Penn Climate Week returns with emphasis on student action

Penn will kick off its seventh annual Climate Week on Monday.

The schedule, which runs through Oct. 9, includes 1.5-minute lectures, a climate-themed “Jeopardy!” session, keynote speakers, and a movie screening. Organizers said the events, built around the theme “Empowerment and Action,” were designed to help students find ways to engage with climate-related issues.

Penn Climate Director of University and Community Engagement Katie Baillie explained in an interview that this year’s theme was “intentionally” chosen to “equip everyone in the community” with the resources needed to contribute to addressing climate change.

“Sometimes it’s hard to understand how to be part of the solution,” Baillie said. “By making this focused on empowerment and action, it’s centralizing the individual.” 

Earth and Environmental Science assistant professor Jon Hawkings, who consulted on event planning, said the theme was aimed at undergraduates, whose participation “lags behind” that of graduate students and staff. He said he hoped this year’s programming would get undergraduates “interested” in Climate Week and involved in the broader climate movement.

To encourage participation, Penn Climate is offering a “Climate Week Passport” to students who attend three or more events, making them eligible for a prize at the end of the week. Hawkings said more than 50 events were planned across the week.

This year’s itinerary includes 1.5-minute lectures from both students and faculty. Penn Climate program manager Kate La Spina said that the series is one of their “signature” events.

La Spina said the lectures were her “favorite event of the week” because she enjoys “hearing about what students at Penn are working on or what they’re really inspired by.” 

Baillie echoed a similar sentiment and added that she’s looking forward to the “AI Use in a Climate Change Era” panel, which features artificial intelligence experts across campus who will discuss how AI can be used in climate research and its impact on sustainability. 

The “Transform Penn” pitching competition, which invites students to showcase sustainable solutions in a “Shark Tank”-style demonstration, will also return after last year’s success. Students will present their ideas to a panel of Penn experts, and the winning pitch will receive mentorship to create a complete Penn Green Fund proposal.

The Penn Green Fund, which was established in 2009, is a $30,000 grant awarded to ideas aimed at improving the University’s sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint. Proposals must align with goals outlined in Penn’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 4.0. 

Hawkings added that the Climate Week organization committee, which mostly consists of faculty, has had “heavy input” on the events highlighted in red on the Climate Week at Penn calendar. The committee works year-round to identify key advancements and trends in climate studies. 

“I feel every member of the Penn community can get involved in Climate Week at Penn in some way, shape, or form,” La Spina said. “There’s something for everyone, and I really hope that everyone tries to make Climate Week a part of their schedule.”

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