You are invited to attend the fourth lecture in this fall’s SSCS Lecture Series, on Monday, November 30, at 5:30, in the Alumni Reading Room at the Pratt Library. Jennifer Telesca, Assistant  Professor of Environmental Justice at Pratt Institute, will present her research on "Science as Alibi: On the Technocratic Paradigm of Governing Bluefin Tuna." The SSCS lecture series is sponsored by the program in Critical Visual Studies. The Department of Social Science and Cultural Studies invites faculty and scholars from around the world to present their work to the Pratt community. Students in the Critical Visual Studies Symposium seminar will introduce speakers and prepare questions for a Q&A session after each presentation. The lecture is free and open to the public.

You are invited to attend the third lecture in this fall’s SSCS Lecture Series, on Wednesday, October 21, at 5:30–7:30 PM, in the Alumni Reading Room at the Pratt Library. Richard Shusterman, Dorothy F. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy, Florida Atlantic University, will present his work on "Somaesthetics: From Pragmatism to Contemporary Art." The SSCS lecture series is sponsored by the program in Critical Visual Studies. The Department of Social Science and Cultural Studies invites faculty and scholars from around the world to present their work to the Pratt community. Students in the Critical Visual Studies Symposium seminar will introduce speakers and prepare questions for a Q&A session after each presentation. The lecture is free and open to the public.

You are invited to attend the second lecture in this fall’s SSCS Lecture Series, on Wednesday, September 30, at 5:30–7:30 PM, in the Alumni Reading Room at the Pratt Library. Christoph Lindner, Professor of Media and Culture at the University of Amsterdam, will be presenting his research on "Slow Art, Fast Architecture, and the End of the High Line." The SSCS lecture series is sponsored by the program in Critical Visual Studies. The Department of Social Science and Cultural Studies invites faculty and scholars from around the world to present their work to the Pratt community. Students in the Critical Visual Studies Symposium seminar will introduce speakers and prepare questions for a Q&A session after each presentation. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Review of applications begins in the early fall of 2015 and continues until the position is filled.

A new semester begins Monday, and Pratt students with questions about the Sustainability Studies minor can find some answers in the following places:

What classes count for the minor?
We have a list of the permanent catalog courses that may be used for the minor on the minor's web site.

How do I declare the minor?
Check with your academic advisor to ensure you have enough time in your schedule to complete the minor as well as your major and general education requirements. If you do, download this form and arrange to see me (Carl Zimring). We'll discuss your schedule, and once I approve you for the minor you can go to Myrtle Hall and turn it in to the Registrar's Office and be registered.

When do you have office hours?
I hold regular office hours Tuesdays noon-2pm in DeKalb 108. I can also make appointments at other times pending my teaching schedule and committee obligations.

Does Pratt have sustainability resources on campus?
Yes, all sorts. If you are interested in integrating sustainability into your design process, I highly recommend visiting the Center for Sustainable Design Strategies in the basement of the Engineering building for brainstorming and options on sourcing materials, evaluating material choices, and assessing design options. (CSDS just moved into a new, larger space; go down the stairs and follow the signs.) Art students who would like to conserve supplies can check out Turn Up Art's room to get salvaged materials. Turn Up Art is also in the basement of the Engineering building.

The library's expert research librarians have developed a set of useful LibGuides for pursuing sustainability research. Here's one for the Sustainable Core course. We have access to several databases relevant to sustainability, including Building Green (case studies of sustainable architecture projects around the world) and Material ConneXion (materials library in Manhattan with searchable database indexed on materiality issues such as durability, toxicity, recyclability, and just about any factor a designer would want to consider for clothing, buildings, furniture, or the range of designed goods). Access is free for Pratt students logged in through the campus network.

Does Pratt have student groups interested in environmental issues?
Yes. Pratt Envirolutions meets regularly during the school year; the faculty advisor in 2015-16 is my officemate Professor Jen Telesca. Pratt's chapter of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) regularly undertakes political action campaigns related to the environment. Pratt students have also worked with groups such as Greenpeace, though the two organizations above have perhaps the most visible presence on campus.

What do I do if I have questions about the minor that are not answered by this page?
Email me and I will do my best to answer them.