Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research Launches the Carbon Conversations
Panel series features interdisciplinary approach to address problem solving in the global carbon crisis
The core of our planet’s crisis is carbon – its use, management and ownership is at the fulcrum of fundamental issues in our world: climate change, environmental stewardship, economic development, culture, ideology and the consumption of resources.
“Scientists tend to work only with other scientists,” said Dr. Suresh Narine, director of the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research (TCBR) at the inaugural “Carbon Conversation” on March 5, 2012, “but solutions are not made only in the lab,” he asserted. “It is only through collaborations like these that we begin to approach solutions.”
The Champlain College Lecture Hall was filled to capacity for the highly anticipated launch of the new, interdisciplinary panel discussion series, in partnership with Champlain College’s “Across the River” Series.
“The Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research has designed this exciting new series specifically as a multi-perspective approach to examining the integral and complex role that carbon plays in our world,” said Professor Narine.
Approaching change to human behaviour from a psychological perspective; change to business practices with sustainability as a goal, and a variety of issues from planetary climate systems to the failure of environmental policy, the panel truly demonstrated the power of looking at a problem from different points of view.
“Multi-disciplinarity is one of the great hallmarks of this fine institution,” said Dr. Asaf Zohar, panellist and director of Sustainability Studies. “I can’t think of a better place to have this conversation than here at Trent.”
Featured Trent University professors in the first panel of the series included: Dr. Stephen Bocking, chair of the Environmental Resource Studies / Science Department, Dr. Suresh Narine, director of the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research, Dr. Raul Ponce-Hernandez, director of the GEORESLAR Laboratory, Dr. Laura Summerfeldt, associate professor in the Department of Psychology and Dr. Asaf Zohar, director of Sustainability Studies.
The TCBR will continue to engage a broad spectrum of thinkers in the Carbon Conversations– from students and scientists to philosophers and consumers – generating discourse about carbon-related sustainability issues and the future of our world.