Leading experts in sustainability will meet at Kent State next week to discuss eco-friendly strategies in man-made environments.

The fifth annual Water and Land symposium will be open to the public, with the opportunity for attendees to be a part of “discussion on the limits of knowledge and the road to greater environmental responsibility,” according to the event’s page on the College of Arts and Sciences website.

The event kicks off on Oct. 4 in Cartwright Hall, where Timothy Beatley from the University of Virginia will speak at 7 p.m. Beatley is an internationally recognized author who has written 16 books on the importance of constructing buildings that work with the environment instead of against it.

The following day, the workshop will move to the Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center. After mandatory speeches, attendees will get the chance to choose between three Kent State faculty-hosted sessions that include lecturers from universities across the country and discussion panels.

“This is a model that works very well. It gives people the opportunity to have a number of learning opportunities at the conference,” said Sandra Morgan, the director of external affairs for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Topics to choose from will include sustainable urbanism and conservation and recreation. All discussions will be lead by Kent State researchers.

This year, the symposium’s main focus is architecture. It will showcase the recently constructed College of Architecture and Environmental Design building, which Morgan says meets the highest standards of sustainability. Tours will be provided for those who are interested. 

Logan Lutton is the science reporter. Contact her at [email protected].