SJC Brooklyn to Launch Climate and Sustainability Lecture Series

February 13, 2020 BK

BROOKLYN, N.Y. – February 13, 2020 – St. Joseph’s College (SJC) is pleased to announce that Dr. Brooke Bateman, senior scientist for climate at the Audubon Society, will present the first lecture of the Climate and Sustainability Lecture Series at SJC Brooklyn. Her talk, entitled “The Fate of North America’s Birds in a Changing Climate: Survival by Degree,” will take place on Tuesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. in the Tuohy Hall Student Lounge.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Bateman and the Audubon Society to the College for this lecture about the perils confronting local bird species,” said Raymond D'Angelo, interim executive dean and professor of sociology at SJC Brooklyn. “A deep and abiding concern for our planet and the life that resides upon it, lies at the heart of the mission of the College's founding order, the Sisters of St. Joseph. This partnership with the Audubon Society enables us to work toward ensuring the continued natural vitality of Brooklyn.”

In October 2019, the National Audubon Society released a report, “Survival by Degrees,” addressing how climate change will affect birds and the places they live. The findings are dire; in New York alone, 116 species were deemed vulnerable to climate change. Furthermore, New York can expect to experience greater extreme heat events, increased coastal and inland flooding and disrupted ecosystems.  This lecture will discuss the science behind their findings, the impact on birds and what can be done locally to help out.

“This talk would not have been possible without the vision and dedication of one of our distinguished alumnae, Marcy Boyle,” said Rory Shaffer-Walsh, SJC’s vice president for institutional advancement. “Her commitment to the Audubon Society and the College enables us to inform our neighbors about the ongoing threats presented by climate change to our natural ecosystem. We thank her for this opportunity and service.”

Dr. Bateman leads the climate science team at Audubon, collaborating with scientists, volunteers and Audubon’s Climate Initiative team to develop research focused on climate and the conservation of birds and the places they need today and in the future. In this role, she led a team of scientists in developing the 2019 Birds and Climate Change Report. Dr. Bateman is also the director of Climate Watch, where she works with community volunteers to understand how climate change currently affects birds in North America. 

This lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Michael Banach at 718.940.5584 or [email protected].

ABOUT AUDUBON
The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Learn more at audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE
St. Joseph’s College has been dedicated to providing a diverse population of students in the New York metropolitan area with an affordable education rooted in the liberal arts tradition since 1916. Independent and coeducational, the College provides a strong academic and value-oriented education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, aiming to prepare each student for a life characterized by integrity, intellectual and spiritual values, social responsibility and service. Through SJC Brooklyn, SJC Long Island and SJC Online, the College offers degrees in 50 majors, special course offerings and certificates, affiliated and pre-professional programs.