Sreenath Subrahmanyam (ELP 2019) | Director, Institute of Bioecosciences, Virginia, United States
The Institute of Bioecosciences, Virginia organized an Environmental Leadership Program (IELP) at Mount Carmel College (MCC), Bangalore, from December 12 to 14, 2022. The ELP participants consisted of young graduates, post graduates, PhD researchers from various states across India, as well as participants from MCC. The participants represented diverse specializations including economics, ecology, general biology, climate adaptation, mathematics, computer sciences, arts, and languages.
The program was also attended by several faculty from around the world. It was great to see many Beahrs fellows join the online lectures. The program emphasized the importance of conservation, sustainable development, and action-oriented leadership.
The participants had a fantastic opportunity to interact with Professor David Zilberman, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics professor at UC Berkeley and Will Parish Founder of Ten Strands, California.
Professor Zilberman delivered the much anticipated keynote lecture on the natural resource-based economy. He gave several examples that relate to India, providing an in-depth analysis of the circular economy, food security, and climate change, and emphasizing their impact on sustainable development. Professor Zilberman’s lecture was greatly received, with several requests made from across India for his lectures in the future. His expert message “agriculture is much more than food” was greatly discussed during the program and in a number of other forums later. It was a huge honor to host Professor Zilberman.
Professor David Zilberman giving a Zoom lecture on the natural resource-based economy.
Will Parish delivered a popular lecture that hugely resonated with the young students of India. Parish linked his incredible journey traveling around the world in a Jeep to the role innovation plays in creating system change. Participants learned a lot from his thoughts on the importance of resiliency and innovation; the concept of “joyful perseverance” had an especially big impact on the lives of the young Indian participants. Even before Parish could complete his lecture, the participants from across India requested him for another session.
Will Parish discussing the role of resiliency and innovation in system change.
Professor Zilberman and Parish’s lectures were rated as two of the three best interactive lectures from the program. Needless to say, it was a huge honor to host and moderate their sessions.
With many thanks for the opportunity and exceptional gratitude, I look forward to continued interactions and support.