Center for Sustainable Systems

50 years later: Sustainability still at the heart of EPA's challenges

It was like deja vu all over again as Alan D. Hecht, Ph.D., Office of Research and Development with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency visited the University of Michigan in early January to deliver a cautionary tale about the importance of sustainability to the global environment. Hecht was back in town recently (as he was 15 years ago to commemorate the EPA's 35th anniversary) to refresh the message as the EPA turns 50 years old.

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SNRE Events

Thursday, October 24th

Chicago Alumni Reception
- Start time: 05:30pm
- End time: 07:30pm
- Thursday, October 24
  5:30-7:30
  Location to be determined (check back soon!)
- View this event in Google Calendar

Friday, November 8th

SS Forum - Chris Kennedy & John Crittenden
- Start time: 02:00pm
- End time: 05:00pm
- SS FORUM: Sustainable and Resilient Urban Infrastructure for the Next 100 Years
  
  Abstract:
  Two renowned scholars on urban systems share their perspectives on how we may foster more resilient and sustainable urban infrastructures for the 21st Century. Professor Christopher Kennedy (Civil Engineering, University of Toronto) presents cities as an urban metabolism, composed of material and energy stocks and flows, and discusses how infrastructure is a fundamental determinant of the metabolism. Professor John Crittenden (Director, Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Georgia Tech University) introduces the audience to infrastructure ecology, which conceptualizes and models traditional infrastructures (e.g., water, energy, transportation) and socio-economic-ecological infrastructures (e.g., community design, land use planning) as an intertwined, complex, emergent urban nexus.
  
  Each presenter will speak for approximately twenty minutes, followed by questions from University of Michigan assistant professors, Joshua Newell (SNRE) and Ming Xu (SNRE), and from the audience. The event will produce a lively, interactive discussion and reflection on what we must do to forge sustainable, resilient cities in an era of climate change, unprecedented urbanization, and ecological crises. A reception follows this special event.
  
  Bios:
  Chris Kennedy, Professor of Civil Engineering at University of Toronto
  
  His research focus includes: Economic and environmental aspects of sustainable urban infrastructure including transportation, buildings and water systems; Design of sustainable streets and neighbourhoods; Urban metabolism.
  
  John Crittenden, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech and Director, Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems
  
  His research focus includes: Infrastructure Ecology, Pollution Prevention; Physical Chemical Treatment Processes; Transport of Organics in Saturated and Unsaturated Groundwater; Mass Transfer; Modeling of Wastewater and Water Treatment Processes.
- View this event in Google Calendar

Monday, November 11th

Talk by Monica Ellis, CEO of Global Water Challenge
- Start time: 05:00pm
- End time: 06:30pm
- View this event in Google Calendar

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50 years later: Sustainability still at the heart of EPA's challenges

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