Year after year, the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) is pleased to offer our community and the public an impressive lineup of the leaders and best in environment and sustainability. Students, faculty, and interested partners get to hear from and interact with household names and rising stars who will usher in the next wave of brilliant innovations in sustainability.

Some of our greatest past visiting luminaries include His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, former UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres, writer/activist Bill McKibben, and award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and adventurer Jimmy Chin. View photos from recent events here.

Just about every day (and sometimes several times a day) there are exciting, insightful, and important events at SEAS and across the U-M campus. Take advantage of these extensive (and usually free) opportunities to explore your options, expand your horizons, network, and learn about other disciplines.

 

Upcoming SEAS Events

Featured
Landscape Architecture-Design with Care featuring photo of Joan Nassauer

2026 Whittemore Lecture in Landscape Architecture

Dana Building, Room 1040
440 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI
| Thursday October 1, 2026 | 6:00 pm

Design With Care: Practicing Landscape Architects reflect upon the impact of Professor Joan Nassauer’s work in Ecological Design, Aesthetics, and Landscape Management The 2026 Whittemore Lecture in Landscape Architecture will celebrate the influential work of Professor Joan Nassauer and its impact...
outdoor graphic with Climate Week dates

U-M Climate Week 2026

Ann Arbor, Flint, Dearborn
| September 26 - October 4, 2026

Join us for Climate Week, a transformative university-wide initiative dedicated to addressing the environmental challenges of our time. Bringing together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members, we're committed to developing innovative solutions and driving meaningful climate action...

earthfest October 1st on the Diag

Earthfest

Central Campus Diag
| Thursday October 1, 2026 | 10:00 am

CELEBRATE people, planet, and progress at earthFEST Interact with 40+ Organizations Explore Unique Experiences: Produce Giveaways, Bike Repair, Interactive Art, Local Food, Animal Ambassadors This event is free and open to the public Presented by U-M Campus Sustainability and Innovation U-M Planet...

Climate Week graphic

Power & Place: A Negotiation Simulation on Data Centers

Michigan League, Hussey Room
911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor
| Thursday October 1, 2026 | 2:00 pm

Join an interactive negotiation role-play exploring how communities, industry representatives, and public decision-makers navigate complex choices surrounding data-center development. Participants will take on the roles of diverse stakeholders and explore whether a shared agreement is possible...

PhD Student Talks Graphic with names of participants

PhD Student Talks: Berk Duruturk, Riti Bhandarkar, Olivia David, Spencer Checkoway

1040 Dana
| Friday October 2, 2026 | 12:00 pm

Each student will present for 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes for Q&A. There will be tea bags, hot water, and cookies. Please bring your own mugs. -- Riti Bhandarkar Beyond the historical record: improving the representation of low-probability extreme weather in power system modeling using climate...

Logo for the Global Center for Transboundary Waters, featuring colorful droplets and the text "Global Center Transboundary Waters."

Water Resilience Summit

Student Union
| Tuesday October 6, 2026 | 8:30 am

This event is the capstone for a 12-month initiative to co-create a Water Resilience Research-to-Action Agenda for Michigan. For more information about this project, visit the SEAS Hydro site. If you are interested in this event or others, complete this interest form.

Getting to Work on Climate Policy

"Getting to Work on Climate Policy", Book Talk with author Geoff Henderson

2315 Dana Building
440 Church St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| Thursday October 8, 2026 | 5:00 pm

Ever wondered why organized labor sometimes supports climate policy but sometimes doesn’t? University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Assistant Professor Geoff Henderson's new book, "Getting to Work on Climate Policy," explores this question through over 60 interviews...