Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Date
May 28, 2026
Commencement 2026: Photos, videos, and highlights
Commencement Weekend offered a chance to celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2026 and the relationships and sense of purpose that connect the IBES community across generations.
Highlights included Friday night's annual ENVS Cocktail Party at the Urban Environmental Lab, the standing-room-only Commencement Forum Ocean Health, Our Health: Science, History, and Policy, and, of course, the ENVS Departmental Ceremony, where dozens of graduating concentrators crossed the stage surrounded by classmates, mentors, family members, and friends.
ENVS Departmental Diploma Ceremony
“Take this feeling of accomplishment, joy, and being celebrated by a room full of people who've had your back for the last four years and who will continue to do so as you leave today,” Director of Undergraduate Studies Mindi Schneider told graduates at the closing of this year's ENVS Departmental Ceremony. “We're rooting for you, we believe in you, and we will miss you dearly. On behalf of everyone, congratulations.”
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Fanny Vavrovsky embraced their guests after crossing the stage.
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IBES Director of Undergraduate Studies Mindi Schneider presided over the ceremony.
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IBES and Sociology Professor Timmons Roberts delivered the program's faculty speech.
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Graduates like Margo Donohue, pictured, posed joyfully upon receiving their diplomas.
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Dozens of family members and friends filled Kasper Multipurpose Room during the ceremony.
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Former Brown Chancellor and Corporation member Samuel Mencoff ’78 handed out diploma covers to all graduating seniors, including Leo Worthington, pictured.
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Caitlyn Carpenter received the IBES Distinguished Senior Thesis Prize in Social Sciences and Humanities.
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Samantha Levin, pictured with her advisor IBES Director Kim Cobb, won the IBES Distinguished Senior Thesis Prize in STEM.
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Graduating seniors cheered each other on throughout the ceremony.
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Family members came from around the world to support their graduates.
Two student senior orators reflected on the experiences and community that shaped their time at Brown.
To the more established adults in this room: we're bringing what we’ve learned here, and we're asking you to meet us there. Celebrate questions, welcome them, and hear us out. The real world is the next lab, the stakes are higher, and we're asking you to let us learn in the same way.
A.B. Environmental Sciences and Studies & A.B. Economics
Let us continue to hold each other as we have these past few years even as we span geographic distance. Let our joy fortify us and our collective creativity, resilience, and care inspire us. Let us stand firm in a shared commitment to living our lives in struggle.
Sc.B. Environmental Sciences and Studies (Climate and Energy Track) & A.B. History, and recipient of IBES' Harold Ward Memorial Prize for Community-Engaged Scholarship
IBES Commencement Forum
The IBES Commencement Forum, Ocean Health, Our Health: Science, History, and Policy, brought students, alumni, families, and community members together—both online and in person—at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs for a conversation on the future of ocean science, climate resilience, plastics, and environmental policy. Featuring Brown faculty and alumni experts, the forum explored both the challenges facing the world’s oceans and the solutions needed to help turn the tide toward a more sustainable future.
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Moderated by IBES Director Kim Cobb, the discussion featured insights from Miriam Goldstein ’03 (Executive Director, National Ocean Protection Coalition), Rebecca Altman PhD’08 (writer, environmental sociologist, and IBES Research Affiliate), and Baylor (Fox-Kemper: Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences and IBES Faculty Affiliate).
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The forum took place at the Watson School for International and Public Affairs.
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Audience members posed questions to the panelists.
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Among the packed audience was IBES Advisory Council Member Cynthia Roberts '81, a former Environmental Studies concentrator.
Annual ENVS Cocktail Party
The weekend celebrated not only the accomplishments of the graduating class, but also their place within a growing network of IBES alumni. Friday evening’s Cocktail Party offered alumni and graduating seniors an opportunity to reconnect, build new relationships, and meet others who share a commitment to climate, sustainability, and the environment.
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The cocktail party drew attendees from across generations.
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Alumni reunited with former classmates and professors.
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Watch along
Missed Commencement Weekend?
Recordings of the ENVS Departmental Ceremony and the IBES Commencement Forum Ocean Health, Our Health are now available.