The 2020-21 York Circle @ Home Lecture Series concludes on April 17 with a panel discussion featuring five York University experts who will explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the environment.
Hosted by Rebecca Pillai Riddell, academic chair of The York Circle, this virtual lecture series showcases York’s leading faculty members – from policy makers to molecular scientists – to engage in lively panel discussions and Q-and-A sessions on key themes related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series takes place over four sessions throughout the year.
The final event in the series, “The impact of the pandemic on the environment,” will be held on Saturday, April 17 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. via Zoom. Five York faculty members from across the University will discuss their research on sustainability and environmental issues during COVID-19.
Assistant Professor of Disaster & Emergency Management Eric Kennedy will outline how natural disasters are managed during a pandemic. Deborah McGregor, associate professor at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC) and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Environmental Justice, will present on the root causes of the pandemic, and the link between unsustainable human practices and the environment, along with the Indigenous perspective. Associate Professor of Politics Gabrielle Slowey will discuss our connection to land, with a special focus on the Arctic. James Stinson, a postdoctoral Fellow in Planetary Health & Education at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, will discuss the impact of the pandemic and lockdown procedures on parks and conservation areas. And EUC Professor and Co-Chair of the Faculty’s Sustainable Energy Initiative Mark Winfield will present the impact of the pandemic on our biophysical environment.
The first 200 people to register for three or more York Circle @ Home virtual sessions will receive a complimentary York University coffee mug, become a member of The York Circle, and be entered for a chance to win one of four $25 gift cards per session, made possible by MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard.
Register for the event here.