By McGill Reporter Staff
Sustainability has become the watchword of the times we live in. Loosely defined it means meeting todays’ needs while conserving resources for future generations.
The new McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative (MSSI) will bring researchers from the sciences and humanities together to move society towards that model of existence. It will provide support and seed funding for transdisciplinary teams.
MSSI’s work will be centred on three thematic areas in which McGill excels: Adapting Urban Environments for the Future; Creating Sustainable Materials for the Future; and Sustaining Landscapes for the Future.
MSSI will engage with stakeholders, including industry, government, non-governmental organizations and civil society.
The inauguration of MSSI will take place on Sept. 26, 2 – 5 p.m., in the SSMU (McGill Student Union) Ballroom (3600 McTavish), and will be live-streamed to the Mac campus (location tbd).
- 2 – 3 p.m.: Presentations on the three Research Themes: Adapting Urban Environments for the Future; Creating Sustainable Materials for the Future; and Sustaining Landscapes for the Future
- 3:00 – 3:40 p.m.: Presentation from our first MSSI Invited Speaker, Dr Amy Luers, who has just arrived in Montreal to take up the post of Executive Director of Future Earth.
Future Earth is a major international research platform with hubs in Montreal, Paris, Stockholm, Boulder, and Tokyo. Future Earth was announced in June 2012 at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20).