Past Critical Conversations

Harvesting the Sun: Integrating Solar with Agriculture in the Midwest (Fall 2024)

For its sixth Critical Conversation, iSEE brought together diverse stakeholders for a two-day forum to discuss solar farming on cropland, the relevant contentious issues, and the potential solutions to better integrate solar energy with agriculture in the Midwest.

Farmers, solar energy developers, academics, financial experts, as well as representatives of environmental groups and government agencies, engaged in constructive dialogue about the current concerns associated with solar farming on Midwestern cropland.

Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices and Resilience in the Midwest (Fall 2023)

The fifth iSEE Critical Conversation explored climate-smart commodities and agricultural practices, and their potential role in enhancing resilience in the Midwest.

Representatives from across the agricultural supply chain, such as farmers, intermediate producers, food distributors, and consumers, as well as academics, industry, government, and nongovernment experts, provided perspectives on the potential opportunities and existing barriers to climate-smart commodities.

Climate (In)securities in Great Lakes Communities (Fall 2022)

At the fourth iSEE Critical Conversation, academics, nonprofit organizations, businesses, indigenous group representatives, and policy makers discussed critical climate (in)securities affecting the Great Lakes mega-region, particularly its vulnerable communities.

iSEE invited participants’ perspectives on issues related to physical, social, economic, and environmental (in)securities in the context of a changing climate in the region.

The 2022 Critical Conversation received generous funding from the Great Lakes Higher Education Consortium (GLHEC), thanks to a grant and ongoing collaboration with the United States Mission in Canada.

The Role of Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy Future (Spring 2021)

The third iSEE Critical Conversation brought together academics, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and regulators to discuss ways nuclear power might be a solution in mitigating global climate change.

iSEE invited experts from a wide range of fields to discuss the role of, and potential areas of growth for, advanced nuclear energy technology in a low-carbon energy future.

Genetically Modified Mosquitoes (Spring 2019)

iSEE brought together experts to discuss biological advances and challenges in implementation and regulation of genetically-modified mosquitoes for disease control — an emerging environmental, human health, and regulatory concern.

The Nitrogen Reduction Challenge (Spring 2018)

Nitrogen runoff from agricultural sources is a dominant contributor to poor water quality in the Gulf of Mexico.

iSEE organized its first Critical Conversation to engage researchers and external stakeholders to develop a research agenda geared toward finding actionable solutions and identifying strategic opportunities for collaboration.