Events Search and Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

Events

Today

  • Science Spotlights: The Case of the Immortal Chemicals & Learning about the Deep Past from Ancient DNA

    Harvard Museum of Natural History 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, United States

    Meet up-and-coming scientists and learn about questions at the forefront of research today in this series of short talks.

    2:00–2:30 pm – The Case of the Immortal Chemicals
    Speaker: Ethan Sontarp, Graduate Student with the Sunderland Group

    There’s a mystery that needs to be solved: where does invisible pollution go when it is released into the environment? Scientists use chemical fingerprinting to do detective work, uncovering why certain man-made pollutants are so resistant to breaking down and where they like to go. By following this trail of clues, researchers can learn how to stop pollution from entering our food and drinking water. Join Harvard scientist Ethan Sontarp to discover how environmental detective work can help protect the world around us.

    3:00-3:30 pm – Learning about the Deep Past from Ancient DNA
    Speaker: Daniel Tabin, PhD Student in the David Reich Lab

    Writing has only been around for about 6,000 years. This means that the stories of people who lived before that time were never recorded for future generations. Thankfully, these stories are not lost forever. How can we learn about the adventures, relationships, and challenges of people who lived long before anyone ever put words on a page? Join Harvard scientist Daniel Tabin to discover how ancient DNA can help us piece together the lives of people who lived thousands of years ago—and hear about the remarkable stories he has helped bring back to light.

    20-minute talk followed by 10-minute Q&A session. Recommended for ages 10 and up.
    Regular museum admission rates apply.

    Presented by the Harvard Museum of Natural History and Harvard Museums of Science & Culture

  • “A Fresh Start for Our Cities” featuring Bill McKibben ’82

    PIPER AUDITORIUM, GUND HALL 48 QUINCY ST. CAMBRIDGE

    For over 40 years, Bill McKibben has been raising the alarm about the climate crisis, starting with his groundbreaking book, The End of Nature. Now McKibben says, for once in his life, he is spreading good news. In his latest book, Here Comes the Sun, he explains why the recent boom in solar and wind power has given him hope for the planet's future, and he implores everyone to buy in. We hope you can join us for this inspiring and important conversation. This event is supported by the Melissa Kaish and Jonathan Dorfman Makers Fund. It is co-sponsored by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability through its Climate Crossroads: Debating Energy’s Next Frontier series, bringing leading voices confronting the intertwined challenges of climate change and the global energy transition to Harvard University.

  • Research Spotlight: Building with Fungi (for Arnold Arboretum members only)

    Flora Way Gate Flora Way, Boston, MA, United States

    Fungi are known for their decomposing properties, but did you know that also make great building components? Dehydrated fungal mycelium is waterproof, fire retardant, insulating, and sound absorbing, and GSD post-doc Noam Attias is on the hunt for new species of fungi in the Arboretum to create the next generation of eco-materials. Join Noam for a walk in the landscape highlighting her work and learn about the Arboretum fungi she is exploring.

  • ‘Asunder’ and the California Wildfires

    Arnold Arboretum

    The devastating wildfires in California over the past several years have left the landscape starkly and in many cases permanently changed. Billie Mandle, Photography professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Karen Haas, Curator of Photography at the MFA, come together to talk about Billie’s new photography book ‘Asunder,’ made up of stark and haunting photos of the aftermath of the 2020 Glass Fire in Northern California. They will be joined by Director of the Harvard Forest Jonathan Thompson who will share his research on how the wildfires have changed the very makeup of California forests, from mature trees to landscapes dominated by chaparral.

    Join us for this unique panel talk that mixes science and art to look at some of the most devastating natural disasters of the past decade.

  • Animal Law Week Day 2: “False Food Promises and Farmed Animals—Green-Washing in Food Law: The Case Against JBS”

    WCC 1010, 18 EVERETT STREET, CAMBRIDGE

    When global meat producers market themselves as environmentally friendly, how can we separate fact from fiction? Join Assistant Attorneys General Ashley Gregor and Rita McDonough of the New York State Attorney General’s Environmental Protection Bureau, one of the nation’s leading state-level environmental enforcers. They will pull back the curtain on corporate greenwashing, detailing their office’s high-profile legal challenges against industry giant JBS and the fight to hold corporations accountable for their climate claims.

    A plant-based lunch will be served.

    Please register here to attend in person: https://forms.gle/xpnpnZeTH1EopoGk6

  • Freecycle- Donate and pick up items for free

    Spring 2026 Freecycle at Smith Campus Center (SCC)

    Freecycle Events

    Join us at our Freecycle in the Smith Campus Center! Drop off reusable goods you no longer need, and browse a fantastic selection of items brought by others. Find some secondhand items to gift this year. Popular items include books, clothes, and working household goods.

  • Harvard Voices on Climate Change: Measuring Forest-Based Carbon Emission Reductions

    Earth Month 2026
    Zoom

    The Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability and the Harvard Alumni Association invite you to the next installment of Harvard Voices on Climate Change, a virtual series showcasing Harvard faculty and fellows on different dimensions of the climate challenge.

    This session will explore the science and measurement behind forest-based carbon emission reductions. Featuring Missy Holbrook, Charles Bullard Professor of Forestry, and Benton Taylor, Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, the discussion will examine how researchers measure carbon stored in forests and assess the role of forest conservation and restoration in climate mitigation.

  • Animal Law Week Day 4: “Arctic Wildlife, Oil, and the Rule of Law”

    Pound Hall, 100 Cahill Classroom 1563 Massachusetts Ave 5th floor, Cambridge, MA, United States

    The Arctic is rapidly becoming a focal point for both ecological protection and energy development. Join Trustees for Alaska Senior Staff Attorney Bridget Psarianos and Arctic Initiative Senior Fellow with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Margaret Williams as they explore how legal frameworks shape conflicts between oil extraction and the protection of Arctic wildlife.

    A plant-based lunch will be served.

    Please register here to attend in person: https://forms.gle/RdQwQRsDVqmxS7MHA

  • Poster graphic for Ken Burns Presents "Henry David Thoreau": A Screening and Discussion with the Filmmakers and Scholars

    Ken Burns Presents “Henry David Thoreau”: A Screening and Discussion with the Filmmakers and Scholars

    Earth Month 2026
    Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts 24 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, United States

    The Center for the Study of World Religions’ Transcendentalism Initiative will host a special screening of Episode 2 of Henry David Thoreau, a new documentary directed by Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers and produced by Ken Burns. The film is narrated by George Clooney and features voice performances by Jeff Goldblum, Meryl Streep and Ted Danson. Director Erik Ewers will introduce the film.

    The documentary offers a vivid, integrated portrait of Thoreau, bringing together the contemplative naturalist of Walden and the political thinker behind “Civil Disobedience.” It traces a life in which attention to the natural world and a commitment to social justice are presented as intertwined expressions of a single moral vision.

  • Litter clean up with “Charlie’s Angels”

    Litter clean ups with “Charlie’s Angels”
    Charles River

    Charlie's Angels is a group of Harvard-affiliates dedicated to keeping the Charles River area -- one that provides us with much peace and tranquility in our hectic personal and professional lives -- clean.

    Our river-cleanups will be hosted nearly every Saturday throughout the months of April and May from 10 to 11:30am.

    Clean-up sessions will be limited to 24 people, so please click on the event to register.

    During the week of every session an email with an itinerary and waiver will be sent to all participants. Supplies will be provided (including gloves, safety vests, trash grabbers, buckets, etc.), as well as some refreshments to celebrate our morning's work!

    So, if you are interested in venturing into a life of fighting grime...join us!

  • The Michigan Futures Initiative: A Climate Solutions Accelerator at the University of Michigan

    Earth Month 2026
    Harvard Kennedy School, Bell Hall (B-500) 79 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA, United States

    In the speaker series Climate Action Clinic: Where Research meets Practice, we spotlight lessons learned from efforts to link knowledge and action in order to develop and advance durable, effective solutions to the climate change and sustainability challenges confronting humanity.

    In this discussion, the University of Michigan's Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action Shalanda Baker presents an overview of the Michigan Futures Initiative, a framework designed to accelerate research impacts and respond to urgent climate and sustainability issues focusing on: law and policy for equitable climate and energy policy; education innovation for the next generation of climate leaders; economic impact and workforce development fora sustainable economy; industrial transformation; and systems change tackling the interconnected challenges of water, food, and energy systems.

    Lunch will be served from 11:30 - 12:00 pm.

  • Arctic Film Festival (RSVP Required)

    Belfer Building - Land Hall, 4th Floor 79 John F Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA, United States

    In celebration of Earth Day, join the Belfer Center’s Arctic Initiative for an evening of science, nature, and adventure from the Far North.

    We will screen the following short films:

    Nuisance Bear - Canada
    A Season Living in the Ice - Canada/Greenland
    Haul Out - Russia
    Arctic Youth Expedition - Norway
    Izembek - Alaska
    Teshekpuk - Alaska

    Open to all Harvard ID holders. Please RSVP.