported podcast produces short episodes on sustainability and climate issues.

Coming up tomorrow (December 10) at noon! Join four experts in finance, insurance, risk management, and environmental sectors to explore the impact that climate change could have on global markets.

Learn more and register: https://events.brown.edu/ibes/event/300797-values-at-risk-nature-climate-and-the-syste

Join IBES on December 10 at noon for "Values at Risk: Nature, Climate, and the Systemic Risk to our Economic Future"!

Experts in finance, insurance, risk management, and environmental sectors will explore innovative approaches for assessing, pricing, and managing the growing risks that climate change poses on financial systems.

Featured speakers:
- Tony Goldner, executive director of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
- Carter Ingram, managing director of Pollination and science advisor for the Science for Nature and People Partnership - SNAPP
- Claire Kramer, director of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- Raviv Turner, founding member of the Nature Tech Collective and founding CEO of NatureX RMS
- Moderated by Mark Tracy, IBES’ new professor of the practice in sustainable finance & investing, and Ricardo Bayon, IBES advisory council member and partner at Encourage Capital

Attend virtually or join the in-person watch party at 85 Waterman St! Learn more and register: https://events.brown.edu/ibes/event/300797-values-at-risk-nature-climate-and-the-syste

Calling all alumni and friends: Help foster new professional opportunities for students in climate and sustainability!

On February 7, 2025, IBES is cohosting Brown's first-ever Climate Careers Fair to connect students with employers and alumni working in climate-related professions.

IBES is seeking representatives who work in climate-related fields to attend the fair, to share their professional paths and offer students career guidance.

Please fill out the linked interest form linked to take part in this event as an employer or alumni rep, or to express general interest in mentoring students: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzYEjLorLJd-is1JgEMGTUdH-JRM1S7569nRvWFRAwV2nSBg/viewform

Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Brown Career Center

Meet the winners of this year's IBES Catalyst Research Awards! Based in Bogota, Colombia, for the academic year, IBES Fellow Elizabeth Rush is researching and developing "These Andes": a polyvocal, autofictional book focused on the art of bicultural family-making in a broken world.

Learn more about the 2024 Catalyst awardees: https://ibes.brown.edu/news/2024-07-17/catalyst-awardees-2024

*For IBES' 10th anniversary, we celebrate the contributions that our community members have made and the change they continue to inspire through research and education*

Tune in to this week's episode of the Possibly podcast!

Can a game help you take effective climate action? - TPR: The Public's Radio We played a climate game that is supposed to help you find the highest-impact changes you can make in your life to take effective climate action. Could games like this actually help address the climate crisis?

The new Equitable Climate Futures (ECF) initiative kicked off on Friday, November 22, with a town hall that united faculty from across Brown University's campus. The initiative's core partners include IBES, Brown University School of Public Health, the Climate Solutions Lab at The Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, The Swearer Center at Brown University, and The Brown University School of Engineering.

Learn more in The Brown Daily Herald! https://browndailyherald.com/article/2024/12/equitable-climate-futures-initiative-kicks-off-with-faculty-town-hall

⭐ Career Spotlight: Brianna Craft ’13 A.M. ⭐

In celebration of IBES' 10th Anniversary, alumni shared how their education in environmental studies and sciences has fueled their curiosity, innovation, and diverse career paths, empowering them to make an impact beyond the classroom.

Craft, who received her Master’s of Environmental Studies from Brown, is the author of “Everything That Rises: A Climate Change Memoir” and “We Don't Have Time For This,” a young adult romance centered around two high school environmental activists.

"At IBES, I learned the value of defining my own role in the ever-changing environmental sector and to draw from the support of some truly amazing networks," she said.

Learn more about Craft: https://ibes.brown.edu/news/2024-08-14/alumni-watch