Scientific research drives innovation and improves lives. Our voices as researchers are indispensable in ensuring that the value of science is recognized and leveraged in policy-making. As environmental engineers, we especially understand how scientific research shapes public health guidelines, informs environmental policies, and protects communities and natural resources.  In this educational, non-partisan presentation, I will provide a framework to advocate for science within university and federal guidelines. My presentation will cover the role of science in U.S. policymaking, highlight the Congressional Representatives for Illinois, and offer guidance on effectively communicating the importance of science to elected officials.

Bio:
Tessa Clarizio is a fifth year PhD student in Professor Hannah Horowitz’s Group. She received her B.S. in Environmental Engineering at the University of Notre Dame and her Master’s in Water, Waste and Environmental Engineering from University College Dublin. Before starting her PhD program, she worked for two years in environmental consulting in Ireland. Last year, she participated in the Policy & Legislative Research Fellowship, researching renewable energy opportunities and giving outreach presentations in Illinois’ 104th district. Her academic research interests are atmospheric chemistry modeling, air quality and climate. Specifically, her research involves applying atmospheric chemistry modeling and satellite remote sensing to understand biogeochemical and biophysical effects of aerosol composition.

We would like to invite you to the next talk in our series "Women Environmental Defenders and Climate Change in the Amazon". 

The Brazilian social leaders will share their experiences in protecting the Amazon, the challenges they face, and the context in which they live. 

Panelists include:

• Laiane Santos: Activist, feminist, and human rights defender of Acre.
• Bruna Picanço Neves: Member of the Rural Education Movement and the Quilombola Movement from Amapá.

https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/863?eventId=33514396

BIG congratulations to Professor Jeremy Guest for being named the Levenick Professor and Director of the Levenick Center for a Climate-Smart Circular Bioeconomy. This is a new interdisciplinary center in the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE).  

Excerpts from iSEE Article

A first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary center focused on creating a climate-smart circular bioeconomy is poised for significant growth, with the appointment of a director, two endowed professorships, and a major campus commitment to hire four new faculty in departments across the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Jeremy Guest, Associate Director for Research at the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) and award-winning Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, has been selected as Director and iSEE Levenick Professor at the new Levenick Center for a Climate-Smart Circular Bioeconomy at Illinois. iSEE recently received a $10 million gift from Stuart L. and Nancy J. Levenick to establish the Center in collaboration with the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES).

In his research, Guest explores resource recovery, biomanufacturing, and systems analyses to advance the circular bioeconomy and achieve equitable, healthy, and prosperous communities while enhancing the ecosystems that support them.

“It’s an honor to serve as the inaugural Director of the Levenick Center, which represents a bold and transformative investment in the future of our university and region,” Guest said. “The Levenick Center will act as a catalyst for interdisciplinary collaborations and cross-sector partnerships to accelerate society’s transition to a more sustainable, circular bioeconomy.”