FARMINGTON, ME (March 8, 2024)—The University of Maine at Farmington is pleased to invite the public to the next UMF Public Forum event featuring “Changing How We Live on Earth: Perspectives on Sustainability.” The evening’s panel discussion will take place Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 7-8 p.m., in the Performance Space in the UMF Emery Community Arts Center. The event is free and open to the public.
The upcoming panel discussion will explore ideas about fostering a sustainable future through education, psychology, design and community engagement. Panelists include Natsha Lekes, professor of psychology; Elizabeth Potter-Nelson, assistant professor of secondary education; Dawn Nye, professor of art and new media; and Ellie Hatt, UMF senior. Mark Pires, UMF campus sustainability coordinator, will moderate the discussion.
Lekeš will take a psychological approach to sustainability. As individuals, we seek meaning and fulfillment. As social beings, we model others. How can we achieve the right balance between positive and negative emotions to inspire change rather than avoidance or burnout?
Nye will present work from the volunteer design studio on the UMF campus called “Design Corps” and talk about how design education can engage with the community and serve as a catalyst for positive change.
Potter-Nelson’s presentation will look at the clear connection between sustainability and education. In addition she will address how teachers can teach about sustainability in the methods they use or the content they teach.
Hatt will present on her work as a member of the Sustainable Campus Coalition, SCC’s mission and goals, and her perspectives and insights on the ways that SCC initiatives and public events, such as the annual Fiddlehead Festival, serve and impact both the campus and the larger Farmington community.
More information on panelists:
Lekeš, a Clinical Psychologist teaches courses on psychotherapy skills and theory, abnormal psychology, personal development, death and dying, sex and couples counseling and ecopsychology. Her research, published in over 15 peer-reviewed journals, has focused on people’s values and well-being.
Nye is an educator, artist and designer who works primarily in digital media. She is actively engaged in several projects as a UI and UX designer, a cinematographer, and animator, and she considers herself a storyteller first and foremost.
Potter-Nelson teaches courses on curriculum, instruction and assessment. In addition to teaching, Liz conducts research in sustainability education with a focus on how educators, at all levels, holistically incorporate sustainability into their courses through the content they teach, and the pedagogies they use.
Hatt is majoring in Earth and Environmental Science with a minor in Anthropology. She has a strong passion for aquatic ecology and watershed science as well as sustainability as an overarching theme. She is graduating this May and is thrilled to get out into the field of environmental science. Ellie hopes to return to school shortly to receive her masters in aquatic ecology.
Pires is retired from the Earth & Environmental Science Department at Long Island University in New York, where he taught geography, earth science, and environmental sustainability for twenty-five years.
The UMF Public Forum is a University event series sponsored by the Office of the President. Each lecture will be followed by a discussion and a reception with light refreshments.
The Emery Community Arts Center is located on Academy St. (between Main St. and High St.) in downtown Farmington. For more information, contact Ann Bartges, director of UMF Emery Community Arts Center at ann.bartges@maine.edu or 207-778-7461.
More on University of Maine at Farmington
A nationally recognized public liberal arts college known for its commitment to the creative arts, teacher preparation, the health arts and sciences, the environment, business and public service, UMF provides a challenging yet supportive environment to prepare students for both careers and further study. Located in the heart of Maine’s four-season outdoor recreational region, UMF is a welcoming, close-knit academic community that prepares students for enriching professional careers, engaged citizenship and an enduring love of learning.
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