Food for Earth: Agrobiodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
A presentation and networking event for Portland college and university students
Wed, May 10th from 2-4pm
PSU’s Native American Student and Community Center
PSU’s Sustainability Leaders Network, Student Sustainability Center, and partnering organizations invite you to explore how urban agriculture and crop biodiversity can support climate resilience. Be inspired by examples of urban agriculture and sustainability from around the world and learn how these initiatives can tie to global sustainability goals set by UN member nations around the world. The presenters will speak from their own experiences in research, education, and advocacy for sustainability and food security.
After the presentation, network with students from across the Portland Metro region to build community and identify ways to strengthen education for sustainability in our region.
Presenters:
Neeraja Havaligi is a Faculty Fellow with the Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network (GPSEN) who is currently working with communities to identify and document sustainable agriculture practices in urban community gardens and small farms. She has consulted for the United Nations Development Program, working on projects that address biodiversity conservation, land degradation and climate adaptation. She has also served as a board member and advisor for non-profits focused on food justice, sovereignty and security. Her doctoral work focused on urban agriculture, greywater reuse and rainwater harvesting. Dr. Havaligi has dual master’s degrees in agronomy and plant physiology as well as a Ph.D. in environmental studies.
Kim Smith received her Ph.D. in sociology from Indiana University in 2000, specializing in environmental sociology and social movements. She has taught sociology and supported the development of many service learning and educational programs at Portland Community College since 1996. She is the Director of GPSEN, acknowledged as a Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development by United Nations University. Kim also served on the board of Hands On Greater Portland and serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). She represented AASHE at the UN Rio+20 Earth Summit, is an International Fellow with the U.S. Partnership for ESD, and led the U.S. delegation to the UNESCO World Conference on ESD.