Spring Break
Drexel addresses climate
Naomi Parikh
Issue date: 2/13/09 Section: News
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"Our objective is to get students to go beyond their own boundaries and think about global issues, and use their knowledge, diverse cultural frames of reference, and alternate perspectives to think critically and solve problems," Anuja Mehra, program manager for the Office of International Programs, said.
The theme, Energy and Environment, was among similar topics suggested by panelists from last year's conference, according to Mehra.
"The energy and environmental challenges this world faces are severe and have gone unaddressed for far too long," Mehra said. "As future leaders and global citizens, students will be confronted by these enormous global challenges."
The conference will include both undergraduate and graduate students as panelists. Mehra said she sees the conference as an ideal forum for sharing ideas, discussing trends, learning from one another, networking and collaboration.
The keynote speaker, Jerald L. Schnoor, is a member of the National Academy for Engineering and co-director of the Center for Global and International Research, and is a professor at the University of Iowa, where he works with students in Engineers for a Sustainable World.
Kristin Cuprzinski, sophomore physical therapy major and administrative assistant for Drexel Green, said the conference would show that people could be green in any aspect.
"A lot of people think that going green is mainly engineering, like building green buildings and such," Cuprzinski said. "But the point of this conference is to expand the horizons of what people can do, no matter what their major."
Daniel King, assistant professor of chemistry at Drexel, said the conference offered students a "low stakes opportunity" in that no specific course or major was required to attend the conference.
"I think that it's a more appropriate venue for a discussion of this topic," King said. "There seems to be a 'best practices' approach, with more focus on the possible solutions to the problem. I'd be interested to see if a mix of both the science as well as solutions comes up during the discussion," King added.
Cuprzinski said she expects students from many different backgrounds and majors to attend the conference.
The conference will be held in the Behrakis Grand Hall, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will have three sessions, with two student-led panels per session.
Each student panel discussion will be moderated by faculty.
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