Introduction

So you've done your study, spent hours in books and on the internet and you've generally made yourself a sustainability guru. So what's missing?

Joining the Dots can help you find connectivity. A basic understanding of Systems Theory can give you the extra edge you need to really understand the complexity of the world around you. As a student of sustainability it's not enough to simply know that the whole is more than the sum of the parts, you need to understand the connections and tenuous links that make it so.

Designed in the context of Sustainability Engineering and Science, Joining the Dots is open to anyone with a basic understanding of sustainability issues who wants to transform their knowledge into understanding.

Come along to a FREE one day workshop led by experts in the field, work with like-minded students of sustainability, and learn how best to employ your knowledge in developing resilient, intelligent solutions for complex problems.

Allow yourself to see the big picture. Join the Dots.

The workshop will be held the day before the NZSSES Second International Conference on Sustainability Engineering and Science. All workshop attendees are also invited to attend this conference. Please visit the link above for further information and fees.

Key Details

Where? Level 4, School of Engineering, The University of Auckland

When? Tuesday 20th Feb 2007, 9am—3pm

RSVP by the 16th of Feb 2007 to nexus.auckland@gmail.com.

Please indicate if you will require lunch ($10) and mention if you are a vegetarian or if you have any other special requirements.

Downloads: Flyer (14 KB PDF)

Workshop Programme

Speaker Profiles

Vineet Rajasekhar is a fourth year Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Auckland and is an executive of Nexus, a student-led initiative that is committed to Sustainable Development.

Dr Carol Boyle has been working in the field of sustainability engineering for the past 9 years, both as a researcher and as a lecturer at the University of Auckland. Her main focus on research is understanding and applying the science and engineering needed to achieve sustainability. She and her postgrad students are currently working with a number of companies including Formway Furniture Ltd., Actronic Ltd. and Fisher&Paykel Ltd. to move their products towards sustainability. In addition, she is undertaking research with Meridian Energy to develop a sustainable energy strategy for both the company and energy production in New Zealand. Currently she is the Chair of the New Zealand Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science, an IPENZ technical interest group, and is a Board member of Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand.

Professor Jorge Vanegas has recently taken on the role of Director of The Center for Housing and Urban Development (CHUD). CHUD has implemented a Colonias Program, which works to reduce the residents' relative isolation from programs and services that could improve their lives. Colonias are unincorporated, rural communities that dot the U.S. border with Mexico. Most lack water and sewers, contain self-built housing, and are challenged by low literacy rates, low incomes, high unemployment, and a high incidence of illness among their residents. The communities typically have no programs for young people or the elderly. CHUD has worked in 12 colonias to establish Community Resource Centers (CRC) where residents can access health, human services, education, workforce, youth, elderly, and community development programs. It plans to establish a Field Research and Learning Centers to help residents identify, address, and solve community issues through research and outreach and to encourage residents to start and maintain small businesses. CHUD also is studying the use alternative building materials to make homes more affordable.

2001 - Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Educator of the Year Award
1999 - The CoE Fred and Teresa Estrada Young Professorship
1998 - Georgia Tech Outstanding Interdisciplinary Activity Award
1995 - The first Construction Industry Institute (CII) Outstanding Instructor Award
1992 - A National Science Foundation National Young Investigator Award (NSF/NYI)

Drs Scott and Deanna Matthews are lecturers in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. They are also actively involved in the Green Design Institute, which is an interdisciplinary research consortium at Carnegie Mellon focused on identifying and assessing the environmental impacts of environmental systems and helping businesses manage their use of resources and toxic materials.

Dr John Peet is a Past President of Engineers for Social Responsibility (ESR) in New Zealand/Aotearoa, is on the National Committee, and is also the ESR contact person for the International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility (INES). Until recently he was a member of the governing Board of the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE). He is currently on the Editorial Boards of the journal Ecological Economics, the International Journal of Sustainable Development (IJSD), the International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology (IJARGE), the International Journal of Transdisciplinary Research (IJTR) and Pacific Ecologist.

During the last three years John has been working with others, under the umbrella of the Royal Society of New Zealand, in the Sustainable Development Forum, to develop a better scientific/technological understanding of the meaning of sustainability and sustainable development policy options. The Forum has recently been renamed and extended as Sustainable Aotearoa New Zealand (SANZ), and he is a member of the Interim Board. John is also one of the founder members of Sustainable Otautahi Christchurch (SOC), a Christchurch-based group working for long-term sustainability in the city of Christchurch.