Climate conversations came to life at IBES this semester as thought leaders, students, and changemakers gathered to exchange ideas, share stories, and shape real-world solutions.
Throughout the spring, IBES hosted a wide range of events that brought together scholars, students, practitioners, and community leaders to confront urgent environmental issues and imagine actionable solutions. From global justice to green innovation, these gatherings sparked dialogue, insight, and connection.
Revisit some of the key moments that defined the semester.
Entrepreneurial Innovations for a More Sustainable Future
Online and in-person attendees gathered expertise from a range of innovators—from early-stage founders to seasoned investors—on how entrepreneurship can help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Topics included venture capital’s role in climate action, equity in the startup ecosystem, and the challenges of scaling climate solutions responsibly.
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From left to right: Mark Tracy (professor of the practice of sustainable finance and investing), Kim Anderson (owner of Plant City), Frohman Anderson (serial investor and board member of Quaise), Kipp Bradford ’95 ScM’96 (engineer and startup leader in energy efficiency), and Nick Napp (founder of Xmark Labs).
Held on Earth Day, the Global Environmental Justice Symposium convened international scholars and advocates to explore the intersections of environmental degradation, inequality, and human rights. Sessions with individual panelists addressed land dispossession, migration, community organizing, and the legal tools available for pursuing justice across borders. The event fostered in-depth conversations and cross-regional learning, emphasizing the importance of building coalitions and centering community expertise in climate policy.
Senior Lecturer Mindi Schneider (left) convened international scholars and advocates as part of her Global Environmental Justice Working Group, funded by an IBES Catalyst Research Award.
From left to right: Joan Martinez-Alier (senior researcher in the Environmental Science and Technology Institute of the Autonomous University of Barcelona), Hendro Sangkoyo (co-founder of the School of Democratic Economics in Indonesia), and Stha Yeni (PhD candidate and advocate at the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies in South Africa).
Lucía Ixchiu, a Mayan K’iche journalist, artist, and feminist and co-founder of Festivales Solidarios, joined virtually.
Desirée Plata, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, kicked off the Brown Seminar Series on Environment and Society with a lecture on designing technologies and systems that restore rather than deplete ecological systems. Drawing from her research in green chemistry and environmental engineering, Plata outlined a roadmap for building a “restorative economy.” Dr. Plata’s visit also included a morning session—Insights and Advice for a Life in STEM—which provided students and young professionals the opportunity to gain direct mentorship and career guidance.
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From left to right: Dr. Desirée Plata and graduate student co-organizers Chandler Morris (Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences), Juben Rabbani (Anthropology), Montana Stone (Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology), and Sonia Vohra (Engineering).
This spring’s Lunchtime Seminar Series brought interdisciplinary voices to IBES, with talks spanning a range of topics and demonstrating the Institute's ongoing commitment to intellectual exchange and community learning:
Can we envision a new breed of zoo?
Archaeologists, historians, conservationists, and zoologists from around the world gathered for a workshop in March to explore the past, present, and future of zoos. Participants discussed how colonial and scientific legacies have shaped modern wildlife facilities and considered new frameworks for more ethical animal care and conservation. Organized by Voss postdoc Jada Ko, postdoc Ezequiel Vanderhoven, and graduate student Montana Stone, the workshop emphasized the need for thoughtful reform in the more than 10,000 wildlife facilities worldwide. Wildlife photographer Ron Magill also delivered a keynote address, which can be viewed here.
The event was co-sponsored by Brown's Program in Early Cultures, the Brown Department of History, the Center at Brown for Environmental Humanities, the Zoo Miami Foundation, the Harvard University Department of Anthropology, and the Roger Williams Park Zoo.
IBES continues to serve as a hub for leadership in climate, sustainability, and the environment—at Brown and beyond. Stay engaged through timely conversations, such as the upcoming Commencement Forum, “The Climate Landscape in 2025: Legal and Policy Responses,” cosponsored by IBES and the Watson Institute.
On May 24, be part of the conversation as experts discuss the evolving legal and policy landscape shaping climate action in 2025 and beyond. Available both in person and via livestream.