Purdue University Northwest > College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences > Programming > Sustainable Development Symposium

Sustainable Development Symposium

Join scholars, practitioners and community leaders on March 4 and 5, 2026 to explore the intersections of environmental communication, social policy and justice at the Sustainable Development Symposium.

As the realities of global climate change, land remediation and public health become increasingly urgent in Northwest Indiana, this symposium aims to explore the intersections of environmental communication, social policy and justice in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This event supports the development of an interdisciplinary certificate program in Environmental Communication and Social Policy, aimed at training students and professionals to deliberate on complex environmental issues and manage crises in local institutional settings.

Register to Attend

Registration is free and space is limited! Registration will close on February 16.

Dates: March 4 and 5, 2026

Location: Student Union Library Building Rooms 358 (Founders Study) and 360 (Alumni Hall), PNW Hammond Campus, 2233 173rd St. Hammond, IN, 46323

See the Campus Map

Hosted by Purdue University Northwest’s Departments of Communication and Creative Arts, Behavioral Sciences, and Biological Sciences

  • Foster dialogue on how communication shapes environmental and social policy.
  • Explore strategies for ecological remediation, public health advocacy and sustainable development.
  • Highlight community-based approaches to environmental justice.
  • Support the development of interdisciplinary curricula and community partnerships.

Keynote Speakers

Niclas Svenningsen

March 4

Niclas Svenningsen

United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC)

“Climate and Sustainable Development: Global and Local Perspectives”

Carla Richards

March 5

Carla Richards

Assistant Professor at Rowan University

 

“Environmental and Health Justice”

Symposium Schedule of Events

Community Sustainability

  • 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. – Breakfast/Registration
  • 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. – Opening Remarks
  • 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. – Keynote Speaker: Niclas Svenningsen, United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) “Climate and Sustainable Development: Global and Local perspectives”
  • 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. –  From Individual Rights to Wholeness: A Framework Towards Sustainable Futures. Eric Kyere, PhD, Carmen Luca Sugawara, PhD, and Otrude Moyo, PhD, Indiana University School of Social Work
  • 11:50 p.m. to 12:35 p.m. – Climate Planning in Northwest Indiana and the Greater Chicago Region. Kathy Luther, Director of Environmental Programs, Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission
  • 12:45 p.m. 1:45 p.m. – Lunch and Poster Presentations
  • 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Neighborocracy – Empowering Local Governance for Sustainable Academic Development. Kathy Sipple
  • 3:05 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. – Labor and Legacy: Environmental Recovery in the Calumet Region. Joe Coates, Assistant Director Library, Purdue University Northwest
  • 3:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m. – “Title TBA,” PNW Water Institute, Dr. Veera Gnaneswar Gude
  • 3:55 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. The Future of Steelmaking in Northwest Indiana. Dr. Halline, Jack Weinberg, Lori Latham, Gary Advocates for Responsible Development (GARD)
  • 4:45 p.m. – Closing Remarks

Student Engagement and Sustainability

  • 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. – Breakfast/Registration
  • 9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. – Opening Remarks
  • 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. – Keynote Speaker: Carla Richards, PhD, Rowan University, “Environmental and Health Justice”
  • 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. – Learning That Lasts: Empowering Students to Think, Feel, and Act for Sustainability. Natalie Krivas, PhD, Valparaiso University
  • 11:50 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. – Repair, Rhetoric, and Responsibility: Teaching Technical Communication through Sustainable Electronics Repair. Brandy Dieterle, PhD, and Dalvy Lebron, Purdue University Northwest
  • 12:20 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. – PNW Interdisciplinary Student Ambassadors in Sustainable Development Presentation. Leo Winders & Cassie Vickers
  • 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. – Lunch and Poster Presentations
  • 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – Lake Michigan’s Southern Edge: Pathways to Sustainability and Learning. Mark Bouman, Karen Roothaan, Victoria Wittig
  • 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Intelligence with Purpose: Building a More Equitable Future through AI. Ghaayathri Devi Kannan, Amanda Gabre
  • 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Reimagining Education: AI-Driven Grading for Sustainable Academic Development. Ghaayathri Devi Kannan & Ravi Shankar Bedadhala, Purdue University Northwest
  • 4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. – Imagination and Innovation: The Role of the Arts in building Resilient and Sustainable Communities. Giselle Mira-Diaz & Katherine Arfken, Indiana University Northwest
  • 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. – The Importance of Community Engagement. Michael Bakker & Students, Munster High School Environmental Club
  • 5:45 p.m. – Closing Remarks

It should be noted that the views expressed at this symposium will not necessarily reflect the views of Purdue University Northwest, Purdue University or the Purdue University Board of Trustees.

To request a disability-related accommodation, please contact the Office for Civil Rights at civilrights@pnw.edu or (219) 989-2163 five days prior to the event.

In accordance with Purdue policies, all persons have equal access to Purdue University’s educational programs, services, and activities, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, genetic information, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, or status as a veteran. See Purdue’s Nondiscrimination Policy Statement. If you have any questions or concerns regarding these policies, please contact the Office for Civil Rights at civilrights@pnw.edu or (219) 989-2337.

 

Questions?

For more information, contact the Symposium Planning Committee at ISD@purdue.edu.