On the evening of January 27, the School of Science welcomed guest speaker Dr. Robin Leichenko, Distinguished Professor and Dean of Social & Behavioral Sciences at Rutgers University, for the first Climate Teach-In of 2025. Dr. Leichenko spoke to the three spheres of sustainability: the practical, personal, and political dimensions of sustainable transformation. Her research at Rutgers University on the “cChallenge” encourages students to make a sustainable commitment in their lives for 30 days, an activity that the audience of more than 60 students and teachers could benefit from replicating in their own lives and classrooms. As evidenced in questionnaires and surveys, students make practical changes in their lives toward a more sustainable lifestyle, leading to personal and even political transformations as they communicate their thoughts, experiences, and results with others. This research demonstrated the need to provide space and opportunities in our classrooms where students can put their sustainable knowledge into practice and the ripple effect this has in their own lives and communities. This study began before the COVID pandemic and continued into its inception, resulting in elevated awareness on the intersections of climate change, public health, and sustainable transformations for those participants.
Dr. Leichenko clarified that “Transformations are possible and are underway,” and that a significant part of that is in scaling transformation—making small changes that add up. Using a case study in promoting cycling trails in rural areas, Leichenko expanded on how these spheres become relevant in our communities. Cycling infrastructure is a great example for how successful efforts in scaling transformation can benefit a community, it’s economy, and the people within it so long as it reflects and depends on the communities’ input for development. The most effective transformations, as Leichenko explained, have to prioritize members in those local communities who are closest to the issue.
The event concluded with a Q&A session on Dr. Leichenko’s research, her experience as a Distinguished Professor and Dean at Rutgers, and her observations on sustainable initiatives on campus and in student’s lives.
