Oct 2: Sustainability & Computing panel

The Fall 2012 Sustainability and Computing seminar series will kick off  on October 2 with a  Panel Discussion by four computer science faculty working on different facets of the sustainability problem: 

Jen Mankoff (HCII) - Zico Kolter (CS) - David Andersen (CS) - Illah Nourbakhsh (RI)

Issues of sustainability, energy, and the environment pose some of the greatest challenges facing society.  Although these problems span a range of disciplines, there is a growing appreciation for the role that computer science and computation in general can play to address such issues.  The goal of this seminar is to create a forum to discuss the ways that computer science can and will contribute to these domains, and to foster greater consciousness, conversation, and collaboration in this area. 

We hope to cast a wide net: topics include both computer science research relevant to sustainability challenges, as well as research areas in sustainability, energy and the environment which may provide fertile ground for novel work involving computational thinking.  Talks may also present mature research in sustainability – both to increase our general sustainability literacy and to generate discussion about how computer science could help advance the work.  In all of these areas, we look forward to collaborating with other groups on campus.

While this inaugural presentation is CS-centric, the seminar as a whole is deliberately – and necessarily – interdisciplinary, and we invite both speakers and participants from all areas.  We also hope to foster some meta discussions: exploring opportunities for collaboration, funding, outreach, and so forth.  Please let us know if you would like to speak in the near future.

3-4 p.m. in Gates/Hillman 6112 on the Carnegie Mellon campus.

Please contact copetas@cs.cmu.edu to be added to the Sustainability Seminar mailing list for notifications on upcoming talks and special programs of interest.

Additional information:   http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~SCSGreen<http://www.cs.cmu.edu/%7ESCSGreen>