2026 Sustainability Summit - Fall
SHINE is moving the Sustainability Summit to Friday, October 23. The day will start in the Lydia Olsen Library and move to the Hoop Houses for the first Harvest Festival.
Summit Schedule Harvest Festival Schedule Invited Presenters
Friday, October 23
Sustainability Summit
| 10:00 a.m. | Brunch | Lydia Olson Library Decolonizing-Diet-inspired brunch buffet. |
| 10:30 a.m. | Campus Sustainability Updates | Lydia Olson Library Atrium Come hear about the dozens of projects and initiatives that the university has implemented over the past year that are helping us reduce food insecurity, waste and our greenhouse gas emissions. |
| 11:00 a.m. | Student Sustainability Leader Panel | Lydia Olson Library Atrium This panel discussion will bring together student leaders from sustainability organizations across campus. Featuring multiple student groups sharing their experiences and insights to inspire meaningful action. |
| 12:00 p.m. | Climate@Noon: Dust in the Wind | Lydia Olson Library Atrium Join Dr. Aaron Chesler of NMU EEGS to explore how dust trapped in South Pole ice can reveal 11,300 years of changes in the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds and provide new insights into how past climate may help us understand our changing climate today. |
| 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Sustainability Organization Fair | Lydia Olson Library Atrium Student groups, academic departments, and community organizations come together to share resources that build capacity for collaborative sustainability. |
Afternoon Workshops
| 1:30 p.m. | Sustainable Citizen Badge | Lydia Olson Library Room 214 Join this short course to learn key sustainability concepts and explore action at many scales, from individuals to institutions. Earn a digital credential! |
Building a Greener Future: LEGO Serious Play Workshop | Lydia Olson Library Room 219 This is a hands-on session designed to unlock collective intelligence and co-create sustainable solutions that are actionable, innovative, and rooted in the power of play. | |
| 2:00 p.m. | Full Circle Gardening | NMU Hoop Houses Join Hoop House Intern Katy Pawlusiak for a guided tour through the NMU Hoop Houses. Learn about our sustainable growing practices here on campus and how you can grow at home! |
Sustainability Walking Tour / Well-Being Walk | Wildcat Statue This session will guide participants through an experiential overview of sustainability initiatives and innovations that have strengthened campus resilience to climate change. |
Harvest Festival
Hosted by NMU Hoop House, events begin at 4:00 p.m., and food will be available at 5:00 p.m.
Hoop House Tours
Begins at 4:00 p.m.
Yard Games
Begin at 4:00 p.m.
Cornhole Tournament
Starts at 5:00 p.m.
Paint a Pumpkin
Starts at 5:00 p.m.
Build a Fall Bouquet
Starts at 5:00 p.m. Bouquets are $3.
Music + DJ
Starts at 6:00 p.m.
Invited Presenters
Dr. Aaron Chesler
Climate@Noon: Into the Dust
Aaron Chesler is a faculty member in the Department of Earth, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences at Northern Michigan University, where he began teaching this Fall. He holds a BS in Geology from St. Lawrence University, an MSc in Volcanology and Geological Hazards from Lancaster University, and a PhD in Earth and Climate Sciences from the University of Maine. His research examines past climate change during the Holocene Epoch, with a particular focus on the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds' role in ocean-atmosphere CO₂ exchange, to gain insight into our changing climate today.