Environmental Studies Blog

When: Thursday, November 13, 2014, 7:15 p.m.
Where: Schwartz Auditorium, Brown Social Science Center

Screening of the film “Resistance” and Q&A with filmmaker Michael Graziano “Superbug” author Maryn McKenna and VP for APUA* Dr. Tom O’Brien  

Antibiotics were first massed-produced in the 1940s. Their ability to fight and kill bacteria revolutionized medicine and had profound effects on everything from agriculture to war. After less than 80 years, however, these miracle drugs are failing. Resistant infections kill hundreds of thousands of people around the world each year, and there are now dozens of so-called Superbugs each with its own challenges and costs.

How did this happen? Using microscopic footage, harrowing personal stories, and expert insights, “Resistance” clarifies the problem of antibiotic resistance, how we got to this point, and what we can do to turn the tide.

*Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics

Presented by the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism and cosponsored by the following Brandeis groups:

• Biology Department
• Brandeis Students for Environmental Action
• Environmental Studies Program
• Graduate Programs in Sustainable International Development, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
• Health: Science, Society and Policy Program
• Research Group on Global Development and Sustainability, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management
  

We hope to see you there!

On March 27, Latin American and Latino Studies, Environmental Studies, and Fine Arts UDRs hosted a documentary screening of Waste Land. Students came together from all disciplines to watch the film while eating South American food.

The film is about Vik Muniz, a famous Brazilian artist who currently lives in the United States. Muniz traveled to the world’s largest landfill near Rio de Janeiro to speak with catadores, or people who pick up recyclable material from the landfill for work.

Muniz took photographs of the catadores, then worked with the catadores to make artwork in the shape of the portraits with recyclable materials. After selling photographs of the artwork, all of the money went to the catadores. With the money, they bought equipment and a truck and built a learning center and a library so that people could learn about recycling.

The movie focused on the lives of the catadores and how they were moved by the experiences of creating art from recyclable materials then seeing their portraits become famous.

The screening was followed by a discussion about the lives of the catadores, recycling, and artwork. Overall, it was a meaningful film that brought students of many different disciplines together.

Accepted Students Day, the main recruitment day for the upcoming Class of 2018, was held this past Sunday, April 6th. By the time the Academic Fair opened, students flocked to the Environmental Studies booth that the UDRs, Esther Mann and Adam Krebs, stood at. There was a line of eager students and parents in front of the booth for the two hours that the fair was held. The parents’  most common question was, “Tell me about the major” while the students asked, “Can I double major?” Most people were most interested in the experiential learning opportunities, the ratio of science and social science courses, and internships, yet they also asked about faculty, research opportunities, specific focuses in the major, study abroad opportunities, clubs and ways to get evolved, and future job options. Overall, the students were all extremely excited to start learning Environmental Studies at Brandeis this upcoming fall.

Students in the Environmental Health and Justice Program, taught by Professor Laura Goldin as a part of the Justice Brandeis Semester program, went out to the field to study Volatile Organic Compound Levels (VOCs) in nail salons. They found that many out of the 15 salons they visited had higher than acceptable levels, and gave advice on measures that could be used to lower these levels. You can read more about the study here.

The University of Vermont’s Summer University is offering a unique, hands-on experience at our Catamount Educational Farm, where students can earn between 3-13 credits in the course of 12 weeks.  At the core of the Catamount Farm Summer Experience is a 4 credit Sustainable Farm Practicum where students will learn principles and practices of sustainable, diversified vegetable production through a combination of lectures, hands-on fieldwork at UVM’s Catamount Farm, and visits to local vegetable farms. In conjunction with the Sustainable Farm Practicum students have the opportunity to take up to 3 additional courses.  Further details including registration information can found by visiting the following site:http://www.uvm.edu/~summer/catamount-farm/

Pledge to stop buying bottled water and get a free water bottle in the SCC! Keep an eye out for more events like this around campus, sponsored by tapBrandeis!