Faculty from Valparaiso University have joined forces with the University of Chicago Law School's Abrams Environmental Law Clinic and Indiana/Chicagoland environmentally minded organizations and people to discuss important environmental and human health themes. This year's event will highlight climate change in the Midwest. Informative discussions on evolving understanding of climate change, the effects, and the means to move forward will supplement University of Chicago Professor David Archer’s keynote presentation, “Fossil fuel carbon in the context of Earth’s natural carbon cycle.”

This symposium will be split into sessions focused on science, economics, legal, and governmental policy discussions pertaining to climate change. The keynote speaker will be Professor David Archer from the University of Chicago. He has worked on a wide range of topics pertaining to the global carbon cycle, and he has authored several books, including The Climate Crisis: An Introductory Guide to Climate Change. There are also speakers from a variety of institutions, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic, the mayor of Portage, the Hoosier Environmental Council, Purdue University, and Valparaiso University. This symposium is named for our late colleague Jonathan Schoer, who wanted to host an environmental conference accessible to the general public, so please encourage any students, colleagues, and friends interested in these topics to join us for an informative symposium.