Penn State Sustainability

SI launches 2022-23 speaker and film series editions

Series builds community and empowers students around solving sustainability challenges

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Sustainability Institute at Penn State is launching the 2022-23 editions of its "Sustainability Showcase" speaker series and "Intersections" film series, which this year are integrating their programming around the theme of “Building Better Bonds.” The student-led series seeks to present the Penn State community with sustainability leaders and inspiring stories of building a community around solutions to sustainability challenges. 

“With these two series, we strive to create a space where students and community members alike can share stories, thoughts, and emotions about pressing world issues,” said Sophia Marsh, a junior plant sciences major and community outreach intern at the Sustainability Institute, who oversaw the programming for the film series. “After a film or showcase, it is my hope attendees walk away from the conversation with questions (and maybe a few answers!) about how sustainability fits into their lives and how we can build better bonds among ourselves and those around us.” 

“We want to provide a platform for students, professors and community members to form their own connections and unite in honor of positive change for our planet,” said Molly Gulden, a junior earth science and policy major and community outreach intern at the Sustainability Institute, who oversaw the programming for the speaker series. “I hope our series ignites a spark within attendees that leads them to learn more or take practical action in their own way.” 

Film programming kicks off with Alexander Monelli’s "Agnes 50: Life After the Flood" on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 7 p.m. (EDT) screening both online and in-person at the HUB-Robeson Center Freeman Auditorium. The film uses the 50th anniversary of Hurricane Agnes, the costliest natural disaster in Pennsylvania's history, to share stories of Pennsylvania communities while reflecting on future flood preparedness and climate change. Following the screening, the Penn State Water Council will host a panel featuring Penn State faculty and regional government leaders discussing how we can make our communities more resilient to flooding.  

The "Showcase Speaker" program’s first talk will follow on Friday, Sept. 9, at noon (EDT) online and connects to the film’s theme with a talk by Guggenheim Award-winning artist Sarah Cameron Sunde, whose live performance and video works engage the public directly in questions around deep time and our human place in the environment. Sunde will talk about her endurance work '36.5,' in which she stands for 12.5 hours in a tidal estuary through changes in the tides to render visible ideas about sea level rise. Her next performance on Sept. 14 will be live-streamed globally, including by the Penn State School of Theatre.  

In addition to featuring stories about how we can build communal bonds through addressing sustainability challenges, both series seek to empower participants with next steps to become engaged with sustainability communities both on-campus and around the state. 

“We want people who attend to feel inspired by the stories we present,” explained Peter Boger, Sustainability Institute assistant director for community engagement. “But more than that, we want to offer next steps for after the lights come up — a way to channel your passion into action and to build bonds of community where your experience and leadership in sustainability can grow. At each event, we will offer suggested follow-up resources such as coming events, websites, podcasts, readings, and groups attendees can join.” 

“Community is the secret ingredient to achieving sustainable development,” agreed Douglas Goodstein, Sustainability Institute associate director for student engagement. “The more connected we become, the more our concerns and anxieties are converted into empowerment. This year's series is curated to spotlight how individuals, with the aid of their community, stand face-to-face with a wicked problem and, instead of being paralyzed, choose to do something.” 

The series will feature approximately two films per month on Wednesday evenings and a speaker each Friday at noon. All events are free and open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. All events, even when there is a live screening or talk on the University Park campus, will be live-streamed online to allow participation from all Penn State campuses. Pre-registration for events is required and can be completed at the Sustainability Showcase website and the Intersections website, where complete calendars of fall semester events are available. 

The "Intersections" film program is co-presented by WPSU and, in addition to “Building Better Bonds” films, includes programming strands focused on labor rights (co-presented by Penn State’s Center for Global Workers Rights) and water (co-presented by Penn State’s Water Council). 

For more information about either series, or if you are interested in co-sponsoring future films or speakers, please contact Sophia Marsh (sam7405@psu.edu) and Molly Gulden (mrg5841@psu.edu).  

Last Updated September 1, 2022