faculty /center/spike/ en Sowing Seeds for a Sustainable Future: SPIKE Center Launches new Sustainability Education Faculty Grants /center/spike/2026/10/09/sowing-seeds-sustainable-future-spike-center-launches-new-sustainability-education <span>Sowing Seeds for a Sustainable Future: SPIKE Center Launches new Sustainability Education Faculty Grants</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-10-09T11:13:06-06:00" title="Friday, 9 October 2026 - 11:13">Fri, 9 Oct 2026 - 11:13</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-08/preview-9.jpeg?h=9f4958b2&amp;itok=_G-2krZR" width="1200" height="800" alt="ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Trees during Autumn turning orange and brown with student cycling on bike path"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> </div> <span>Joanne Marras Tate</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-08/preview-9.jpeg?itok=S-WqokVh" width="1500" height="1134" alt="ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Trees during Autumn turning orange and brown with student cycling on bike path"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">How do we build a sustainable future? At the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, one of the answers lies in cultivating a rich, interconnected sustainability education ecosystem. To nurture this vision, the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education has announced the launch of its inaugural 2026 Sustainability Education Grants program.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">This pilot program is designed to provide ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ faculty with the financial resources needed to reach new pedagogical heights and grow a diverse, campus-wide sustainability forest.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Since its launch in 2025, the SPIKE Center has become a cross-campus network, supporting sustainability education as a core pillar within ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ’s sustainability goals.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">With the new grants, the center is directly investing in faculty members who support shaping the minds of tomorrow’s climate and environmental leaders.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">“Through this pilot program, we aspire to strengthen and expand sustainability education opportunities for all interested eligible faculty and students at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ,â€� says Professor Max Boykoff, the SPIKE Center’s Faculty Executive Director, because “uplifting tomorrow’s sustainability leaders and professionals starts with strengthening our curriculum and pedagogy today.â€�</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Professor Phaedra C. Pezzullo, the SPIKE Center’s Faculty Associate Director for Faculty Engagement, agrees, emphasizing the growth the sustainability education grants will foster: “We’re excited to support teaching and curriculum across campus—from planting seeds of new ideas to helping more established pedagogical initiatives grow to new heights.â€�</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Cultivating the Campus Ecosystem: The Four Grant Tiers</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Just as a forest relies on plants at every stage of growth, the SPIKE Center’s grant program features four funding tiers tailored to different project scales, ranging from $2,000 to $50,000. The suggested “ideas are listed as illustrations for inspiration, not prescriptions,â€� says Professor Pezzullo.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Tier I: Seed Grants (Up to $2,000)</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Giant trees start as single seeds.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">This tier supports new sustainability teaching ideas that require minimal financial support to germinate. Faculty and eligible doctoral students can use these funds for a wide range of creative initiatives, including developing new class assignments, funding student-led storytelling projects (such as podcasts or video production), hosting collaborative meetings, designing public exhibits, or covering professional development and conference training expenses.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Tier II: Trunk Grants (Up to $6,000)</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">For sustainability initiatives that are already rooted in research, labs, or classrooms, the Trunk Grant provides the structural support needed to grow higher. These funds help build lasting undergraduate impacts. The SPIKE Center particularly welcomes proposals that align with campus priorities noted in the application.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Tier III: Branches Grants (Up to $10,000)</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">True ecological strength comes from networks of care and connection. The Branches Grant is designed to help existing initiatives reach out to new audiences, disciplines, or communities. Funds can be used to support interdisciplinary summer collaborations, such as designing sustainability modules for first-year orientation, or to build and deepen experiential educational partnerships between ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ and local Colorado communities in ways that directly benefit students.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Tier IV: Tree Grants (Up to $50,000)</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">The canopy of the sustainability grants forest is the Tree Grant. The Tree Grant provides substantial funding to scale major courses or programs that have already demonstrated clear pedagogical value and a positive impact within and, or beyond the university. To secure this tier, applicants must demonstrate established roots in university/community partnerships, interdisciplinarity, and show how the project directly supports campus-wide efforts.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Aligning with a Vision for the Future</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div> <div class="align-right image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2026-08/preview-11.jpeg?itok=7oJtZS8k" width="750" height="563" alt="Students at Norlin Quad surrounded by trees"> </div> </div> <p><span lang="EN-US">The 2026 SPIKE Center Sustainability Education Grants arrive at a pivotal moment for the campus. In Fall 2027, ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ will roll out its new </span><a href="/oue/faculty-staff/common-curriculum#accordion-1923448471-1" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">Common Curriculum</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, which features a focus on sustainability and sustainable futures. &nbsp;The Common Curriculum ensure that graduates gain experience applying sustainable practices, promoting sustainable communities, acting as stewards for sustainable futures, and fostering individual well-being, social equity, long-term economic vitality, and the health of the natural environment. To help guide applicants, The SPIKE Center defines sustainability as “the capacity to meet the needs and well-being of current and future generations by drawing on diverse knowledge systems to integrate environmental and ecological stewardship, including their economic and cultural health, and equity and justice impacts.â€� Priority for funding will be given to proposals that actively support this definition and align with one or more of the Chancellor’s four core sustainability goals:&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><ol><li><span lang="EN-US">Equipping students with the knowledge to solve humanity’s most pressing challenges</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ol></div><div><ol start="2"><li><span lang="EN-US">Transforming cutting-edge research into direct, local action</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ol></div><div><ol start="3"><li><span lang="EN-US">Leading by example by treating the campus itself as a living laboratory</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ol></div><div><ol start="4"><li><span lang="EN-US">Partnering with communities locally and globally to build a more sustainable Colorado</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ol><div><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Who Can Apply?</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">We welcome the following to apply: Eligible faculty include tenured/tenure-track faculty, teaching faculty, and relevant research faculty (who provide evidence of an exceptional track record of working with a notable number of students); Tier I also will accept applications from eligible PhD students, Graduate Part-Time Instructors (GPTIs) and Teaching Assistants who already hold a master's degree and are either the instructor of record for their own course or teach class recitations (enrolled full time in-person on campus with letter of support from Advisor). Staff and supplemental faculty (Scholars in Residence, Lecturers, Adjunct, and Visiting) are not eligible.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Mark Your Calendars:</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">September 11, 2026: Program Launch</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">October 15, 2026 (9:00 AM - 10:00 AM MT): Virtual Zoom Information Session</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">November 11, 2026 (Noon MT): Proposal Submission Deadline</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">December 1, 2026: Award Notifications</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">January 2027: Funding Disbursed</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">If you are ready to expand your teaching, collaborate across disciplines, or partner with the community to cultivate a greener tomorrow, The SPIKE Center wants to support your growth.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">To register for the information session, read the full guidelines, or start your application, visit The SPIKE Center’s Grants Page: </span><a href="/center/spike/grants" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">/center/spike/grants</span></a><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">For specific inquiries, contact Faculty Engagement and Support Program Manager Joanne Marras Tate at </span><a href="mailto:Joanne.MarrasTate@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">Joanne.MarrasTate@colorado.edu</span></a><span lang="EN-US">&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 09 Oct 2026 17:13:06 +0000 Talisa Lin 82 at /center/spike A Conversation with SPIKE Faculty Fellow Professor Andrews /center/spike/2026/09/24/conversation-spike-faculty-fellow-professor-andrews <span>A Conversation with SPIKE Faculty Fellow Professor Andrews</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-09-24T15:51:58-06:00" title="Thursday, 24 September 2026 - 15:51">Thu, 24 Sep 2026 - 15:51</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-07/newthomas.png?h=09afbb9e&amp;itok=k80nGCkD" width="1200" height="800" alt="man in blue shirt smiling"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> </div> <span>Grace Garfoot</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-09/Screenshot%202026-09-24%20at%204.19.18%E2%80%AFPM.png?itok=f4ts4ORC" width="1500" height="426" alt="man with a light blue shirt and mustache"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p dir="ltr"><span>The SPIKE Center is excited to introduce a new series: SPIKE Faculty Fellow Spotlights. Over the course of the year, we will sit down with our Faculty Fellows invested in this year’s theme of information integrity to discuss their ongoing research and efforts, both in and out of the classroom.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Our first Faculty Fellow in the series is Professor Thomas G. Andrews. He is a Professor of History and Director of the Center for the American West. A specialist in environmental and social history in Colorado and the West, Andrews has been at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ since 2011. As a returning SPIKE Faculty Fellow, he is invested in integrating sustainability into his classrooms.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“Sustainability education is so critically important and I wanted to be involved in it because it helps give me hope,â€� said Dr. Andrews. “ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ can help educate undergraduates and graduate students, as well as the broader communities, about sustainability. It’s just so necessary for finding a way forward that can, hopefully, steer us clear of some of the existential threats that we’re steamrolling right towards.â€�</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Since becoming a SPIKE Faculty Fellow last year, Dr. Andrews has been exposed to both resources and fellow professors who share his passion for sustainability. “It was cool to be around such smart, interesting people who had pretty similar values and commitments and were dedicated towards the same overall goal,â€� he said. “We [professors] have to learn things like this [information integrity] for us to be able to pass them down and impart them to students. It’s a key part of what we always need to be educating ourselves on and why.â€�</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Raised in Boulder by a librarian and a geologist, Dr. Andrews has been asking questions about the world around him since he was little, a trait that undoubtedly drew him to teaching and environmental history. Though sustainability takes many different forms in his classes and life, Dr. Andrews makes a point to always include it in virtually every course he teaches.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In addition to participating in the SPIKE Center’s training for fifty faculty from across campus last May, he also made a point to share many of the resources he learned during his previous fellowship at SPIKE with his students.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>As a professor with more than twenty years of experience, Dr. Andrews has been in the classroom for many transitional periods, the latest one being the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our lives and classrooms. As a sustainability fellow and a long-term professor, his opinions on AI are mixed.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“AI is big and transformative and fast-moving. I feel like I have really struggled to find a coherent take on it all,â€� Andrews said. “I have a lot of doubts and fears about the whole enterprise, one of which being about where it’s pointing us. I’m kind of old school and it's much easier for me to see it leading the planet into some really dark places rather than to a just and sustainable future.â€�</span></p> <div class="align-left image_style-small_500px_25_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_500px_25_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/small_500px_25_display_size_/public/2026-09/the%20great%20horse%20flu%20high%20res.png?itok=bYwbmwYx" width="375" height="567" alt="the great horse flu cover"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><span>The cover of Dr. Andrews' new book, </span><em><span>The Great Horse Flu: A Forgotten Contagion and the Fate of Reconstruction America.</span></em><span>&nbsp;</span></p> </span> </div> <p dir="ltr"><span>In addition to teaching his various courses at CU, Dr. Andrews is publishing a book this fall:&nbsp;</span><em><span>The Great Horse Flu: A Forgotten Contagion and the Fate of Reconstruction America</span></em><span>.&nbsp;In his book, Dr. Andrews discusses the 1872–1873 equine influenza outbreak and its impact on the United States during a time of extreme reliance on equine labor. The equine malady, which focused primarily on horses, donkeys, and mules, paralyzed the economy and upended everyday life. This animal disease event forced many Americans to adapt in ways that they did not think possible.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>&nbsp;“The book ends up using this unexpected lens of a huge animal contagion to try to better understand human society in the US during this time period,â€� said Andrews. “A lot of the concerns in the book are really rooted in the things I saw happening during COVID. Some chapters are less about the outbreak itself and more on what the outbreak helps us see, which were inspired by my efforts to understand what the relationship was between the George Floyd protests and the calls for racial justice that came to head in the summer of 2020.â€� His book will be released by the University of North Carolina Press on October 6th, 2026.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><em><span>The Great Horse Flu</span></em><span> reflects the crossroads between the first two themes of the SPIKE Faculty Fellows. Andrews appreciated and enjoyed the 2025/2026 SPIKE faculty fellowship on environmental justice last spring, expressing his enthusiasm in his teaching. “What I really appreciated about last year’s work was that there were a lot of faculty who shared my interest in environmental justice and my concerns about the limitations of thinking about sustainability without attending to issues of justice and equality,â€� he said. “There’s always a danger of sustainability becoming a technocratic type of approach that’s removed from social and political struggle, so I really enjoyed getting to meet a lot of other faculty who have different expertise than I do in environmental justice. I enjoyed being able to deepen our understanding and interest in that approach to sustainability.â€�</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The fellowship had a lasting impact on him,&nbsp;so much so that he decided to apply again this year with the new focus: information integrity. His book resonates with these critical sustainability skills: reflecting on the intertwined role of social, economic, and ecological relations, as well as the need to do diligent research and apply critical scrutiny of a wide range of sources to uncover root causes and impacts of crises.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Professor Andrews is an extraordinary example of SPIKE Center’s&nbsp;Faculty Fellows. His teaching, writing, and research relating to sustainability demonstrate how faculty and the SPIKE Center are working together to educate more students, faculty and the broader CU-Boulder community about sustainability–both in the classroom and beyond.&nbsp;</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:51:58 +0000 Talisa Lin 80 at /center/spike ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ bringing sustainability expertise from American West to Climate Week NYC /center/spike/2026/09/17/cu-boulder-bringing-sustainability-expertise-american-west-climate-week-nyc <span>ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ bringing sustainability expertise from American West to Climate Week NYC</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-09-17T13:14:35-06:00" title="Thursday, 17 September 2026 - 13:14">Thu, 17 Sep 2026 - 13:14</time> </span> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/34"> students </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/today/2026/09/16/cu-boulder-bringing-sustainability-expertise-american-west-climate-week-nyc`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 17 Sep 2026 19:14:35 +0000 Talisa Lin 79 at /center/spike SPIKE Center Sustainability Curriculum Ambassadors collaborate to expand upon sustainability curriculum at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ /center/spike/2026/08/24/spike-center-sustainability-curriculum-ambassadors-collaborate-expand-upon <span>SPIKE Center Sustainability Curriculum Ambassadors collaborate to expand upon sustainability curriculum at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-08-24T09:25:04-06:00" title="Monday, 24 August 2026 - 09:25">Mon, 24 Aug 2026 - 09:25</time> </span> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education is pleased to announce the new cohort of SPIKE Curriculum Ambassadors (SCAs) for the 2026-27 academic year, a Dean-nominated cohort of 20 faculty representing all the colleges, schools, and divisions on campus.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">The SCAs will be integral in expanding and developing&nbsp;curriculum to advance ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ’s sustainability education and increase the success of students in obtaining employment in sustainability careers.&nbsp;This is done with the forthcoming Common Curriculum in mind.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">SCA responsibilities include revising and updating sustainability curriculum already in place, as well as creating additional minors, courses, course elements, certificates, and micro credentials. This may also include informal education, such as collaborating with student organizations, external partners and employers, and other non-academic units to create workshops, seminars, and other public events to increase the presence of ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ in the sustainability education space. As the power to develop curriculum resides in the faculty, the SCAs will develop sustainability curriculum and lead curricular efforts as ambassadors of their respective colleges/schools/divisions.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>AY2627 SPIKE Curriculum Ambassadors</strong></span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">The 2026/2027 academic year SPIKE Curriculum Ambassadors include:</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Katie O'Harra: </strong>College of Engineering and Applied Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Alaa Ahmed:</strong> College of Engineering and Applied Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Kurt Maute:</strong> College of Engineering and Applied Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Carlos Salvinelli:</strong> College of Engineering and Applied Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Amanda Carrico:</strong> A&amp;S: Natural Science Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Lisa Corwin:</strong> A&amp;S: Natural Science Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Jennifer Fluri:</strong> A&amp;S: Natural Science Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Aneesh Subramanian:</strong> A&amp;S: Natural Science Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Shemin Ge:</strong> A&amp;S: Natural Science Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Seema Sohi:</strong> A&amp;S: Social Sciences Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Steve Vanderheiden:</strong> A&amp;S: Social Sciences Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Jen Bone:</strong> Leeds School of Business</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>David Drake:</strong> Leeds School of Business</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Kristi Ryujin:</strong> Leeds School of Business</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Kevin Rich:</strong> A&amp;S: Arts &amp; Humanities Division</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Jota Samper:</strong> College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Hong Vu:</strong> College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Sarah Matsumoto:</strong> Law School</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Emily Gee:</strong> School of Music</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Enrique Lopez:</strong> School of Education</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></li></ul></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">Together, these faculty represent a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, demonstrating the SPIKE Center’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and inclusive approaches to sustainability education at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">For more information on SPIKE Curriculum Ambassadors, please visit: </span><a href="/center/spike/spike-curriculum-ambassadors" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">/center/spike/spike-curriculum-ambassadors</span></a><span lang="EN-US">&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 24 Aug 2026 15:25:04 +0000 Talisa Lin 77 at /center/spike The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education Faculty Fellows Focus on Information Integrity /center/spike/2026/08/06/spike-center-sustainability-education-faculty-fellows-focus-information-integrity <span>The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education Faculty Fellows Focus on Information Integrity</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-08-06T15:01:50-06:00" title="Thursday, 6 August 2026 - 15:01">Thu, 6 Aug 2026 - 15:01</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-07/05.05.26%20SPIKE-16.Phaedra.Trainingjpg%20copy.jpeg?h=8ded1007&amp;itok=CFbD22KJ" width="1200" height="800" alt="woman giving a talk"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-07/05.05.26%20SPIKE-16.Phaedra.Trainingjpg%20copy.jpeg?itok=vvOY7YV5" width="1500" height="976" alt="woman giving a talk"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">After a successful launch in Spring 2026, the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education Faculty Fellows program welcomes 15 faculty members to form a new cohort this academic year.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">The SPIKE Faculty Fellows continue to build a cross-campus network of faculty committed to integrating sustainability into our educational mission, while providing critical faculty perspective to broader university initiatives connected to sustainability education focused on our past, present, and future. (Note, this is not curriculum work, which is advanced through a separate yet coordinated SPIKE Curriculum Ambassadors program.)</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">These faculty members have been selected from a competitive pool as SPIKE Faculty Fellows for this 2026-2027 academic year, galvanizing a conversation and network to address transformational learning on information integrity. This theme includes research on climate change and environmental relations that intersect with building societal trust, fostering healthy public spheres of engagement, mis-/disinformation campaigns, pedagogical challenges created by “artificial intelligence,â€� and transparency of data.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">"In these dynamic times, we are centering and upholding information integrity as a cornerstone of sustainability education. The work of these expert SPIKE Faculty Fellows will bolster ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ’s commitments to function as a leading hub for sustainability and to serve the students attending ÂÌñ»»ÆÞâ€�, says SPIKE Center Faculty Executive Director Max Boykoff.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Once again, the fellows will collectively prepare and deliver an annual Sustainability Across the Curriculum training for ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ faculty, including a digital toolbox with local, state, and global resources for sustainability pedagogy. This year, we also aim to co-create and publish a coauthored project related to information integrity and sustainability education.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US"><strong>AY26-27 SPIKE Faculty Fellows</strong></span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">The SPIKE Faculty Fellows include leading experts in information, from historical and natural archives to contemporary digital data. Pedagogical and research expertise includes a range of epistemologies or ways of knowing how to best to discern sustainable and unsustainable ecological, economic, and equitable relations.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">The new cohort of faculty fellows focused on information integrity includes:</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Thomas Andrews</strong>, Director of the Center for American West, Professor, History, Arts &amp; Humanities Division of the College of Arts and Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Jed Brown</strong>, Associate Professor, Computer Science, College of Engineering and Applied Science</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Clint Carroll</strong>, Director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies, Associate Professor, Ethnic Studies, Division of Social Sciences of the College of Arts and Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Jolene Fisher</strong>, Associate Professor, Advertising, Public Relations, and Design, College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Joshua Herrington</strong>, Business Research &amp; Instruction Librarian, University Libraries</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>José Izaguirre</strong>, Associate Professor, Communication, College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Brian C. Keegan</strong>, Associate Professor, Information Science, College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Cresten Mansfeldt</strong>, Assistant Professor, Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div></div><div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Zannah Mae Matson</strong>, Assistant Professor, Environmental Design, College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Rebecca Safran</strong>, Distinguished Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Division of Natural Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Cosetta Seno</strong>, Associate Professor, Italian, Division of Arts &amp; Humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Nancy J. Stevens</strong>, Institute Director of the Natural History Museum &amp; Professor, Anthropology, Division of Social Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Angel Y. Tang</strong>, Assistant Professor, Science &amp; Engineering Librarian, University Libraries</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Meghan Van Portfliet</strong>, Assistant Teaching Professor, Leeds School of Business</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Hong Tien Vu</strong>, Director of the Center for Environmental Journalism and Professor, Journalism, College of Communication, Media, Design &amp; Information</span><span>&nbsp;</span></li></ul></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Together, these faculty leaders represent a wide range of disciplines, ranks, and perspectives, underscoring the SPIKE Center’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and inclusive approaches to sustainability education at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">For more information on various ways faculty may play a role in the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education from fellows to affiliates, please see: </span><a href="/center/spike/faculty" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">/center/spike/faculty</span></a>.</p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:01:50 +0000 Talisa Lin 73 at /center/spike "Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home" author Dr. Katharine Wilkinson joined Dr. Max Boykoff in conversation /center/spike/2026/05/26/climate-wayfinding-healing-ourselves-and-planet-we-call-home-author-dr-katharine <span>"Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call Home" author Dr. Katharine Wilkinson joined Dr. Max Boykoff in conversation</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-26T10:48:15-06:00" title="Tuesday, 26 May 2026 - 10:48">Tue, 26 May 2026 - 10:48</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-05/booktalk.jpeg?h=404059e4&amp;itok=w-q_JHo1" width="1200" height="800" alt="Dr. Boykoff and Dr. Wilkinson sitting and discussing Dr. Wilkinson's book."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/34"> students </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><span>On May 14, </span><a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kkwilkinson.com%2Fabout&amp;data=05%7C02%7CTalisa.Lin%40colorado.edu%7C3bb31a5439404c6b4bbf08debb45b1c0%7C3ded8b1b070d462982e4c0b019f46057%7C1%7C0%7C639154105256907187%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=9MzEt9LvZpdjbcfFGLZI7DBP4nLDjr6rt%2FM2Cbc8c%2BA%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow"><span>Dr. Katharine </span></a><a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kkwilkinson.com%2Fabout&amp;data=05%7C02%7CTalisa.Lin%40colorado.edu%7C3bb31a5439404c6b4bbf08debb45b1c0%7C3ded8b1b070d462982e4c0b019f46057%7C1%7C0%7C639154105256949139%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=tsu0lo2o6EKgmcJUGkNj7h2NRVjRuMNA7ZqZG1Ag20s%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow"><span>Wilkinson</span></a><span>&nbsp;joined CU professor Dr. Max Boykoff to talk about her recently published book </span><a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbookshop.org%2Fp%2Fbooks%2Fclimate-wayfinding-healing-ourselves-and-the-planet-we-call-home-katharine-k-wilkinson%2F24dd427290b338e9&amp;data=05%7C02%7CTalisa.Lin%40colorado.edu%7C3bb31a5439404c6b4bbf08debb45b1c0%7C3ded8b1b070d462982e4c0b019f46057%7C1%7C0%7C639154105256987673%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=zbzxfyj4UtDBkJErVtdpTFyxhaZieiThbAkMkqHm%2BTM%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow"><em><span>Climate Wayfinding: Healing Ourselves and the Planet We Call&nbsp;Home</span></em></a><span>. This book includes personal essays, interwoven with the wisdom of other climate leaders and the beauty&nbsp;of poetry, art, and song. It is a book to sit with and savor, as it invites engagement with journaling prompts, practical exercises, and guides for conversation. In that spirit, ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ students in attendence were provided a free copy for a&nbsp;planned summer book club led by the Environmental Center.</span></div> <div class="align-right image_style-small_square_image_style"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_square_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/small_square_image_style/public/2026-05/spike%20and%20kath.jpeg?h=404059e4&amp;itok=D--dJn8O" width="375" height="375" alt="Spike Buckley and Dr. Katharine Wilkinson holding a copy of the book."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Dr. Wilkinson with Spike Buckley, CU alumnus and founder of the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education.</p> </span> </div> <div>&nbsp;</div><div>This event was co-sponsored by the <a href="/sustainability/" rel="nofollow">ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Office of the Vice Chancellor for Sustainability</a>, the <a href="/researchinnovation/research-strategy-development/sustainability-research-initiative" rel="nofollow">ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Sustainability Research Initiative</a>, the Spike Center for Sustainability Education, and the <a href="/ecenter/" rel="nofollow">ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Environmental Center</a>. The conversation took place in the British and Irish Studies room in Norlin Library with about 50 people in attendance.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Twenty years earlier, Max advised Katharine as she earned a DPhil in geography and environment from the University of Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. Seven years ago, <em>Time</em>&nbsp;magazine named her one of fifteen “Women Who Will Save the World.â€� In addition to this new book, Katharine has co-authored the bestselling anthology <em>All We Can Save</em>, and the <em>New York Times</em>&nbsp;bestseller <em>Drawdown</em>. Dr. Wilkinson co-founded and leads The All We Can Save Project, where she shaped the much-beloved programs All We Can Save Circles and Climate Wayfinding. She also co-hosts the podcast <em>A Matter of Degrees</em>&nbsp;and writes the newsletter <em>Human on Earth</em>. Previously, Dr. Wilkinson was the principal writer and editor-in-chief at Project Drawdown. Before her work at the University of Oxford, Katharine earned a BA in religion from Sewanee: The University of the South.&nbsp;</div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 26 May 2026 16:48:15 +0000 Talisa Lin 45 at /center/spike Register for global youth climate summit co-hosted by ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ on June 5 /center/spike/2026/05/20/register-global-youth-climate-summit-co-hosted-cu-boulder-june-5 <span>Register for global youth climate summit co-hosted by ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ on June 5</span> <span><span>Talisa Lin</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-20T11:34:00-06:00" title="Wednesday, 20 May 2026 - 11:34">Wed, 20 May 2026 - 11:34</time> </span> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/34"> students </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script> window.location.href = `/today/2026/05/18/register-global-youth-climate-summit-co-hosted-cu-boulder-june-5`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 20 May 2026 17:34:00 +0000 Talisa Lin 42 at /center/spike ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Student Comedians to Take Climate Humor from Local Earth Day Celebration to Hollywood Climate Summit /center/spike/2026/05/14/cu-boulder-student-comedians-take-climate-humor-local-earth-day-celebration-hollywood <span>ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ Student Comedians to Take Climate Humor from Local Earth Day Celebration to Hollywood Climate Summit </span> <span><span>Toby Murdock</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-14T11:35:01-06:00" title="Thursday, 14 May 2026 - 11:35">Thu, 14 May 2026 - 11:35</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-05/Z72_6665.jpg?h=deaec4b9&amp;itok=JNrTXnQP" width="1200" height="800" alt="climate comedy"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/34"> students </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-05/Z72_6665.jpg?itok=jTq-6XZf" width="1500" height="1000" alt="climate comedy"> </div> <div><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span lang="EN-US">BOULDER, Colo. (May 14, 2026) — Sam Nelson, Liam Connelly, Chloe Hull, and Koyote Manske from the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ's Creative Climate Communication course are taking their unique brand of environmental humor to the national stage, representing the university at the upcoming </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodclimatesummit.com/tickets/2026schedule" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">‘Scorched’ Climate Comedy</span></a><span lang="EN-US"> </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodclimatesummit.com/tickets/2026schedule" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">show</span></a><span lang="EN-US">&nbsp;to close the events&nbsp;on June 4 at the </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodclimatesummit.com/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">Hollywood Climate Summit.</span></a><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">The student comedy group, recognized for their performances at the 11th annual </span><a href="https://cires.colorado.edu/events/stand-climate-comedy-2026" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">"Earth Day Eve: Stand Up for Climate Comedy"</span></a><span lang="EN-US"> event at the historic Boulder Theater, will bring their sharp wit and compelling storytelling to Los Angeles. Hosted in collaboration with the Hip Hop Caucus and Inside the Greenhouse, the Hollywood Climate Summit closing event will </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodclimatesummit.com/tickets/2026speakers" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">highlight rising voices alongside established professional comedians such as Reggie Watts and Esteban Gast</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, emphasizing the power of humor in addressing the climate crisis.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">During the local Earth Day Eve celebration in Boulder, the students shared the stage with headlining professional comedians, delivering stand-up sets and sketches that tackled climate anxiety, sustainability, and environmental action. Their standout performances paved the way for their upcoming participation at the Los Angeles </span><a href="https://www.hollywoodclimatesummit.com/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">Hollywood Climate Summit</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, where they will perform original material for a diverse audience of climate justice advocates, industry professionals, and comedy fans.</span><span> Want to check it out? Enjoy two days of hands-on programming, meaningful networking, and plant-based eats in Los Angeles (and free online via livestream) on June 3 and 4. Use our partner code HCSFAM 50% off your ticket! Grab yours at hollywoodclimatesummit.com/tickets&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Max Boykoff, Faculty Executive Director of the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ, praised the students for their innovative approach to environmental advocacy.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">"Humor is an incredibly powerful tool for breaking down barriers and making the complex realities of climate change accessible to everyday people," said Boykoff. "Seeing our students take the material they developed for our Earth Day Eve event and perform it on a prominent stage at&nbsp;the Hollywood Climate Summit&nbsp;is a testament to the impact of creative climate communication. They aren't just making people laugh; they are sparking meaningful dialogue and inspiring real climate action."</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">The </span><a href="/center/spike/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US">SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education</span></a><span lang="EN-US">, which hosted the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ event, continues to champion the integration of arts and sciences to mobilize communities. By utilizing humor as an engaging storytelling tool, these student performers are helping to break down complex ecological issues, proving that the fight for a sustainable future can be both impactful and entertaining.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p lang="EN-US"><span lang="EN-US">Photo Credit: Ben Hale/PrettyGoodPics</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 14 May 2026 17:35:01 +0000 Toby Murdock 40 at /center/spike Max Boykoff talks SPIKE Center on eTown /center/spike/2026/05/06/max-boykoff-talks-spike-center-etown <span>Max Boykoff talks SPIKE Center on eTown</span> <span><span>Toby Murdock</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-06T09:54:36-06:00" title="Wednesday, 6 May 2026 - 09:54">Wed, 6 May 2026 - 09:54</time> </span> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/34"> students </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="field_media_oembed_video"><iframe src="/center/spike/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/ZkqRJqmD_Ck%3Fsi%3DcyBqKgxiHCZdqWKH%26t%3D1381&amp;max_width=516&amp;max_height=350&amp;hash=2ordS4GGUYJpA5PpNTTNbqACihAlu6-_1d5nAnNTYqE" width="516" height="290" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="Tyler Ramsey and Carl Broemel with Katie Pruitt and interview guest Max Boykoff"></iframe> </div> <p>On May 6 eTown broadcast an episode that featured SPIKE Executive Director Max Boykoff talking about climate communication and the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education. Please click the link above to listen to Max's interview on YouTube.&nbsp;</p><p>"Young people nowadays aren't like my generation that had grown up in a world now thinking and talking about [climate change]," said Max. "Young people are ready to go."</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 06 May 2026 15:54:36 +0000 Toby Murdock 39 at /center/spike The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education, almost one year in /center/spike/2026/04/27/spike-center-sustainability-education-almost-one-year <span>The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education, almost one year in</span> <span><span>Toby Murdock</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-27T13:28:26-06:00" title="Monday, 27 April 2026 - 13:28">Mon, 27 Apr 2026 - 13:28</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-02/_MG_9884_1.JPG?h=af53702d&amp;itok=LJe2koH2" width="1200" height="800" alt="max teaching"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/35"> faculty </a> <a href="/center/spike/taxonomy/term/34"> students </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/center/spike/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2026-02/_MG_9884_1.JPG?itok=WPi_F1q7" width="750" height="422" alt="max teaching"> </div> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><p dir="ltr"><span>The SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education was launched in fall 2025 after a&nbsp;</span><a href="/today/2025/08/05/10m-investment-invigorate-sustainability-education-cu-boulder" rel="nofollow"><span>$10 million gift from Buff alumnus Spike Buckley</span></a><span>, which was given in response to Chancellor Justin Schwartz’s identification of sustainability as a campus priority. Since its inception, the center has grown into an accelerator for sustainability education and leadership on campus.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The Provost’s Post recently spoke with the Faculty Executive Director for the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education Max Boykoff, who is also a fellow with the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and a professor in the Department of Environmental Studies, about what the SPIKE Center has been working on during its first academic year and what the next year will bring.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><strong>An academic year in, how has SPIKE Center developed and/or evolved compared to how it was first envisioned?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>This transformative gift from Spike Buckley provides an opportunity for us at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ to come together as a globally recognized sustainability-related education destination for students preparing for careers that help to navigate their lives and livelihoods in the 21st century world. This is our moment to move forward as we build on many key initiatives developed over the past decades by ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ faculty and administrative leadership. We have been evolving our plans as our outstanding and capable SPIKE Center team integrates lessons learned from these past efforts while we move forward.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>We have benefited from many conversations with students, staff, faculty and administrative leaders this academic year to align SPIKE Center priorities with demands, needs and aspirations here on campus regarding sustainability pedagogy and education in the next few years. We have therefore developed concrete plans to support the faculty creation of a sustainability minor for students to begin enrolling in fall 2027. The details are yet to be developed—and will require ongoing engagement with connected divisions, schools, colleges, centers and everyone in them—yet the larger goal and timeline have come into focus through our iterative strategic planning process over the past six months.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Our ambitions have risen as we have worked to better understand our great capabilities and appetite for transformative sustainability education on this campus in these times. We recognize that this is uniquely possible here and that many members of our campus community are ready for us all to move forward with planning to reach every student at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ with meaningful sustainability-related educational opportunities by the year 2030.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><strong>How is this work supporting the campus’s broader sustainability work?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The work of the SPIKE Center takes place within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Sustainability, led by Vice Chancellor for Sustainability Andrew Mayock, where education is one of the four priorities for sustainability implementation on campus. By working to support and accelerate our training of students to become leaders who drive transformational environmental change, we are helping ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ meet its goal of becoming a global leader in sustainability within public higher education.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span><strong>Q: What can the ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ community expect from SPIKE going forward into year two?</strong></span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>A: Our initial focus has been to engage with groups and already-existing initiatives across campus to support sustainability education endeavors, generate awareness and engage in dialogues to envision the future of sustainability education at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In the coming years, we seek to engage and graduate the highest proportion of sustainability-focused students in global public higher education and achieve significant increases in graduation and post-graduation employment rates among sustainability-focused students. We will do this by providing opportunities for the entire campus to engage with sustainability education as we build and strengthen connections and receive and integrate feedback from our students, staff, faculty and leaders on campus as well as in the surrounding Boulder community.&nbsp;</span><br><br><span>We also will be imagining and energizing a common framework for sustainability education across ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ as we support faculty development of a sustainability minor across all schools, colleges and divisions to achieve a unique breadth of sustainability education for students here. The ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ community can also expect us to work to identify, uplift and encourage experiential learning across sustainability education, including robust employer relationships that will yield strong job and post-graduation outcomes as we collaborate on student recruitment efforts to attract students who want a world class sustainability education here at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:28:26 +0000 Toby Murdock 36 at /center/spike